Latest news with #Gigolos
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Former Male Escort Outraged Over Being ID'd In Diddy's Trial, Claims He's A Victim Of Mistaken Identity
A man who once worked as a gigolo has expressed outrage after being identified in connection with Sean "Diddy" Combs' drug-fuelled sex sessions known as "freak offs." Diddy's ex-partner, Cassandra "Cassie" Ventura, identified Vin Armani and claimed he was one of those who was paid to participate in "freak offs" with them, but the former male escort has denied it, saying it's a case of mistaken identity. Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial would continue on May 27, but several bombshell revelations have already emerged, including when Kid Cudi testified that he had razed his car. A former male escort who was identified as one of those who participated in "freak offs" with Diddy and Cassie is furious at the claim. Vin Armani's picture was brought up in court during Diddy's trial, with Cassie identifying him as one of those who were paid to take part in the disturbing sex sessions. However, he has angrily denied having anything to do with the embattled rapper's freaky sessions and has slammed the authorities for not reaching out to him for his own side of the story. Armani, who starred in the Showtime reality TV show "Gigolos," shared that the whole thing is a case of mistaken identity and the situation has severely harmed his personal and professional reputation. "This has sucked for me that my name has been brought into this," he told the Daily Mail. "I have never had an interaction with Diddy and/or Cassie that included — or where I witnessed — violence, illegal drugs, contracting for sexual services/acts (prostitution), or the transportation of any person from anywhere to anywhere whatsoever," he insisted. Armani admits that he "hung out with literally hundreds of celebrities on a regular basis," but not once did he engage in "freak offs" central to the case against Diddy. He's particularly upset about the situation because he has left the escort lifestyle behind and picked up a new life in tech and crypto after moving to Saipan, a small island in the Pacific. "Had any attorney or authority ever contacted me, this fact would have been plain for them to see," he said. A since-deleted TMZ story identified him as "Jules," noting he's the sex worker involved in an infamous 2016 InterContinental Hotel showdown, where Diddy was seen in a viral video hitting and kicking Cassie. "This TMZ bullsh-t and the lack of professionalism or competence from the prosecution has damaged my reputation," he complained. Diddy is currently facing federal charges including sex trafficking, racketeering, coercion, physical abuse, and transportation to engage in prostitution. Several bombshell revelations have already emerged from the trial, which began on May 12, amongst which are Cassie's claims of contracting UTIs from the sex sessions. To wrap up the second week of trial, rapper Kid Cudi took to the stand on Thursday and accused Diddy of breaking into his home and being involved in the destruction of his Porsche, which was set on fire with a Molotov cocktail outside of his house, per CNN. Cudi, referred to in court as Scott Mescudi, said he met Cassie around 2008 and they briefly dated around 2011. He testified that he believed when he and the "Me & U" singer started dating, she wasn't romantically linked to the Bad Boy Records founder anymore. Cudi claimed Cassie had confided in him about Diddy's physical assault on her, and that she called him "scared" in December 2011, that Diddy had found out about their relationship. The 41-year-old rapper testified that his dog sitter called him one morning in January 2012, that his Porsche car was on fire. After the incident, he set up a meeting with Diddy at the Soho House in Los Angeles. When asked by the prosecution why he had asked for the meeting, Cudi said, "I knew he had something to do with it." The defense, however, objected to his response, and the judge sustained the objection. Another troubling testimony in the trial was that of Cassie's mom, Regina Ventura, who testified that Diddy "blackmailed" her for $20,000. Regina said she was "scared about my daughter's safety" and paid Diddy the huge sum "to recoup money he had spent" on Cassie "because he was unhappy she was in a relationship with Kid Cudi." She testified that the singer emailed her and Diddy's assistant in 2011, telling them that the "Finna Get Loose" rapper was threatening to release her explicit clips after learning of her romance with Cudi. Regina added that Diddy demanded $20,000 to recoup what he said he had spent on Cassie. She and her husband took out a home equity loan to get the money for him because she was "scared about my daughter's safety." Regina allegedly received instructions from Diddy's bookkeeper about how to wire the money and sent it to him. However, the money was returned several days later.
