Sean 'Diddy' Combs accused by reporter of drugging and raping her during European tour
Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been accused by a reporter of drugging and raping her during his European tour in 2000.
The rapper, 55, is still sitting trial in New York on federal charges including racketeering and sex trafficking, and away from the court proceedings Kathi Steininger, a 44-year-old Austrian journalist, publicly accused him of the attack when she was 19.
Speaking to Austrian broadcaster PULS 24, she claimed the incident occurred after she conducted an on-camera interview with Combs.
She alleged she was separated from her cameraman, given a drink by Combs, and subsequently lost consciousness.
Kathi allegedly awoke to find herself being raped on the back of his tour bus.
She said of the drink she was given: 'There was 100 percent something in it. I would never have gone to bed with that man.'
Kathi also stated she intended to testify in Combs' ongoing sex trafficking trial in New York but was informed her case fell outside the statute of limitations due to the alleged assault occurring overseas.
Following this, she chose to waive her anonymity and share her story publicly, expressing hope for justice and potential legal action in Austria.
She also revealed the alleged attack left her with post-traumatic stress disorder, rendering her unable to work.
Charges against Combs also included coercion.
The trial, which began in May 2025, centres around allegations Combs orchestrated a decade-long scheme involving violence, coercion and forced participation in drug-fuelled sex events, referred to as 'freak-offs'.
The events allegedly involved high-profile guests and were characterized by excessive drug use and non-consensual sexual encounters.
At the heart of the charges is Combs' relationship with ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, 38, who filed a lawsuit against him in November 2023.
Cassie accused Combs of rape, physical abuse, and forcing her to participate in 'freak-off' orgies.
The lawsuit was settled out of court the following day.
In May 2024, surveillance footage from 2016 surfaced, allegedly showing Combs physically assaulting Ventura in a hotel hallway. The video, obtained by CNN, appeared to corroborate Ventura's claims of abuse.
Combs has denied all allegations against him.
His lawyer Ben Brafman described Ventura's claims as 'offensive and outrageous'.
The trial is expected to continue for several weeks, with testimonies from multiple accusers and extensive media coverage.
If convicted on all charges, Combs could face a maximum sentence of life in jail.
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The Advertiser
10 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Jury hears more of Sean 'Diddy' Combs' 'debauchery'
Sean "Diddy" Combs dismissed requests by one of his former girlfriends to stop having sex with other men at his behest, and threatened to stop paying her rent, the woman has testified at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial. Testifying on Thursday under the pseudonym Jane to protect her privacy, the woman said she was Combs' girlfriend between 2021 and 2024. She is the third woman who prosecutors say was sexually abused by Combs to take the stand at his trial in Manhattan federal court, which is in its fourth week. Combs has pleaded not guilty to five counts including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He could face life in prison if convicted on all counts. Jane, a model and social media influencer, said she felt "exhilarated" the first time she had sex with a male escort in front of Combs in May 2021, about five months into their relationship. But she said she thought it would be a one-time occurrence. Instead, she said she had sex with other men in front of Combs about 90 per cent of the time she saw him. When she eventually told him she did not want to have sex with other men anymore, Combs - whose net worth Forbes estimated at above $US1 billion ($A1.5 billion) in 2022 - threatened to stop paying her rent, Jane said. "He just was dismissive or wanted to move on from the subject," Jane said. Jane said she and Combs would call the events with other men "debauchery" or "hotel nights". Her description of the events resembled what another former girlfriend of Combs', Casandra Ventura, referred to as "Freak Offs". Ventura, a rhythm and blues singer known professionally as Cassie, said she participated in "Freak Offs" with Combs and male sex workers for nearly a decade - at first to please him, and later because he blackmailed her with videos of the encounters. Earlier on Thursday, Combs' lawyer Nicole Westmoreland accused another witness, Ventura's friend Bryana Bongolan, of falsely testifying that Combs dangled her over Ventura's 17th-storey Los Angeles balcony in September 2016. Westmoreland suggested Combs was on the East Coast at the time of the alleged attack. "You came in here and you lied to the ladies and gentlemen of this jury, didn't you?" Westmoreland asked. "I can't agree with you," Bongolan replied. Under further questioning from prosecutor Madison Smyser, Bongolan said she did not know the exact date of the incident but said she had no doubt it took place. Prosecutors later displayed a text message Ventura sent an associate on September 30, 2016, stating that Combs' had dangled Bongolan's feet over the balcony. Outside the jury's presence following Bongolan's testimony, US District Judge Arun Subramanian said he had observed Combs "nodding vigorously" in the jury's direction during Westmoreland's questioning, and threatened to kick him out of the courtroom if he did that again. "There should be no efforts whatsoever to have any interactions with this jury," Subramanian said. