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USA Today
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Something insidious is coming out of the Diddy trial: Laughter
Something insidious is coming out of the Diddy trial: Laughter | Opinion We must resist the urge to make everything into a joke. We must take some things seriously – and domestic violence should be one of those things. Show Caption Hide Caption Security guard says Sean Combs offered cash for hotel video Eddy Garcia testified Sean Combs paid $100K for hotel footage showing him kick, hit and drag Cassie Ventura Fine, according to court testimony. There's something I've been noticing when I scroll through Instagram. Any time I see an advertisement, any advertisement, really, there always seems to be a peculiar comment underneath the video. 'Nice try, Diddy.' The spam comment, which refers to rapper Sean 'Diddy' Combs, has been around for almost a year now. According to Know Your Meme, a Wikipedia-esque website dedicated to the inside jokes of the internet, it's unclear what the spam comment means. What is clear is that it is as commonplace as these advertisements themselves. What's also clear is that people are joking about something that isn't really that funny. 'Nice try Diddy' is not the only joke that's come out of the bombshell sex crimes trial against Combs, in which the rapper and mogul has been charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. For the past year, people have latched onto the salacious details of the case – from 'Diddy parties' and 'freak offs' to baby oil to the sketches from the courtroom – to joke about on the Internet and with their friends. The only problem? We seem to always be laughing about the wrong things. SNL, memes mock Diddy trial. But it can retraumatize survivors of abuse. There are more than 70 lawsuits against Combs, with at least 81 people accusing the rapper of sexual assault. What we've heard has been harrowing. Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura Fine, who dated Combs on and off from 2007 to 2018, testified in the first days of the trial about the physical and emotional abuse that she suffered. There is a video of him physically assaulting her at the InterContinental Hotel, a video that a hotel security guard alleges he was paid $100,000 to destroy. There's footage of Combs throwing a vase at her head. There are photos of bruises and cuts that Ventura Fine allegedly suffered after altercations with Combs. A friend of Ventura Fine's testified that he threw a knife in the singer's direction. That's not the only testimony that stands out. In May, rapper Kid Cudi testified that his car was set on fire by an 'incendiary device,' alleging that Combs was the perpetrator. Bryana 'Bana' Bongolan testified on June 4 that Combs dangled her over a 17-story balcony and threatened to kill her. I encourage anyone joking about this case to read the victims' statements – they are no laughing matter. Opinion: Diddy trial and Macron shove reveal our blind spots about domestic violence That hasn't stopped comedians, whether they be on Instagram or on "Saturday Night Live," from lampooning the trial as it unfolds. It hasn't stopped the memes, like "The Diddler" and baby oil. There were also jokes about Amber Heard during her trial with Johnny Depp, jokes that experts claimed exacerbated the trauma survivors suffer from. In the same way, levity about the alleged abuse and coercion that Combs' victims experienced could hurt people who have also experienced these things. When will we stop laughing at abuse victims? I understand the urge to make a joke out of serious matters. Humor helps us cope with the horrific realities of life. It's akin to the way people joke about President Donald Trump's administration: The details are so egregious, they feel like parody. But for victims of sexual violence, this trial is anything but funny. It isn't just a meme or a spicy headline; it's the terrifying reality of abuse. It's the reality of a world where women are not believed, and where the justice system fails to intervene until the damage is already done. Opinion: I work with sex trafficking victims. Here's how Diddy's trial could help them. Despite the mountain of evidence against Combs, there are still people who believe he is innocent, or at least shouldn't be the only one on trial. On 'Piers Morgan Uncensored' in late May, rapper Ray J told the host that there were never any 'freak offs.' About the same time, Death Row Records cofounder Suge Knight told journalist Chris Cuomo that he believed his longtime musical rival should walk free, saying that other executives were involved in the events. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty, including Combs. Still, it makes me uneasy that there are people who would be so quick to defend him. To me, the flippancy with which people are treating the case is just as dangerous as the jokes made about it. We must resist the urge to make everything into a joke. We must take some things seriously – domestic violence should be one of those things. We can't let our urge to laugh at discomfort win over our desire for justice. Something has to matter. Follow USA TODAY columnist Sara Pequeño on X, formerly Twitter: @sara__pequeno
