'Mob Wives' Star Slams Diddy Judge for Letting Daughters in Courtroom
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Former Mob Wives star Drita D'Avanzo posted Wednesday that the judge in Sean "Diddy" Combs' high-profile legal case should bar the defendant's daughters from being in the courtroom during proceedings.
Why It Matters
Over a dozen accusers, including Combs' former partner Cassie Ventura, have come forward in recent months alleging that Diddy engaged in years of sexual abuse and violence. Ventura's civil suit is separate from Combs' other charges.
At this stage, there is a five-count indictment against Combs that accuses him of sex trafficking, racketeering, forced labor and transporting individuals for the purpose of prostitution. The 16-page indictment was unveiled in September 2024.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to the charges and denies any wrongdoing.
What To Know
D'Avanzo, a reality television personality, appeared on the VH1 series Mob Wives from 2011 to 2016, in addition to a spinoff titled Big Ang.
"This Diddy trial...Minors should NOT be allowed in that courtroom by LAW!" D'Avanzo posted on X. "If the father is not smart enough to tell them to stay home then the judge should!!! This pisses me all the way off for his kids! His daughters do NOT deserve to be a witness!! And if it was the lawyer (which I know advises to have family there) you are a pos."
She is separated from husband Lee D'Avanzo, 55, who in August 2020 was sentenced in August 2020 to 64 months in prison for felony gun possession. They were married in 2000 and have two daughters, Aleeya and Gizelle.
Newsweek reached out to D'Avanzo for comment.
Drita D'Avanzo promotes the VH1 Series Finale of "Mob Wives" at Buca di Beppo Times Square on March 10, 2016 in New York City.
Drita D'Avanzo promotes the VH1 Series Finale of "Mob Wives" at Buca di Beppo Times Square on March 10, 2016 in New York City.
Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic
The judge in the case is Arun Subramanian of the Southern District of New York. Former President Joe Biden appointed him as a federal judge in 2022, making him the first South Asian to serve on that bench.
In her lawsuit filed in November 2023, Ventura accused Combs of subjecting her to years of rape, beatings, and psychological manipulation. The complaint, which was settled just one day after being filed, prompted a wave of similar lawsuits from others who claimed they were victimized by Combs during his decades-long music career.
In the courtroom on Wednesday afternoon, and for the first time, Ventura confirmed she settled her November 2023 civil lawsuit against Diddy for $20 million.
She also testified that photos of her with a black eye, which were shown to the jury, were taken in Jamaica in 2013 or 2014.
The accusations span decades and include allegations of drugging, coercing, and assaulting young women in environments tightly controlled by the music mogul. One of the most significant developments in the case came during Ventura's in-court testimony, where she recounted being isolated, surveilled, and forced into participating in "freak off" sex performances by Combs.
Federal law enforcement agencies have executed raids on his properties in Los Angeles and Miami, reportedly in connection with an ongoing criminal investigation. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that the raids are linked to a probe into human trafficking and other potential federal crimes.
What People Are Saying
Defense attorney Teny Geragos, during the defense's opening statement: "This case is about Sean Combs' private personal sex life. The government has no place in his private bedrooms. They say it is not about his private sex life, but the evidence will show that it is."