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Sean "Diddy" Combs dismissed requests by one of his former girlfriends to stop having sex with other men at his behest, and threatened to stop paying her rent, the woman has testified at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial. Testifying on Thursday under the pseudonym Jane to protect her privacy, the woman said she was Combs' girlfriend between 2021 and 2024. She is the third woman who prosecutors say was sexually abused by Combs to take the stand at his trial in Manhattan federal court, which is in its fourth week. Combs has pleaded not guilty to five counts including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He could face life in prison if convicted on all counts. Jane, a model and social media influencer, said she felt "exhilarated" the first time she had sex with a male escort in front of Combs in May 2021, about five months into their relationship. But she said she thought it would be a one-time occurrence. Instead, she said she had sex with other men in front of Combs about 90 per cent of the time she saw him. When she eventually told him she did not want to have sex with other men anymore, Combs - whose net worth Forbes estimated at above $US1 billion ($A1.5 billion) in 2022 - threatened to stop paying her rent, Jane said. "He just was dismissive or wanted to move on from the subject," Jane said. Jane said she and Combs would call the events with other men "debauchery" or "hotel nights". Her description of the events resembled what another former girlfriend of Combs', Casandra Ventura, referred to as "Freak Offs". Ventura, a rhythm and blues singer known professionally as Cassie, said she participated in "Freak Offs" with Combs and male sex workers for nearly a decade - at first to please him, and later because he blackmailed her with videos of the encounters. Earlier on Thursday, Combs' lawyer Nicole Westmoreland accused another witness, Ventura's friend Bryana Bongolan, of falsely testifying that Combs dangled her over Ventura's 17th-storey Los Angeles balcony in September 2016. Westmoreland suggested Combs was on the East Coast at the time of the alleged attack. "You came in here and you lied to the ladies and gentlemen of this jury, didn't you?" Westmoreland asked. "I can't agree with you," Bongolan replied. Under further questioning from prosecutor Madison Smyser, Bongolan said she did not know the exact date of the incident but said she had no doubt it took place. Prosecutors later displayed a text message Ventura sent an associate on September 30, 2016, stating that Combs' had dangled Bongolan's feet over the balcony. Outside the jury's presence following Bongolan's testimony, US District Judge Arun Subramanian said he had observed Combs "nodding vigorously" in the jury's direction during Westmoreland's questioning, and threatened to kick him out of the courtroom if he did that again. "There should be no efforts whatsoever to have any interactions with this jury," Subramanian said. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Sean "Diddy" Combs dismissed requests by one of his former girlfriends to stop having sex with other men at his behest, and threatened to stop paying her rent, the woman has testified at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial. Testifying on Thursday under the pseudonym Jane to protect her privacy, the woman said she was Combs' girlfriend between 2021 and 2024. She is the third woman who prosecutors say was sexually abused by Combs to take the stand at his trial in Manhattan federal court, which is in its fourth week. Combs has pleaded not guilty to five counts including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He could face life in prison if convicted on all counts. Jane, a model and social media influencer, said she felt "exhilarated" the first time she had sex with a male escort in front of Combs in May 2021, about five months into their relationship. But she said she thought it would be a one-time occurrence. Instead, she said she had sex with other men in front of Combs about 90 per cent of the time she saw him. When she eventually told him she did not want to have sex with other men anymore, Combs - whose net worth Forbes estimated at above $US1 billion ($A1.5 billion) in 2022 - threatened to stop paying her rent, Jane said. "He just was dismissive or wanted to move on from the subject," Jane said. Jane said she and Combs would call the events with other men "debauchery" or "hotel nights". Her description of the events resembled what another former girlfriend of Combs', Casandra Ventura, referred to as "Freak Offs". Ventura, a rhythm and blues singer known professionally as Cassie, said she participated in "Freak Offs" with Combs and male sex workers for nearly a decade - at first to please him, and later because he blackmailed her with videos of the encounters. Earlier on