Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan name-dropped in Diddy's trial as prosecution nears end of testimony

Fox News

8 hours ago

As prosecutors neared the end of their witness list in Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial, multiple celebrities were mentioned in court.
Sports legends Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal were mentioned during the fifth week of trial testimony in the rapper's sex trafficking and racketeering case.
Diddy's trial began May 12 with opening statements. Throughout the past week of testimony, the jury mostly heard from the disgraced music mogul's ex-girlfriend. Testifying under the pseudonym "Jane," she told the jury about her relationship with the rapper beginning in 2021.
Jane detailed drug-fueled nights when Diddy allegedly forced her into having sex with male escorts while he watched.
Here's a look at the celebrities mentioned in court.
Diddy's ex-girlfriend mentioned three basketball superstars during her testimony Tuesday. Jane, testifying under a pseudonym, told the jury she used nicknames to sometimes refer to Diddy and a male escort named Paul during the trio's alleged "hotel nights."
"Trifecta," was one nickname. Jane explained they used it "because it's three."
"I think Sean was the one who said trifecta," Jane testified. "And then it became trifecta."
Jane also testified that they gave each other nicknames relating to famous sports stars Kobe Bryant, Shaq and Michael Jordan.
Jane was Bryant, Diddy was Jordan and the male escort was often referred to as Shaq, according to her testimony.
Jane testified that she went to another man's "freak off" in January 2024 while on a break from their relationship. That man was an "icon in the music industry," according to Jane. The "very successful rapper," who was unidentified during testimony, invited Jane to travel to Las Vegas for his girlfriend's birthday.
WATCH: DIDDY'S EX-GIRLFRIEND CROSS-EXAMINED AFTER 'GRAPHIC, DAYS-LONG' TESTIMONY
During the trip, Jane claimed she ran into a male escort, Antoine, who had participated in "hotel nights" with her and Diddy. Antoine had sex with another woman while seven or eight people watched, according to Jane. She explained she was instructed to flash her breasts to the room after engaging in flirty banter with the unnamed rapper.
According to Jane, the rapper and Diddy were close.
Jane said Diddy did not find out about the trip until months later. He allegedly lashed out at his ex-girlfriend after reading messages about the trip on her phone.
Jane also brought up rapper Yung Miami during her testimony Tuesday. The music mogul began dating Caresha, known as Yung Miami, about six months to a year after Jane and Diddy began dating.
Jane agreed that she was hurt by the rapper's relationship with Yung Miami because it was a "public relationship that looked from the outside to be a monogamous one."
"Yeah, it was definitely not something that I signed up for," Jane told the court. "I didn't sign up to date a man that was in a public relationship."
Diddy's former assistant, David James, testified May 20 that the rapper typically carried "25 to 30" undisclosed pill bottles. According to James, some of the pills were ecstasy.
"Can you describe the ecstasy that you saw him taking?" Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Slavik asked.
"There were various pills, but there was one that was in the shape of a former president's face," James explained.
"Which former president?" the prosecutor questioned.
"President Obama," James answered.
Former Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard testified Usher was at a dinner where Sean "Diddy" Combs allegedly punched Cassie Ventura in the stomach.
"We were having a private conversation, and we were all sitting, eating at the tables together," Richard recalled during her testimony. "When I say we, I mean some Bad Boy, some of our other label and even some celebrities were in the room. And they were secretly arguing, and he punched her in the stomach. Sean Combs punched her in the stomach.
"She immediately bent over and then was — he was — he told her to leave because I could see him point out, and she went out and left the room."
Richard claimed music executive Harve Pierre, two of Diddy's assistants, the rapper's security and Kalenna Harper were present for the West Hollywood dinner. During cross-examination, it was revealed that Richard hadn't mentioned all of the celebrities at the dinner.
"Usher was there. Jimmy Iovine was there. Ne-Yo came through," Richard eventually added. "There were a few others, too. I don't recall those people, but those are the ones I remember talking to."
Diddy's former executive assistant, Capricorn Clark, mentioned both Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey during her testimony May 27.
Clark claimed she thought Diddy's ex, Cassie Ventura, was talented but was more of a studio artist.
"Why do you think she just had talent as opposed to being very talented?" Diddy's lawyer asked the ex-assistant.
"Um, talented to me is Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey," Clark said. "Very talented is that level of performer, entertainer. Cassie was more of a studio artist."
Clark described a studio artist as "a little bit more comfortable in the vocal booth to have a little bit of things equalized for you and, you know, engineered properly. Less of a live performer."