What Happens Next
The trial is expected to last eight to 10 weeks. Combs is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
31 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Man Thrifts Coffee Table From Facebook Marketplace—Then Learns Its Value
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A man scored a designer coffee table worth up to $8,250 for just $120 on Facebook Marketplace, and the internet is obsessed. Tyler Wallis (u/tlrwlls), 33, from Fayetteville, Arkansas, is an avid thrifter who spends his spare time browsing flea markets, thrift stores, and online resale platforms. On April 22, his efforts paid off when he stumbled across what he described as the "conversation piece" of his dreams—a unique glass flower-shaped coffee table. "I had been wanting to replace my current coffee table I had for a while but hadn't seen anything I liked yet, so I was beyond excited when I scrolled past it," Wallis told Newsweek. "I would call my decor style 'curated-eclectic with a slight mid-century modern influence,' so the unique flower shape of the table top instantly attracted me. I always joke that every piece should be a conversation piece, and that's exactly what this table is!" The post of his interesting new piece taking center stage above a cow-print rug in his living room garnered 11,000 upvotes in the subreddit "Thrift Store Hauls." Wallis, who works as a restaurant server while studying to become a registered dietitian, said his passion for interior decorating began early. He explained he had always been interested in decorating and grew up going thrifting with his older brother on the weekends. These days, he visits local thrift stores once or twice a week and rotates through flea markets every couple of weeks. He estimated that about 85 percent of his home decor is secondhand. The table was listed for $120 and located about 45 minutes from his home. Though he typically tries not to spend over $100 on any one item, Wallis sent the listing to six friends to get their opinion. The verdict? Everyone agreed he needed to get it. There was only one photo in the listing, so Wallis did a reverse image search to get a better look—and what he found shocked him. The table, it turned out, was designed by Italian furniture company Cattelan Italia in the 1990s and was listed on auction sites for between $2,250 and $8,250. "That's when I realized that was a find of a lifetime and instantly sealed the deal for me," he said. He messaged the sellers straight away to ask for measurements and arranged to pick it up that day. The only hitch? Wallis drives a compact Chevrolet Spark and wasn't sure the table would fit. After some careful measuring, he decided to take the risk and make the 45-minute drive. Tyler Wallis's living room featuring his bargain designer coffee table. Tyler Wallis's living room featuring his bargain designer coffee table. u/tlrwlls/u/tlrwlls When he arrived, an elderly couple greeted him, and the man kindly offered to help load the heavy table. While the hatchback opening proved too small, they managed to fit the table through the back passenger door vertically. Back home, Wallis wasted no time swapping it in for his old coffee table. "It's the perfect addition and brightens up the room with its reflective surface," he said. "This table has absolutely become my new personality and I don't think I'll ever stop talking about it to anyone willing to listen," Wallis said. Despite its potential resale value, he added: "Regardless of how much it's worth, I don't see myself ever getting rid of it or trying to flip it for a higher profit. To me, thrifting is about finding exciting deals, not turning a profit." Reddit users were quick to celebrate his lucky find. "The thrift gods were watching over u today!" one user wrote. "This is one where I am very glad someone else can take it home to appreciate. My chaos family could never," another joked, alluding to the table's fragile design. "I've heard that the best way of taking care of your glass coffee table is to leave it on your front lawn and send me your home address," quipped one commenter. "Love how it is slightly playful, but still posh and doesn't really cross over into 'whimsical,'" said another. "Damn good deal. Love the vibe of the room!" a final commenter added. Do you have any amazing thrifting finds that you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them in to life@ and they could appear on our site.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Hearts Melt at What Dog Does Every Afternoon When He Sees the School Bus
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A dog has developed the most heartwarming daily habit whenever he catches sight of a yellow school bus outside the family home. Every day around the same time, Thor watches and waits. He knows exactly what to look out for and, considering he's a dog, has a pretty good idea of when to expect it. "We brought Thor home in November of 2023," Deanna Rogers told Newsweek. The mom, who lives with her husband and two young sons in Cape May Court House, New Jersey, said that, before Thor, they had a very specific idea in mind for what kind of dog they wanted. "We specifically wanted a German shepherd because they're known for their loyalty to their family," Rogers said. "Because we live on a very busy main road, we wanted a dog who wouldn't be so willing to run off." In a busy household that also includes two rescue ponies, a pair of goats and some chickens, Thor plays an important role in keeping the peace and appears to thrive in it. "He could spend all day outside, just keeping an eye on the farm animals and watching our boys play," Rogers said. "His favorite thing to do is definitely very long walks and car rides! He is insanely smart and protective without coming across as intimidating. When it comes down to it, he's a big baby." Thor's intelligence shouldn't come as a shock. Stanley Coren, author of The Intelligence of Dogs and professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia's Department