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Takeaways from ‘Diddy' trial: Woman accuses Sean Combs of dangling her over a balcony
A forensic video expert and a woman who said Sean 'Diddy' Combs dangled her over a balcony took the stand Wednesday in the Hip-hop mogul's federal criminal trial. The testimony came as the prosecution has sought to prove Combs and some in his inner circle constituted a criminal enterprise that used threats, violence, kidnapping and other means to coerce women into 'Freak Offs' with male escorts and to protect his image. Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. His defense has acknowledged Combs was violent but has questioned the motives of those testifying and has said the accusations fall short of the charges. Bryana Bongolan is set to return to the stand for more cross-examination on Thursday at 11 a.m. The prosecution has indicated the court will soon hear testimony from a key accuser who has been referred to in court by the pseudonym 'Jane' and in the indictment as 'Victim-2.' Her testimony is expected to last into next week. Here's what we learned in testimony Wednesday. A forensic video expert testified Wednesday that the March 2016 surveillance video showing Combs assaulting his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura at a hotel in Los Angeles was not manually altered. Frank Piazza, the expert, said he examined the surveillance video from the InterContinental Hotel, cell phone video and 'sex videos' in preparation for his expert testimony but did not have knowledge of the case. At the government's request, Piazza said he created a video compilation of clips from inside the hotel showing the actions of Combs, Ventura and the security officer who responded to the scene, Israel Florez. He testified that he slowed the InterContinental surveillance footage to real-time because a technical file-converting process had inadvertently sped it up. Surveillance footage of the assault has been the central piece of evidence in the trial so far, and the jury has watched the video at least eight times. CNN first published surveillance video of the assault last year. Piazza also testified that he enhanced 10 'sex videos' originally recorded in 2012 and 2014 that were recovered from a laptop Ventura gave the government under the user profile Frank Black, an alias used by Combs. The videos were entered into evidence Wednesday under seal. On cross-examination, when defense attorney Teny Geragos noted the time codes on the hotel surveillance footage jump rather than advance second-by-second, Piazza explained that the hotel camera system is motion activated so motion triggers a time stamp change and that the hotel's cameras were not synchronized to the same internal clock. He testified he was able to sync the footage based on overlapping events. Bryana Bongolan, the second witness of the day, testified Combs held her over a 17-story balcony and threw her onto the balcony furniture in September 2016. The incident was previously mentioned in a civil suit filed by Bongolan against Combs in November 2024. Attorneys for Combs previously denied Bongolan's allegations in a statement to CNN. On Wednesday, Bongolan testified that the incident occurred after Combs began banging on the door of Ventura's apartment in Los Angeles. Bongolan said she hid her now ex-girlfriend, who was with her and Ventura in the apartment, in the bathroom because she 'didn't want to expose her to things that I see.' She then went to the balcony to appear 'casual,' she testified, and was facing away from the door when Combs came up behind her, grabbed her chest and then held her by her armpits over the balcony railing. Combs repeatedly yelled, 'Do you know what the f**k you did?' according to Bongolan. She recalled responding something like 'I don't know what the f**k I did,' and added that she still doesn't know what Combs was angry about. After about 15 seconds, Combs threw her on the balcony furniture, she testified. Bongolan said as she was falling, she heard Ventura ask something similar to 'Did you just hang her over the balcony?' and it sounded like she was in disbelief. Afterward, she had a bruise on her leg and had back and neck pain, she testified. The jury saw photos of the bruise and bandages on her back and neck. 'I have night terrors and paranoia and scream in my sleep at times,' she added. She said she didn't experience those things before the incident. A day or two afterward, Combs or someone on his team FaceTimed her, Bongolan said. 