Key moments from second week of the trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs
Jurors heard from a dozen witnesses during a second week of testimony in the Sean "Diddy" Combs trial as prosecutors sought to prove sex trafficking and racketeering.
Rapper and actor Kid Cudi was on the witness stand. So was singer Dawn Richard, formerly of the group Danity Kane.
There was more testimony from witnesses who said they saw Combs beating his former girlfriend, the R&B singer Cassie. Jurors also heard testimony about guns, extortion and a car being set on fire.
The trial resumes Tuesday (local time) after the American Memorial Day holiday.
Here are key moments from Week 2:
Much of the case presented by prosecutors so far has revolved around accusations that Combs physically and sexually abused Cassie for years and coerced her into sexual encounters called "freak-offs" with men who were paid thousands of dollars to have sex with her.
Yet Combs isn't simply charged with sex crimes. He's charged with racketeering. Prosecutors say they will prove that Combs used his businesses and employees "to carry out, facilitate, and cover up his acts of violence, abuse, and commercial sex".
Some of those employees testified in Week 2.
George Kaplan, a personal assistant for Combs from 2013 to 2015, told jurors he'd toss out liquor bottles and drugs and clean up baby oil from Combs' hotel rooms after the music producer finished freak-offs.
He said he never reported abuse to authorities, even after Combs beat up Cassie on a private jet.
Another personal assistant, David James, testified that Combs had him stock hotel rooms with Viagra, condoms, baby oil and lubricant, among other supplies.
He also recounted how Combs had three handguns on his lap as they drove to a Los Angeles diner looking for his record industry rival, Death Row Records co-founder Suge Knight.
Cassie briefly dated Kid Cudi during a period of time when it looked like she might split with Combs.
Cassie's mother, Regina Ventura, testified that she felt "physically sick" after her daughter sent her an email saying Combs had learned about the relationship with Cudi and planned to retaliate by releasing tapes of Cassie having sex.
Then, Ventura said, Combs contacted her and angrily demanded US$20,000 (NZ$33,783), saying he was owed it because he'd spent money on Cassie's career.
Ventura tapped home equity to wire the money to Combs' business. Several days later, the money was returned.
Kid Cudi testified that Cassie sounded "very stressed, nervous, just scared" when she phoned him in December 2011 to say that Combs had learned they were dating.
Cudi said he was confused because he thought Combs and Cassie had broken up.
Then, he said, one of Combs' assistants called.
She said Combs and an aide were in Cudi's home, waiting to speak with him. She also said she had been forced into a car to join them.
Cudi said he raced to his house, but Combs was gone. Inside, he testified, he found Christmas gifts had been opened, and his dog was locked in the bathroom. After the break-in, his dog was "very jittery and kind of on edge all the time," he said.
Then, someone set fire to Cudi's car, destroying it.
Cudi set he met with Combs to squash their beef the next day at a Los Angeles hotel. When he walked in, he said Combs was staring out the window standing with hands behind his back "like a Marvel supervillain".
Combs denied having anything to do with the burned car, but Cudi said he didn't believe him.
The first witness of the week, Dawn Richard, got her big break in the music business as a cast member on Combs' reality TV show, Making the Band. She performed with two Combs-backed acts, Danity Kane and Diddy — Dirty Money.
But Richard said Combs threatened her life after she saw him beat Cassie and try to hit her with a skillet in 2009. She said Combs told her and another woman that they "could go missing" if they didn't stay quiet.
She said she saw Combs beat Cassie frequently. "He would punch her, choke her, drag her, slap her in the mouth," she said.
Kerry Morgan said she had a falling out with Cassie, her friend of 17 years, after Combs attacked her in a rage in 2018 demanding to know who Cassie was cheating on him with.
Morgan said he slung a hanger at her head and tried to choke her, leaving her dizzy, vomiting and concussed, with finger imprints on her neck.
As Morgan contemplated a lawsuit a month later, she met Cassie at a pizza parlor, where Cassie had her sign a nondisclosure agreement in return for US$30,000 (NZ$50,00), she said. But then, she said, Cassie "told me she thought I was milking it, that I was overexaggerating". They haven't spoken since.