New York Post
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Ex-gigolo furious about being identified in Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' trial: ‘Damaged my reputation'
A former male escort is furious at being identified in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex-trafficking trial — angrily denying that he ever had a 'freak off' with the rapper's ex, Cassie Ventura. Vin Armani was identified by Ventura as one of those paid to take part in disturbing sex sessions, with his photo among those showed during Combs' high-profile trial. But the former Vegas escort — who starred in the Showtime reality TV show 'Gigolos' — insists it is a case of mistaken identity, while ripping prosecutors for not contacting him for his side of the story. Advertisement 4 Armani starred in a Showtime reality TV show called Gigolos, that followed the lives of five male escorts in Las Vegas from 2011-2016. Showtime 'This has sucked for me that my name has been brought into this,' he told the Daily Mail. 'I have never had an interaction with Diddy and/or Cassie that included — or where I witnessed — violence, illegal drugs, contracting for sexual services/acts (prostitution), or the transportation of any person from anywhere to anywhere whatsoever,' he insisted. Advertisement Armani admits he 'hung out with literally hundreds of celebrities on a regular basis,' but never in one of the now-notorious 'freak offs' central to the case against Combs. 'Had any attorney or authority ever contacted me, this fact would have been plain for them to see,' he said. 4 Diddy's ex Cassie Ventura has broken down in tears as she recounted painful details in court. WireImage Armani — who wrote a 2011 book about his profession, 'Tao of the Gigolo' — said he was angry having started a new life in tech and crypto after moving to Saipan, a small island in the Pacific. Advertisement He is furious that a since-deleted TMZ story identified him as 'Jules,' the sex worker involved in an infamous 2016 night at the InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Los Angeles, where Diddy was caught on video viciously beating, kicking and dragging Ventura. 'This TMZ bulls–t and the lack of professionalism or competence from the prosecution has damaged my reputation,' he complained. 4 Armani has tried to move on from the gigolo life. Facebook / Vin Armani Combs, 55, is accused of using his fame, fortune and many businesses to run a racketeering scheme in which he controlled Ventura over the course of their 10-year on-again off-again relationship, using violence and threats, forcing her and others into unprotected sex and drug-fueled 'freak-off' sex marathons. Advertisement He faces life in prison if convicted. Combs has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial resumes on May 27. 4 Ventura said the sex scenes she was allegedly forced to participate in were 'humiliating.' GC Images The US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York didn't respond to a request for comment on Armani's claims.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Sad, Violent Story of Ash Armand, Alleged Diddy 'Freak-Off' Escort And Former Reality Television Star
Week one of Sean 'Diddy' Combs' bombshell sex trafficking and racketeering trial closed with more shocking allegations than we can count. Amid Cassandra 'Cassie' Ventura's tearful testimony, prosecutors presented a binder of 13 male sex workers allegedly recruited by Ventura and hired by Diddy. One escort in particular sparked headlines, and he's a whole mess. Ash Armand — real name Akshaya Kubiak — was in the spotlight between 2011 and 2016 in Showtime's uncensored realityseries 'Gigolos.' The series followed the glammy lifestyle of five male escorts in the bustling city of Las Vegas. On Wednesday (May 14), Armand's photo was among many presented as evidence for Diddy's infamous drug-filled 'freak off' parties. In 2020, Armand claimed he was attacked by a friend — or alleged client — Herleen Dulai, after they allegedly took shrooms together at his home before he 'blacked out.' Armand called the police to report her unconscious, however officer's stated Dulai was 'obviously deceased' upon their arrival. During his hearing in December 2021, Armand declared his innocence, saying 'I have never hit a woman in my life, and I certainly never wanted to hurt Herleen,' per Review Journal. The Clark County Coroner's office ruled Duali's death a homicide, citing blunt force trauma and strangulation. On May 20, the trial jury heard testimony from 10 witnesses including another male escort, Sharay Hayes, who sang like a canary. According to Hayes, he had previously created 'a scene, a sexy scene, that was enjoyable' alongside Ventura for Diddy, per CNN. Dishing more details, he alleged Ventura didn't appear to show any discomfort with the situation, and claimed he never saw the two engage in any filming or violence. Today, Armand is serving an eight-to-20-year sentence in a Nevada correctional facility after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter and mayhem. With his name mentioned in connection to Diddy's sex trafficking allegations, fans are wondering if he could emerge as a figure in the case. Either way, prosecutors are just getting warmed up. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Imprisoned Reality Star Was Part of Diddy's Alleged Freak-Offs