'I remember saying a couple times, 'I don't want any problems with you,'' she testified. She said she didn't report the balcony incident to police because she was scared. Bongolan said she's seeking $10 million in her lawsuit against Combs but said she's not expecting any money to come from her testimony at this trial. Bongolan said she filed the lawsuit against Combs, 'because I wanted to seek justice for what happened to me.' A hearing on her civil case is set to take place in July, according to court records. Bongolan also testified about other threatening incidents involving Combs and about her frequent drug use with Ventura. Bongolan testified under an immunity order after she invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. She is the third witness to testify under immunity. She testified she frequently stayed at Ventura's apartment, and Combs regularly came over in the middle of the night banging on the door. On one occasion, Combs threw a knife in Ventura's direction, and Ventura threw the knife back but didn't hit him, Bongolan said. She said she didn't call the police about the incident. 'I was just scared of Puff,' she said, referring to Combs' nickname. Bongolan testified she saw Ventura with bruises or injuries on some occasions. She said she saw Ventura had a black eye during a FaceTime call with her around the time of Ventura's premiere of the Perfect Match, which was in March 2016. 'I was a little quiet and I remember saying I'm sorry,' Bongolan said. Bongolan also testified about a time Combs threatened her while she and Ventura were doing a photoshoot on the beach in early 2016. 'He came up really close to my face and said something around the lines of 'I'm the devil and I could kill you,'' Bongolan said. She said she was likely using cocaine at the time, which gave her confidence to brush it off. Bongolan said she and Ventura did drugs together and the drug use 'definitely created like a habit.' She sold drugs to Ventura often, including oxycodone pills, cocaine and ketamine, she testified. She said Combs gave her drugs a few times and said she's seen Combs use drugs. On cross-examination, the defense challenged Bongolan's memory of the balcony incident and noted Ventura described it differently in her lawsuit against Combs. Bongolan confirmed she had conversations with Ventura about the balcony incident before and after Ventura filed her lawsuit, including about the location and who was present. She confirmed that Ventura had said it was at a hotel with a different person present. The defense suggested that Bongolan's testimony did not match what she told prosecutors in meetings prior to trial. Bongolan repeatedly said she didn't remember exactly what she told prosecutors or at what meeting. 'Isn't it true that just two days ago you told the prosecution you just don't recall the details of the balcony allegation?' Westmoreland asked. 'I don't remember,' Bongolan said.
USA Today
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Diddy told Cassie's friend 'I'm the devil and I could kill you,' she testifies
Diddy told Cassie's friend 'I'm the devil and I could kill you,' she testifies Show Caption Hide Caption Security guard says Sean Combs offered cash for hotel video Eddy Garcia testified Sean Combs paid $100K for hotel footage showing him kick, hit and drag Cassie Ventura Fine, according to court testimony. Among the disturbing allegations emerging from Sean "Diddy" Combs' ongoing criminal trial is a statement the hip-hop mogul supposedly said to one of Cassie Ventura Fine's friends years ago. Bryana "Bana" Bongolan testified June 4 that she was doing an impromptu beach photoshoot with Ventura Fine and a photographer friend one day when Combs went up to her and issued a threat. "He came really close to my face and said, 'I'm the devil and I could kill you,'" she told the court. She admitted she was likely high on cocaine at the time. Regardless, she "was terrified" and unsure why Combs said that to her. Bongolan's remarks came on the 20th day of Combs' trial, which kicked off with jury selection on May 5. During her time on the stand, which will continue into a second day of cross-examination, Bongolan also detailed a 2016 incident in which Combs allegedly held her up on Ventura Fine's 17th-floor balcony and balanced her on the railing, making her think that she might fall. The event was first described in Ventura Fine's 2023 lawsuit, and Bongolan filed her own suit seeking $10 million in damages from Combs a year later. Who is Bryana 'Bana' Bongolan? Bongolan told the court she'd first met Ventura Fine in the mid-2010s while working at a streetwear company called Diamond Supply Company, where the latter had been tapped to design a clothing line. She didn't meet Combs until about a year into their friendship, Bongolan said, but she knew she "wasn't fond of what I was seeing" in his relationship with Ventura Fine. She didn't really want to meet him, she testified. Bongolan also said that during a FaceTime before "The Perfect Match" premiere, she witnessed the black eye Ventura Fine allegedly suffered from Combs assaulting her in the hallway of the InterContinental Hotel in May 2016. "I was pretty quiet. I remember saying, 'I'm sorry.' She was also pretty quiet," Bongolan testified. Federal prosecutors claim Combs led a "criminal enterprise" that operated on sex trafficking, kidnapping, drug offenses and forced labor, among other crimes. Combs leveraged his wealth and celebrity status to "fulfill his sexual desires" in a "recurrent and widely known" pattern of abuse, investigators allege. He faces two counts of sex trafficking, two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and one count of racketeering. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Contributing: Patrick Ryan and Gina Barton, USA TODAY