One of the last witnesses of the week was Frédéric Zemmour, the general manager of L'Ermitage Beverly Hills in California.
He revealed that Combs' guest profile noted that he "ALWAYS spills candle wax on everything and uses excessive amounts of oil". The profile instructed staff to "place the room out of order upon departure for deep cleaning".
"Please authorise an extra US$1000 (NZ$1670) when guest stays with us to cover any room damages," Combs' guest profile said.
Witnesses have testified that Combs liked to use candles and baby oil during freak-offs.
Despite the trial's serious subject matter, there have been a few light moments.
Combs' former personal assistant, Kaplan, shared that his ex-boss "loves applesauce".
Combs nodded and smiled as Kaplan recounted that he "eats it on the side or on top of a lot of things".
"Cheeseburgers?" defence attorney Marc Agnifilo asked.
"Cheeseburgers being one of them," Kaplan said as laughter broke out across the courtroom.
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RNZ News
13 hours ago
- RNZ News
Sex workers reportedly recorded by PM's press secretary Michael Forbes call for urgent law change
Photo: LinkedIn/Michael Forbes A sex worker who was allegedly recorded without her consent by the Prime Minister's former deputy chief press secretary is calling for an urgent law change. Michael Forbes, a former journalist, is accused of recording audio of multiple sessions with Wellington sex workers, and amassing a gallery of women working out at the gym, shopping, and being filmed through a window getting ready to go out. One of the sex workers who was allegedly recorded, Zara (not her real name), and another sex worker, Fern (not her real name), released a joint statement to RNZ on Thursday. "The law urgently needs to catch up with the digital age. Covertly recording intimate encounters without consent is a form of sexual violence, yet current legislation fails to adequately protect victims - especially sex workers and those who identify as women," they said. "We should be safe in public without images being captured of our bodies unbeknownst to us. Power imbalances across the board leave the potential for us to exploited, unheard, and unprotected. "It's time for real legal reform that centres consent, safety, and accountability had allegedly recorded audio of a session with a sex worker." It comes after the madam of the brothel where Forbes allegedly recorded audio of a sex worker told RNZ she wants something to be done about privacy laws when it comes to recording people without their knowledge. "This is an issue for all women. Women are being recorded, photographed, filmed without their consent or knowledge and heaven only knows where it's ending up. This is the main issue and that's what needs to be focused on," she said. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's deputy chief press secretary Michael Forbes (left) during a trip to India. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the incidents, that were investigated by police but didn't lead to any charges, occurred after he was vetted to work for Social Development Minister Louise Upston. "He has an obligation to actually declare those issues or those incidents to us, that didn't happen which is why his employment would have been terminated, obviously," Luxon said. "But there is a good question about making sure, and I have asked specifically for DIA [The Department of Internal Affairs] to look at vetting processes," Luxon said in a media conference at Parliament on Thursday morning. He added the expectation was on Forbes to have raised the incidents with the Prime Minister's office. "Because it impacts the office and the reputation of the office, for obvious reasons, but that didn't happen," Luxon said. Luxon said DIA had kicked off a "deep dive into seeing what further actions are needed to actually strengthen our processes". Forbes moved from Upston's office to the Prime Minister's in February and "had the vetting that he needed to come into the Beehive". "We will look at that to make sure that there's anything else we could have done differently in that vetting," Luxon said. The Prime Minister wouldn't discuss what level of security clearance Forbes had in the Beehive. Luxon also had questions about whether the investigation should have been elevated by police to the Beehive. 'We have to take this incident and understand what has happened here and how it happened, and what more can we do about it," he said. "I think it's a legitimate question to say what can we look at between the inter-agency processes, between the different agencies, whether it's police, whether it's the SIS or whether it's ministerial services." Luxon was open to looking at privacy laws after a call for a law change by the madam of the brothel at the centre of the accusations against Forbes. "I'm open to looking at our settings, again as we go through this experience, we have a series of laws whether it's the harmful digital bill, whether it's the privacy laws, or now new stalking laws, but we're open to looking at that further as well," he said. "I think many Kiwis will be incredibly concerned with this issue, as I am too." Luxon said he spoke to a number of women on Wednesday who work closely with Forbes and said "understandably there's anger, it's distressing". Luxon said he understood it was a private phone, not a government issued one, that was used to capture the recordings and photos. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon takes questions at the Beehive after the resignation of press secretary Michael Forbes. Photo: Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said he was first made aware of the issue late on Tuesday afternoon after a media inquiry. "I immediately contacted the Department of [the] Prime Minister and Cabinet and subsequently informed the Police Minister under the no-surprises practise," Chambers said. It was raised with the police executive in July 2024, during the investigation into the complaint. It was not brought to the attention of ministers or Ministerial Services at the time. "It is up to the commissioner of the day [former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster] to decide what to elevate by way of the no surprises convention," Chambers said. "Those decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. It would be wrong for me to comment on decisions made by the then-executive because I do not know the information they were based on, or the reasons for those decisions. "In situations such as this, it should also be considered whether there is an obligation on an individual to raise any issues that might be relevant to their employment with their employer or prospective employer." Chambers said decisions around the handling of the investigation and questions about whether it should be re-visited were for Wellington District Police to consider. "I have absolute faith in them to do that," he added. In a press conference, Chambers also said there would be different circumstances or reasons as to why a matter may or may not be elevated. "It is not the failure of my organisation at all. I think there are a number of responsibilities here on individuals to alert matters which they should understand could be problematic, in terms of prospective employment," he said. Chamber's predecessor as Commissioner, Andrew Coster, said he had only learned of the investigation into Forbes through media reports. "I learned of this situation through the media in the last 24 hours. As I no longer have access to information about police's processes I am unable to comment further," Coster said. That statement was put to Chambers, who said executive members know their responsibilities. "It is important that police executive members alert their Commissioner to matters that may need consideration," Chambers said. Police Commissioner Richard Chambers. Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro The madam of the Wellington brothel, which RNZ has agreed to not name, said she was at the brothel when a sex worker came out of a room and alleged Forbes was recording audio and showed her his phone. The madam went into the room while Forbes was in the shower and confronted him. "I said you were recording, have you done this before and he said 'uhuh'. I said 'you need to give me your pin number'. "I went through his phone and I instantly found recordings that were named." She said she told Forbes she needed to keep his phone and he left. She then gave the phone to police. The madam alleged Forbes had "many recordings on his phone of sex workers". She knew of some of the women who had been recorded. "Those who needed to know found out they had been recorded," she said. The women were shocked, she said. It had been a "balancing act" for the women involved. "It's really tricky for sex workers to do things, sometimes, because shit can come down on them. In a boys club, like the one Michael Forbes is in, who knows what the fallout could be. We are decriminalised, it's a legal business, there's a lot of discrimination against us, insurance companies banks and that," she said. The women who had seen Forbes said he appeared "relatively respectful," the madam said. Wellington District Manager Criminal Investigations John Van Den Heuvel said in a statement, police received a complaint from a Wellington brothel in July last year, after a client was found to have concerning images and recordings on his phone. Police investigated and spoke to the individual. The case was filed as the event did not meet the threshold for criminal prosecution. Forbes has offered an apology for the harm his actions caused to women. "I want to offer my sincerest apologies to the women I have harmed," he said in a statement. "In the past, I was in a downward spiral due to unresolved trauma and stress, and when confronted with the impacts of my behaviour a year ago, I sought professional help, which is something I wish I had done much earlier. "What I failed to do then was make a genuine attempt to apologise. Instead, I tried to move on without offering those I had harmed the acknowledgement, accountability, or amends they deserved. I recognise how wrong that was." Forbes said he spent the past year "reflecting on how I may have affected these women's sense of safety and ability to go about their lives and work". "No one should ever feel violated, unsafe, or disrespected, especially in spaces where they should feel secure, and I am truly sorry for contributing to an environment where women may have felt otherwise," he said. "The therapy I've received over the past year has helped me to understand the roots of my behaviour and begin addressing the patterns that led to it. This is a long-term commitment to change that I take very seriously. "I understand that my past actions may have undermined the trust people place in me. So, I have resigned from my job to focus on the work I need to do." RNZ asked Forbes on Wednesday evening if there was anything in the reporting he disputed or disagreed with. He replied "not really" but believed it was likely some of the photos were consensual ones of his partner. When asked for comment on Thursday morning about the comments from the madam of the brothel, he declined to comment further. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
