Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial recap: Judge threatens to remove Combs; defense accuses witness of lying
What to know about the sex trafficking trial
Sean "Diddy" Combs was almost removed from the courtroom today for attempting to interact with jurors. Judge Arun Subramanian angrily admonished the defense team and demanded Combs stop making faces at the jury, or else he would be kicked out of court.
Bryana Bongolan — a friend of Combs' former girlfriend Cassie Ventura — returned to the stand today for more questions about her claim that Combs dangled her over a 17th-story balcony in 2016 before he threw her onto the balcony's furniture.
Combs' defense repeatedly called into question Bongolan's account of the alleged balcony incident, at one point directly accusing her of lying to the jury.
A woman using the pseudonym "Jane" also took the stand today. She said she was in a romantic relationship with Combs from 2021 to 2024. "Jane" provided graphic details about "hotel nights," when, she said, Combs would arrange for her to have drug-fueled sex with another man as he watched. The details of the "hotel nights" are nearly identical to what Ventura referred to as "freak offs."
"Jane" said that she did not want to participate in the "hotel nights" but that Combs would threaten her financially if she refused.
Combs faces five criminal counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs has vociferously denied the allegations against him.
This live briefing may include graphic descriptions of sexual violence. For resources on sexual assault, call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline.
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The Guardian
4 hours ago
- The Guardian
Another ex and alleged victim of Sean ‘Diddy' Combs testifies about ‘freak-offs'
The federal sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs resumed on Friday with testimony from a former girlfriend and alleged victim, identified as 'Jane'. The woman, described by prosecutors as a single mother who met Combs in 2020, testified on Friday that Combs denied requests that escorts wear condoms during the drug-fueled sexual encounters with male escorts at hotels known as 'freak-offs' or 'hotel nights', which she claims Combs orchestrated and watched as she took part. Jane told the court that she asked Combs at least twice if an escort could wear condoms, but said that Combs 'guilt-tripped me out of it … He didn't want to see a rubber while he was watching.' Combs, 55, was arrested in September 2024 and faces federal charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Jane began her testimony on Thursday and told the court that she began dating Combs in 2021, and that their relation ship was loving and passionate. However, she described a turning point in their relationship in May 2021, when Combs revealed his sexual fantasies involving other men and role-playing. She said that, wanting to please him, she agreed to go along with the idea and that within hours she was in a Miami hotel room watching Combs's assistants set up for a group sex encounter. 'That night really opened a Pandora's box for our relationship,' Jane testified. 'It set the tone for our relationship going forward … It was a door that I was unable to shut.' Jane testified that after that point, 90% of her sexual encounters with Combs included other men while Combs watched, masturbated and directed the sex acts. When the prosecutor asked if she wanted to have sex with the others, Jane replied: 'No … just Sean.' She said she repeatedly told Combs, in person and in writing, that she no longer wanted to participate in these sexual encounters, but he pressured her, and she felt 'obligated'. Jane told the court how she became financially dependent on Combs, who paid her rent and would send her money. She said that at times, when she voiced discomfort with the sexual encounters, he threatened to stop paying her rent. On Friday, Jane testified that she feared losing her home if she refused to participate in the so-called 'hotel nights' or 'freak-offs'. On the stand, she read aloud texts from 2023 in which she told Combs that it felt like the sexual encounters were 'the only reason you have me around and pay for the house', adding that she was 'doing things that make me disgusted with myself'. In other messages, Jane told Combs that she felt she had to perform for him and regretted ever participating in the encounters, writing: 'Ever since I opened Pandora's box, I haven't been able to close it.' Sign up to Headlines US Get the most important US headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion 'I don't want to keep feeling like that,' she wrote, telling Combs that she wanted them to 'talk like adults and figure out where we're going from here'. Combs replied: 'Girl, stop.' Jane recalled crying at least twice during the encounters with Combs and male escorts, and said that Combs appeared offended and 'disgusted' by her display of emotion. While Combs's lawyers have acknowledged his history of domestic violence, they argue that the women participated in the 'freak-offs' consensually and they maintain that Combs is not guilty of sex trafficking or racketeering, or of operating a criminal enterprise. So far, Jane's testimony has echoed that of Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura, who dated Combs on and off from 2007 to 2018 and testified last month. Ventura told jurors that she was subjected to years of physical and emotional abuse during the relationship. She alleged she was coerced, through violence and blackmail, into taking part in the so-called 'freak-offs', which she said were orchestrated and directed by Combs and involved drugs and male sex workers. During cross-examination, Combs's attorneys sought to portray Ventura as a willing participant in the 'freak-offs', framing the encounters as part of a 'swingers lifestyle'. If convicted on all counts, Combs could face life in prison. The Associated Press contributed reporting
BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
Diddy ex-girlfriend 'Jane' testify for im sex-trafficking trial