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cassie Ventura 'Perfect Match' premiere hid alleged Diddy assault: Photos from 2016 event
A 2016 movie premiere took on a central role as Cassie continued to testify against ex-partner Sean "Diddy" Combs in his federal sex-crimes trial. At the start of her second day of testimony on May 14, Casandra Ventura Fine told jurors about the infamous 2016 incident where Combs assaulted her at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles. In a text exchange between the two at the time, Ventura Fine told Combs that she had a "premiere on Monday for the biggest thing of my life," referring to the premiere of her romantic comedy film "The Perfect Match." The hotel incident took place on March 5, 2016. Two days later, on March 7, 2016, Ventura Fine and Combs stepped out at the Los Angeles premiere of "The Perfect Match." Diddy trial live updates: Cassie returns to the stand in sex trafficking case Photos from the time show that Ventura Fine wore a gold and black dress and was joined on the red carpet by Combs. Ventura Fine and Combs were also photographed attending a "Perfect Match" premiere afterparty that night, where she wore a shorter, green dress. Other guests at the after party included director Bille Woodruff and Queen Latifah, whose company Flavor Unit Entertainment produced the film. Cassie Ventura testimony: What the singer is saying about Diddy, voyeurism and Suge Knight Ventura Fine starred in "The Perfect Match," which hit theaters in March 2016, alongside Terrence J and Donald Faison. The "Me & U" singer has also appeared in movies like 2008's "Step Up 2: The Streets" and 2020's "Spenser Confidential." These Diddy family members have been in court amid his sex-crimes trial On May 14, jurors in Combs' trial were shown a photo taken in the embattled rapper's bedroom, where Ventura Fine was wearing her gown for the "Perfect Match" premiere and large sunglasses. She testified that the glasses were "to cover up my eye" following the hotel assault, where she "got hit in the face." Prosecutors also showed jurors a red carpet photo where a bruise on Ventura Fine's shoulder was visible, as well as another photo from the afterparty where a bruise could be seen on her right shin. Who is Cassie? The singer at the center of Diddy's sex-crimes trial On May 12, jurors in the trial were shown video from the 2016 hotel incident. Ventura Fine took the stand on May 13 and began describing the alleged abuse she was subjected to throughout her relationship with Combs, which ended in 2018. Diddy on Trial newsletter: Step inside the courtroom with USA TODAY as Sean 'Diddy' Combs faces sex crimes and trafficking charges If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: (4673) and and en Español This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cassie, Diddy at 'The Perfect Match' movie premiere: See the 2016 pics
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Diddy trial live updates: Combs allegedly held woman over balcony, threw knife at Cassie
This story contains graphic descriptions that some readers may find disturbing. A witness in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal sex-crimes trial testified that he dangled her over a 17-story balcony and threatened to kill her, adding to the mounting allegations of physical, sexual and emotional abuse against the former hip-hop mogul. "'I'm the devil, and I could kill you," Combs allegedly told Bryana "Bana" Bongolan, a friend of his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura Fine. The testimony comes after the jury heard from Eddy Garcia, a former security officer at a Los Angeles-area hotel where Combs was captured on surveillance video beating Ventura Fine during a 2016 altercation. Diddy on trial newsletter: Step inside the courtroom as music mogul faces sex-crimes charges. Garcia told the court on June 3 that Combs paid $100,000 for a copy of the video, which showed him kicking, hitting and dragging Cassie in the hallway of the InterContinental Hotel. The attack was first described in Ventura Fine's bombshell 2023 lawsuit, which accused Combs of sexual assault, trafficking and more. Combs, 55, was arrested in September 2024 and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty. Bongolan, a designer, alleged she "was held over a 17-story balcony" by Combs in September 2016. She testified that the rapper threw her on balcony furniture, and she was left with a bruise on the back of her leg, as well as neck and back pain. She told the court she still experiences night terrors, paranoia and screaming in her sleep. The witness also testified about another allegedly intense incident with Combs. She said she was at the beach with Ventura Fine and a photographer friend doing an impromptu photoshoot when Combs "came really close to my face and said, 'I'm the devil, and I could kill you.'" Bongolan, who said