13 hours ago
- RNZ News
Resignation of Prime Minister's press secretary highlights gaps in NZ law on covert recording and harassment
By Cassandra Mudgway of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon takes questions at the Beehive after the resignation of press secretary Michael Forbes. Photo: Analysis: The sudden resignation this week of one of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's senior press secretaries was politically embarrassing, but also raises questions about how New Zealand law operates in such cases. A Stuff investigation revealed the Beehive staffer allegedly recorded audio of sessions with sex workers, and whose phone contained images and video of women at the gym, supermarket shopping, and filmed through a window while getting dressed. The man at the centre of the allegations has reportedly apologised and said he had sought professional help for his behaviour last year. The police have said the case did not meet the threshold for prosecution. And this highlights the difficulties surrounding existing laws when it comes to non-consensual recording, harassment and image-based harm. 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If such audio or video recordings were ever shared with others or posted online, that may be a criminal offence under the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015 - if it can be proved this was done with the intention to cause serious emotional distress. Covert recording of women working out or walking down a road, including extreme closeups of clothed body parts, would unlikely meet the definition of "intimate visual recording". That is because they do not typically involve nudity, undergarments or private bodily activities, and they often occur in public places where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy. Even extreme closeups may not meet the threshold unless they are taken from beneath or through clothing in a way that targets the genitals, buttocks or breasts. While they are invasive and degrading, they may remain lawful. 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But harassment is only a crime where it is done with the intent or knowledge that the behaviour will likely cause a person to fear for their safety. This is a threshold that might be difficult to prove in voyeurism or similar cases. Covert recording of women's bodies, whether audio or visual, is part of a broader pattern of gender-based violence facilitated by technology. Feminist legal scholars have framed this as "image-based sexual abuse". The term captures how non-consensual creation, recording, sharing or threatening to share intimate content violates sexual autonomy and dignity. This form of harm disproportionately affects women and often reflects gender power imbalances rooted in misogyny, surveillance and control. The concept has become more mainstream and is referenced by law and policymakers in Australia and the United Kingdom. Some forms of image-based sexual abuse are criminalised in New Zealand, but others are not. What we know of this case suggests some key gaps remain - largely because law reform has been piecemeal and reactive. For example, the intimate visual recording offences in the Crimes Act were introduced in 2006 when wider access to digital cameras led to an upswing in covert filming (of women showering or "upskirting", for example). Therefore, the definition is limited to these behaviours. But the law was drafted before later advances in smartphone technology, now owned by many more people than in 2006. Generally, laws are thought of as "living documents", able to be read in line with the development of new or advanced technology. But when the legislation itself is drafted with certain technology or behaviours in mind, it is not necessarily future-proofed. There is a risk to simply adding more offences to plug the gaps (and New Zealand is not alone in having to deal with this challenge). Amending the Crimes Act to include intimate audio recordings might address one issue. But new or advanced technologies will inevitably raise others. Rather than responding to each new form of abuse as it arises, it would be better to take a step back and develop a more principled, future-focused criminal law framework. That would mean defining offences in a technology-neutral way. Grounded in core values such as privacy, autonomy and consent, they would be more capable of adapting to new contexts and tools. Only then can the law provide meaningful protection against the evolving forms of gendered harm facilitated by digital technologies. Cassandra Mudgway is a Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Canterbury. This story was originally published on The Conversation.
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