of Psychology, ranks the breed among the most intelligent. "According to my research, the seven dog breeds with the highest working and obedience intelligence, starting with the brightest are: Border collie, poodle, German shepherd, golden retriever, Doberman pinscher, Shetland sheepdog and Labrador retriever," Coren told Newsweek. However, Thor appears especially smart, if a video posted to Rogers' TikTok, @deannarogers_, is anything to go by. It' is a compilation of the heartwarming daily habit Thor has picked up when Rogers' kids come home from school. "Thor started really becoming aware of the boys' school routine this year," Rogers said. "In the afternoon, he would start watching out the window around the time he knew they came home, anticipating the big yellow school bus to arrive out front of our house." One day, Thor opted to take things one step further. "He just decided to go greet the boys at the foot of the bus steps," Rogers said. Things quickly escalated from there in the sweetest way imaginable. "After that, some of the kids would call his name and he would go right onto the bus, take a lap down the aisle and head off," Rogers said. "It became a regular occurrence." Thor's antics have made him a firm favorite with everyone at her sons' school. "Not only do our kids love seeing Thor greet them at the bus, all of the other kids and the bus driver love it, too," Rogers said. Now Thor's adorable escapades have gone viral, with the compilation clip posted to Rogers' TikTok, showing his regular visits to the bus, going viral with more than 23,000 views and counting. "He loves your son so much!! Good doggy," one viewer wrote, with a second commenting: "Oh my God this is the cutest, dogs deserve the world." A third meanwhile admitted they were "crying on the toilet" watching the footage. The response has blown Rogers away but, given how much she knows and loves Thor, it is not a surprise to see others feeling the same. "When I shared the video, I knew people would feel the love that our dog has for our children and it would make people smile," Rogers said. "Dogs are just the best, but our Thor is really up there with the best of the best." It looks like quite a few New Jersey school kids would agree.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Dad Makes Baby Girl 'Apologize' to Every Passenger After 8-Hour Flight
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A family has gone viral after playfully getting their baby daughter to "apologize" to passengers after a long-haul flight. Hannah Chestnut, originally from London in the UK, and her husband Joseph, from Ohio, are proud parents to five-month-old twin baby girls, which can make family life slightly chaotic. Despite this, Chestnut told Newsweek: "We've decided we're going to travel with them and not be deterred by the fact that we have young babies." Traveling with babies can be stressful for the parents, but after a recent trip with their daughters, Chestnut captured a sweet moment between her husband, daughter Ava, and the other passengers—as the baby girl apologized "face-to-face" to her fellow travelers. Five-month-old Ava smiles at disembarking passengers after a flight. Five-month-old Ava smiles at disembarking passengers after a flight. Instagram @themumcrew Posted to Chestnut's Instagram page @themumcrew on May 28, the video showed Joseph holding Ava, dressed all in pink and with a grin on her face, as passengers disembarked the eight-hour flight from London to Atlanta. Ava faces the queue leaving the aircraft, as some of them shoot smiles back at her, with Chestnut writing over the clip: "We told her she had to apologize to everyone face-to-face for what she put them through on the flight." The sweet video racked up more than 67,000 likes, as one commenter joked: "She look at everyone like 'and I'll do it again. Watch this.'" Read more Texas man, 72, flying with disabled brother silences 'entitled' passenger Texas man, 72, flying with disabled brother silences 'entitled' passenger Another wrote: "And did she [apologize]? No. She just smiled that gummy little heart-melting smile and everyone just forgave her." And one recalled a story from when her own daughter was a toddler, and once "tried to take a bite out of a stranger's burger on our flight to Cancun. Still amazed at how gracious our fellow passengers were!" Chestnut explained to Newsweek that on this particular flight, their daughters had not been "too fussy," but while waiting for their stroller and car seats "Ava kept smiling at all the other passengers as they got off the plane. So I decided to film it as her apologizing to all of them." She added: "Ironically, on the flight right after the one we got off of in the video, Ava was super loud and upset, so that was the flight we actually should've filmed the video after!" While flying with babies can be difficult, there are things parents can do to help it go as smoothly as possible. Booking an evening flight can increase the chance of the baby sleeping through the journey, and opting for longer layover times between connecting flights can help the baby or young child expend energy before the next flight, according to Pampers. Ava with her father Joseph, who is holding her as they wait for their stroller and car seats. Ava with her father Joseph, who is holding her as they wait for their stroller and car seats. Instagram @themumcrew Sharing a sweet detail about her family of four, Chestnut revealed she and her husband were born on the very same day in 1992, "on opposite sides of the Atlantic, only hours apart." "And then 32 years later we had twins, which means our family of four only has two birthdays between all of us." Reacting to the huge online response to her video, she added: "It's been so fun to see the video go viral, and we never expected such a silly moment to reach so many people so quickly." Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures you want to share? Send them to life@ with some extra details, and they could appear on our website.