she was likely using cocaine at the time, described being "terrified." She added that she wasn't sure why Combs said that to her – or what prompted his alleged rage. Bongolan testified further about the September 2016 incident in which Combs allegedly dangled her over a balcony. She said she was sleeping in Ventura Fine's apartment, and Cassie and Bongolan's ex-girlfriend were also there. Bongolan recalled waking up to "very loud" banging on the door and rushing her ex-girlfriend to the bathroom, as she did not 'want to expose her." Then, she said she went to the balcony so she could "act casual and look for a blunt." Combs came up from behind her and 'lifted me up and put me on top of the rail,' Bongolan told prosecutors. She said she was 'scared'' and 'trying not to slip' while pushing back on Combs. 'For a split second, I was thinking I was going to fall,' she said. Combs allegedly told Bongolan she knew what she did to deserve a punishment, but Bongolan said she still doesn't know what he meant. Bongolan estimated that she was dangling for about 10 to 15 seconds. She said she heard Ventura Fine, who sounded like she was in "disbelief," ask Combs "Did you just hang her over the balcony? Her girlfriend is in the house.' Combs then "swiftly left," she said. After she returned home from Ventura Fine's apartment, Bongolan took a few photos of her bruises, which were shown to those in the courthouse alongside metadata confirming they were captured Sept. 26, 2016, at 9:45 a.m. The images showed a massive pink, brown and black bruise on the back of her leg. There was also a piercing laceration in the middle of the bruise, where something had poked her skin or cut her, as well as checkered imprints within the bruise. The same day, she went to a chiropractor who asked her, "Who did this to you?" She "freaked out" and asked to leave, paying for the visit and a neck brace, she said. Days later, Bongolan's ex-girlfriend took a picture of her back, which showed bandages all over as she wore the neck brace. Bongolan said Ventura Fine was already dating Combs when she met her, but the designer avoided meeting him for about a year. "I wasn't fond of what I was seeing" of Ventura Fine's relationship, Bongolan said, but Ventura Fine "begged" her to. Bongolan recalled one shopping trip in early 2016 with Ventura Fine where she showed her friend her phone. Combs had allegedly sent "a list of places" where the women had been that day – but they hadn't told him anywhere they were going on their shopping trip, Bongolan said, recalling her shock. The designer also told jurors she saw Ventura Fine with a black eye on FaceTime before her movie premiere for "The Perfect Match" in 2016. While they spoke on video, Bongolan recalled that the friends quietly looked at each other, and she told Ventura Fine she was sorry. Bongolan recalled many instances where Combs would allegedly bang on the door of Ventura Fine's apartment, often in the middle of the night. She said Ventura Fine sometimes seemed surprised, but at other times his aggressive arrivals seemed normal to her. The witness remembered one night when she was sleeping and was awoken by Combs banging on the door. "He threw (a) knife in Cassie's direction," she alleged, telling the court that Ventura Fine later threw a knife back but didn't hit him. Bongolan didn't call the police that night "because I was scared. I was just scared of Puff." Why was she scared? "Everything I was seeing," Bongolan told the prosecutor. She later told jurors she struggles with "nightmares and a lot of paranoia" to this day. Bongolan said she had a nightmare a few days ago, and she'll often kick the door open to her apartment and peep in just to make sure "it's clear." Who is 'Jane'? Upcoming witness faces battle for anonymity in Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial Bongolan said she and Ventura Fine mostly spent time together at the singer's apartment, where they would work on clothing designs, talk and use drugs. Bongolan said they did "a lot of marijuana" as well as some cocaine and ketamine. The designer alleged that Combs provided the her with drugs on three to four occasions, including ecstasy, cocaine, ketamine and GHB. Bongolan said she did drugs weekly with Ventura Fine, and she would often get drugs for the singer including oxycodone. She said there were periods when she and Ventura Fine would try to get sober. "We wanted to do better," Bongolan said. But those periods didn't last. "It's hard to get sober when there's a lot of drugs around," she said on the stand. Frank Piazza, a forensic video expert, walked the jury through a compilation video that he made, which showed the much-discussed 2016 hotel footage of Combs attacking Ventura Fine. However, the compilation also included a reflection in a mirrored wall showing Combs throwing a vase toward Ventura Fine's head. The footage also showed him walking away with her cell phone and then her picking up a phone on the wall. Shortly after that, a security guard names Israel Florez, who previously testified in the case, can be seen getting off an elevator as Ventura Fine went inside