Thursday, Combs' lawyer Nicole Westmoreland accused another witness, Ventura's friend Bryana Bongolan, of falsely testifying that Combs dangled her over Ventura's 17th-storey Los Angeles balcony in September 2016. Westmoreland suggested Combs was on the East Coast at the time of the alleged attack. "You came in here and you lied to the ladies and gentlemen of this jury, didn't you?" Westmoreland asked. "I can't agree with you," Bongolan replied. Under further questioning from prosecutor Madison Smyser, Bongolan said she did not know the exact date of the incident but said she had no doubt it took place. Prosecutors later displayed a text message Ventura sent an associate on September 30, 2016, stating that Combs' had dangled Bongolan's feet over the balcony. Outside the jury's presence following Bongolan's testimony, US District Judge Arun Subramanian said he had observed Combs "nodding vigorously" in the jury's direction during Westmoreland's questioning, and threatened to kick him out of the courtroom if he did that again. "There should be no efforts whatsoever to have any interactions with this jury," Subramanian said. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Sean "Diddy" Combs dismissed requests by one of his former girlfriends to stop having sex with other men at his behest, and threatened to stop paying her rent, the woman has testified at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial. Testifying on Thursday under the pseudonym Jane to protect her privacy, the woman said she was Combs' girlfriend between 2021 and 2024. She is the third woman who prosecutors say was sexually abused by Combs to take the stand at his trial in Manhattan federal court, which is in its fourth week. Combs has pleaded not guilty to five counts including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He could face life in prison if convicted on all counts. Jane, a model and social media influencer, said she felt "exhilarated" the first time she had sex with a male escort in front of Combs in May 2021, about five months into their relationship. But she said she thought it would be a one-time occurrence. Instead, she said she had sex with other men in front of Combs about 90 per cent of the time she saw him. When she eventually told him she did not want to have sex with other men anymore, Combs - whose net worth Forbes estimated at above $US1 billion ($A1.5 billion) in 2022 - threatened to stop paying her rent, Jane said. "He just was dismissive or wanted to move on from the subject," Jane said. Jane said she and Combs would call the events with other men "debauchery" or "hotel nights". Her description of the events resembled what another former girlfriend of Combs', Casandra Ventura, referred to as "Freak Offs". Ventura, a rhythm and blues singer known professionally as Cassie, said she participated in "Freak Offs" with Combs and male sex workers for nearly a decade - at first to please him, and later because he blackmailed her with videos of the encounters. Earlier on Thursday, Combs' lawyer Nicole Westmoreland accused another witness, Ventura's friend Bryana Bongolan, of falsely testifying that Combs dangled her over Ventura's 17th-storey Los Angeles balcony in September 2016. Westmoreland suggested Combs was on the East Coast at the time of the alleged attack. "You came in here and you lied to the ladies and gentlemen of this jury, didn't you?" Westmoreland asked. "I can't agree with you," Bongolan replied. Under further questioning from prosecutor Madison Smyser, Bongolan said she did not know the exact date of the incident but said she had no doubt it took place. Prosecutors later displayed a text message Ventura sent an associate on September 30, 2016, stating that Combs' had dangled Bongolan's feet over the balcony. Outside the jury's presence following Bongolan's testimony, US District Judge Arun Subramanian said he had observed Combs "nodding vigorously" in the jury's direction during Westmoreland's questioning, and threatened to kick him out of the courtroom if he did that again. "There should be no efforts whatsoever to have any interactions with this jury," Subramanian said. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
9 News
12 hours ago
- 9 News
Chinese researchers charged with smuggling 'dangerous biological pathogen' into US
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Two Chinese researchers have been charged with smuggling a biological pathogen that they planned to study at a US university lab last year. Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, were charged with conspiracy to commit offence or to defraud the US, smuggling goods into the country, false statements and visa fraud for bringing in the fungus Fusarium graminearum from China, according to the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. "The Department of Justice has no higher mission than keeping the American people safe and protecting our nation from hostile foreign actors who would do us harm," Attorney General Pam Bondi said. Yunqing Jian, one of two Chinese researchers charged with smuggling a biological pathogen into the US. (Sanilac County Sheriff's Office via CNN) (CNN) Fusarium graminearum is described as "a potential agroterrorism weapon" that can cause disease in certain plants like wheat, corn, rice and barley, and is "responsible