One of the sex workers who participated in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' alleged freak-offs was a former reality TV star who's currently serving a prison sentence for voluntary manslaughter. Ash Armand, whose real name is Akshaya Kubiak, was a former cast member on the Showtime series Gigolos which followed the lives of five male escorts in Las Vegas. It ran between 2011 and 2016. During the first week of testimony at Combs' trial, the jury were shown photos of male escorts allegedly hired to perform in the disgraced music mogul's freak-offs—events prosecutors have described as 'elaborate and produced sex performances' participants were coerced into joining by Combs. The producer's attorneys have maintained that the freak-offs were consensual. Armand was reportedly one of the escorts shown to the jury last week, People magazine confirmed Tuesday. The former reality star was arrested in 2020 for beating Herleen Dulai to death. He pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and mayhem in 2021 and is currently serving an 8-to-20 year prison sentence in Nevada. He claimed that he took psychedelic mushrooms and 'temporarily lost my mind' when the incident occurred. 'I have never hit a woman in my life, and I certainly never wanted to hurt Herleen,' he said during his sentencing hearing, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. In a January 2024 interview with Rolling Stone from prison, almost a year and a half prior to the commencement of Combs' trial, Armand claimed that he met Combs and his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura at a party. Ventura has alleged that she was often tasked with hiring escorts to join Combs' freak-offs and would primarily do so through web services. 'I've always been super respectful towards my clients,' Armand told the outlet, who wrote that he was 'uncomfortable discussing the topic further' and 'denied being hired for freak-offs.' 'It just all becomes tricky once the privacy is violated. Nobody will feel comfortable using the nature of the business,' he continued. Combs is currently on trial for charges pertaining to sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty and has denied any wrongdoing. In an April statement, his legal team said Combs' accusers were 'former long-term girlfriends, who were involved in consensual relationships. This was their private sex life, defined by consent, not coercion.' Ventura testified for four days last week during which she accused Combs of abuse, blackmail, and rape.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Las Vegas reality TV star 'blacked out,' killed woman in drug-fueled rage: documentary
A controversial reality show detailing the lives of Nevada prostitutes took a shocking turn after one of the stars was found guilty of bludgeoning a woman to death in a drug-fueled frenzy. From 2011 to 2016, Showtime's reality show "Gigolos" enthralled audiences by delving into the scandalous lives of five male escorts in Las Vegas. Four years later, one of the stars was arrested for killing a woman, as detailed in the new Paramount+ documentary "Sin City Gigolo: A Murder In Las Vegas." Akshaya "Ash" Kubiak, who was known on the show as Ash Armand, was charged in the brutal death of 29-year-old Herleen Dulai, according to court documents. 'Gigolos' Actor Ash Armand Arrested For Allegedly Beating Woman To Death Prosecutors said that on July 16, 2020, the pair took psychedelic mushrooms before Kubiak beat Dulai to death. Kubiak then called 911, telling operators that Dulai was suffering from cardiac arrest, according to court documents. When officers arrived at the scene, they found Dulai's lifeless body with evidence of blunt force trauma to her head and neck, as well as injuries indicative of strangulation. Kubiak told investigators that Dulai had initially "attacked him," later admitting that he "did this," according to court documents. Read On The Fox News App Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMD) detectives also reported finding blood inside the home's washing machine and watered-down or diluted blood in the bathroom, indicating an attempt to clean up the crime scene. 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' Star Michelle Trachtenberg's Cause Of Death Ruled 'Undetermined' In September 2021, Kubiak pleaded guilty to felony counts of voluntary manslaughter and mayhem and was sentenced to eight to 20 years in prison. The three-part Paramount+ series delves into the life of Kubiak through the stories of his family, friends and former cast members but does not interview Kubiak. "We wanted to interview him," director Barbara Shearer said in an interview with TV Insider. "We absolutely set out to interview him. I wanted his voice in it for sure. We have the phone calls. He is a presence because of the Showtime series but also because of the phone calls were able to get." Fox News Digital reached out to Kubiak's attorney for comment. Tiktok Star 'Mr. Prada' Arrested In Connection To Murder Of Beloved Louisiana Therapist For six seasons, "Gigolos" entranced audiences and pulled back the curtain on legal prostitution. However, the series did not air without controversy, with critics questioning the legality of the practices depicted on the show. Nevada is the only state in the country that allows prostitution, but state law only permits it within licensed establishments. Kubiak began serving his sentence in 2021. He joined "Gigolos" in the show's third season and is a self-described "sex and fitness educator," according to his Instagram account. His profile also indicates that he is a father. Dulai, a Northern California native, was a graduate of Temple University and "enjoyed working with children," according to her obituary. At the time of her death, reports indicate that Dulai was working as a personal trainer in Las Vegas. "Throughout her journey she was fulfilling her life's purpose of making a difference," her obituary reads. "She touched every soul she came into contact with and left a sparkle." Reuters contributed to this report. Original article source: Las Vegas reality TV star 'blacked out,' killed woman in drug-fueled rage: documentary