For di fourth week of Diddy trial, we hia wetin one of im ex girlfriends "Jane" tok about dia relationship wey last from 2021 to 2024. She be di last woman wey di rapper, Sean "Diddy" Combs date bifor dem arrest am for 2024. According to di woman, dia relationship bin start for one girls trip wey she bin take go Miami. Di relationship come move from "head-over-heels" love enta relationship wey be say she must to dey sex prostitutes and even sef, e make am dey abuse drugs. Tori be say dis particular witness, fit take dis case enta Monday bifor even just di direct questioning sef go finish. She tell di court say di relationship bin start on wetin she call "exciting whirlwind" wia Diddy go carry am go holiday, and ogbonge restaurants dem. She later testify say Combs later ask am to do wetin prosecutors dey call "hotel nights". Dis na wen Combs go bring prostitute so e go fit to watch am dey nack anoda man. "Jane" tell di court say she bin reason say na just one time tin but e turn dia relationship to anoda tin. She tok say she do di oda hotel nights bicos she "really love am" and "bin wan make am happy". But she tok say she bin tell Combs say she bin no wan do again. She say Combs bin also give am drugs like ecstasy cocaine and ketamine from wen dia relationship bin first start. She also testify say she bin use di drugs wen she dey wit Combs and also for di hotel nights. Prosecutors bin show court text message from di both of dem for early in dia relationship wia "Jane" tok say she wan nack escort, but na bicos na Diddy fantasy. But later in dia relationship, around dat kain September 2023, she come dey message Combs say e be like di only reason wey e want am na for "hotel nights", say she no wan do am again but still feel like she need to do am so she go get house to live. Bicos by dat time, Combs don alreadi dey pay her $10,000 per month house rent for am for di past five months. Combs bin reply back say, "girl, stop." Wetin Jane say dey happun during di "hotel nights" "Jane" start to dey cry as she tell court how di mata of di "hotel nights" bin happun. Di jury even hear one recording wia Jane tok say she bin dey ask Combs weda she go fit use protection wit di prostitute. She tell di court say Combs bin dey disappointed wit dat question and na im bin dey control everytin wey bin dey happun for di "hotel nights". She say na Combs dey decide how many prostitutes go take part, how long e go last and wen she go finish. She also tok say sometimes, she go cry afta di marathon "hotel nights". She tok say she remember wen Combs call am make she come do one short one. Dat "short" one last for 18 hours. She say Combs bin give her drugs say, "I bin dey so high". She tell di court say Diddy look disgusted wen e see her as she dey cry and e bin wan comot but she beg am make e stay, as she explain am give court, "I bin just wan dey im arms". She tell di court say di longest "hotel night" bin last for three and half days. On a normal day, e fit last for 24 hours to 30 hours without any sleep. She tell court say na combination of drugs, caffeine and protein shakes. Jane tell court say her only rule na say make di prostitutes no take drugs bicos she bin no sure how e go affect dia control. But she tale am so di hotel nights go dey easier and feel less real. "Jane" remember say na just two times wey she decide say she no go do drugs to take do "hotel night". She tell court say na for October 2023, and she bin dey push Combs make e dey sober and healthier. E gree but say make dem do one last sobriety party wey last 12-18 hours. She say afta she run di "normal routine" wit two prostitutes, she go vomit for bathroom. Na so Combs go meet am for bathroom say e good say she don dey feel beta, from wia she don finish to dey throw up, e tell am say di third guy dey wait. As di testimony dey go on, Diddy just dey look "Jane" from im chair, sometimes e dey look di jury sha. "Jane" also tell di court tori of di network of employees wey Combs get wey dey help am get drugs. Dis dey come as one of di charges wey Combs dey face na racketeering. And prosecutors need to prove say e bin dey run criminal business and bin dey conspire to commit crimes. She say one time Combs Chief of Staff Kristina Khorram bin tell her to carry package of drugs form Los Angeles go Diddy mansion for Miami. She bin ask if e dey safe to which Khorram tell am say, "e dey fine, I dey do am all di time". "Jane" come tell court say na so she collect di package from one member of Comb security, carry am as check-in luggage go Miami, and na afta she land she find out say e bin dey full of ecstasy. "Jane" add for her testimony say she dey normally see Combs as e dey call im assistants and security say make dem carry drugs come di hotels wia she dey nack prostitutes.
Reuters
5 hours ago
- Reuters
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' ex-girlfriend testifies he rebuffed pleas that escorts wear condoms
NEW YORK, June 6 (Reuters) - Sean "Diddy" Combs twice rebuffed a former girlfriend's requests that male entertainers wear condoms when having sex with her as Combs watched, the woman said on Friday during often tearful testimony at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial. The woman, testifying under the pseudonym Jane to protect her privacy, said Combs would "guilt trip" her when she asked that the entertainers wear condoms during their frequent, lengthy sexual encounters. The sexual interactions resembled what another one of Combs' exes, Casandra Ventura, referred to as "Freak Offs" during her testimony last month. Jurors in the Manhattan federal court trial heard an audio recording in which Combs intervened after Jane asked a male entertainer named Don if he had a condom. As the recording was played, Combs rapidly tapped his fingers against his leg while seated at the defense table. "Why didn't you just insist that Don wear a condom?" prosecutor Maurene Comey asked. "Because I just didn't want to disappoint my lover," Jane responded, referring to Combs. Jane said she and Combs dated from 2021 through 2024. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. Prosecutors say he coerced women over two decades to take part in elaborate, drug-fueled sexual performances during Freak Offs over two decades. The Bad Boy Records founder's defense lawyers have acknowledged that Combs was occasionally abusive in domestic relationships, but say the women who took part in Freak Offs did so consensually. During the first day of her testimony on Thursday, Jane said she was "head over heels" for Combs and wanted to have a one-on-one relationship with him, but that starting five months into their relationship most of their time together involved sexual interactions with male escorts in hotels. Jane said that when she told Combs she wanted those encounters to stop, he threatened to stop paying her rent. On Friday, Jane frequently sobbed and dabbed her eyes with a tissue as she told jurors how Combs would encourage her to keep going even after she grew tired during the encounters, which she said often lasted 24 hours or more. She recounted one instance in which she broke down crying after Combs said he had to leave following an encounter with an entertainer, despite having promised Jane a one-on-one date night and that the entertainer would be there for "just a little bit." "I hung onto those words, just a little bit," Jane said. "I was feeling terrible that he was going to leave me alone." Combs' defense lawyers are expected to cross-examine Jane next week. They may focus on sexually explicit text messages that she sent Combs in between their encounters to show she was a willing participant in their relationship. Combs has been in federal lockup in Brooklyn since his September 2024 arrest. He could face life in prison if convicted on all counts.