for billions of dollars in economic loss worldwide each year," an FBI affidavit in support of the complaint says. "The toxins produced by Fusarium graminearum cause vomiting, liver damage, and reproductive defects in livestock and humans," the complaint states. The 25-page criminal complaint does not allege that the defendants – who investigators say were in a relationship – had any plans to spread the fungus beyond the University of Michigan laboratory. But it says Liu was aware of the restrictions on the material and deliberately hid it in a wad of tissues in his backpack. Donell Harvin, former chief of homeland security for the District of Columbia, told CNN that a pathogen such as Fusarium is extremely dangerous. "It doesn't matter whether the person had good intentions," he said. "If there's some type of mistake, or mishap, or release, that could have catastrophic consequences." US Attorney General Pam Bondi. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) (AP) The charges come as the Trump administration is looking to revoke visas for Chinese students, especially those with alleged "connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week. FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X that the case is "a sobering reminder that the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) is working around the clock to deploy operatives and researchers to infiltrate American institutions and target our food supply, which would have grave consequences." The affidavit doesn't specify what Jian and Liu's intentions were in studying the fungus. Jian, who was arrested by the FBI, remains in custody. On Thursday, her detention hearing was adjourned until next week to allow time for a new defence lawyer to get up to speed. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said during a news conference on Wednesday that he wasn't familiar with the case, but said the government "always asks Chinese nationals overseas to strictly observe local laws and regulations, and protects their legitimate and lawful rights and interests in accordance with the law." Smuggling China USA science crime CONTACT US Auto news:Is this the next Subaru WRX? Mysterious performance car teased.
West Australian
12 hours ago
- West Australian
Jury hears more of Sean 'Diddy' Combs' 'debauchery'
Sean "Diddy" Combs dismissed requests by one of his former girlfriends to stop having sex with other men at his behest, and threatened to stop paying her rent, the woman has testified at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial. Testifying on Thursday under the pseudonym Jane to protect her privacy, the woman said she was Combs' girlfriend between 2021 and 2024. She is the third woman who prosecutors say was sexually abused by Combs to take the stand at his trial in Manhattan federal court, which is in its fourth week. Combs has pleaded not guilty to five counts including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He could face life in prison if convicted on all counts. Jane, a model and social media influencer, said she felt "exhilarated" the first time she had sex with a male escort in front of Combs in May 2021, about five months into their relationship. But she said she thought it would be a one-time occurrence. Instead, she said she had sex with other men in front of Combs about 90 per cent of the time she saw him. When she eventually told him she did not want to have sex with other men anymore, Combs - whose net worth Forbes estimated at above $US1 billion ($A1.5 billion) in 2022 - threatened to stop paying her rent, Jane said. "He just was dismissive or wanted to move on from the subject," Jane said. Jane said she and Combs would call the events with other men "debauchery" or "hotel nights". Her description of the events resembled what another former girlfriend of Combs', Casandra Ventura, referred to as "Freak Offs". Ventura, a rhythm and blues singer known professionally as Cassie, said she participated in "Freak Offs" with Combs and male sex workers for nearly a decade - at first to please him, and later because he blackmailed her with videos of the encounters. Earlier on Thursday, Combs' lawyer Nicole Westmoreland accused another witness, Ventura's friend Bryana Bongolan, of falsely testifying that Combs dangled her over Ventura's 17th-storey Los Angeles balcony in September 2016. Westmoreland suggested Combs was on the East Coast at the time of the alleged attack. "You came in here and you lied to the ladies and gentlemen of this jury, didn't you?" Westmoreland asked. "I can't agree with you," Bongolan replied. Under further questioning from prosecutor Madison Smyser, Bongolan said she did not know the exact date of the incident but said she had no doubt it took place. Prosecutors later displayed a text message Ventura sent an associate on September 30, 2016, stating that Combs' had dangled Bongolan's feet over the balcony. Outside the jury's presence following Bongolan's testimony, US District Judge Arun Subramanian said he had observed Combs "nodding vigorously" in the jury's direction during Westmoreland's questioning, and threatened to kick him out of the courtroom if he did that again. "There should be no efforts whatsoever to have any interactions with this jury," Subramanian said. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