a hotel room. The prosecution admitted 10 videos that show sexually explicit content. The videos were shot in October 2012, October 2014 and December 2014. Piazza enhanced the video on most of them and the audio on one of them. While jurors will see the videos, reporters in the courtroom will not be allowed to see the footage. A trio of witnesses are expected to take the stand today: Piazza, Bongolan and an alleged third victim who will be addressed as Jane Doe. Federal prosecutors previously described Jane Doe as a single mom who met Combs in 2020. A few months after they met, prosecutor Emily Johnson said Combs introduced Doe to "freak offs." Like Ventura Fine, they said Combs subjected the witness to violence, abuse and forced her to have sex during "freak offs" with male escorts without condoms. The fashion designer Bongolan, who is still friends with Ventura Fine, filed a suit against the embattled ex-mogul in November, claiming he threatened to kill her and dangled her from a 17th floor balcony. She is is testifying under an immunity order, invoking her Fifth Amendment right to not self-incriminate Piazza's personal LinkedIn profile states that he's been an expert witness specializing in audio and video "helping law firms, government agencies and private investigators" since 2000. Combs' trial is expected to last for approximately eight weeks in total. Judge Arun Subramanian, who's presiding over the sex-crimes trial in New York, has said he's hopeful proceedings will wrap up by the July 4 holiday. The disgraced music mogul is already in custody, and, despite repeated attempts at bail, has remained confined to the Special Housing Unit in Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center. He has been in jail since his arrest on Sept. 16, 2024. Combs' sex-crimes trial took a star-studded turn with testimony from Kid Cudi. Cudi, the rapper and one-time boyfriend of Ventura Fine, took the stand on May 22 to allege that Combs once broke into his home and "messed with" his dog. He also spoke about discovering that his car was "on fire" in 2012, after Ventura Fine alleged earlier in the trial that Combs threatened to blow up Cudi's car. Ventura Fine and Cudi briefly dated in 2011 during a break in her relationship with Combs after they musically collaborated. On the stand, Cudi, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, described receiving a call from a "nervous" and "scared" Ventura Fine in December 2011, telling him that Combs had found out about their relationship. Later in the day, Cudi said Capricorn Clark, Combs' former assistant, called to let him know that Combs was inside Cudi's house. Read more here: What Kid Cudi revealed, from car explosion to his dog Diddy has seven children, six biological. Diddy had his first biological son, Justin Combs, with fashion designer and stylist Misa Hylton. Diddy adopted Quincy Brown, the son of ex-girlfriend and model Kimberly Porter, who died in 2018 after a battle with pneumonia. The former couple also shared three other children: son Christian "King" Combs and twin daughters D'Lila and Jessie Combs. Diddy has another daughter, Chance Combs, whom he shares with businesswoman Sarah Chapman. His seventh and last child, daughter Love Sean Combs, was born in October 2022 with model and cybersecurity specialist Dana Tran. Garcia testified on June 3 that he was concerned about being in legal trouble for giving the video to Combs, particularly if Ventura Fine filed a police report. The former security guard also said Combs told him he "didn't have to worry about it" because she "wanted it gone too." Garcia recalled that Combs asked for his ID, along with information from other security officers on the scene. He asked Garcia to sign a non-disclosure agreement and another document stating he'd provided the only copy of the video. After Garcia signed the documents, he said Combs brought him $100,000 in a paper bag. Combs asked how he would spend the money, and allegedly advised him not to "make any big purchases." Garcia said he gave $50,000 to his boss, Bill Medrano, $22,000 to the other officer and kept $30,000 for himself. The court saw on June 3 bank statements that seemingly confirmed Ventura Fine's parents wired money to Bad Boy in December 2011 to prevent Combs from leaking tapes of her having sex in his alleged "freak offs." The statements showed an outgoing wire transfer to Ventura Fine on Dec. 14, 2011, followed by a transfer from Ventura Fine to Bad Boy on Dec. 23, 2011. Days later, those funds were returned to sender from Bad Boy. Ventura Fine's mother, Regina Ventura, previously testified that she was told she needed to wire Combs $20,000 after he threatened to release the tapes of Ventura Fine. She said she "was scared for my daughter's safety" and was ordered to "pay Sean Combs because he demanded it." Discover WITNESS: Access our exclusive collection of true crime stories, podcasts, videos and more No, despite recently handing down a flurry of pardons, including one for reality stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, Trump did not include Combs on that list. But that doesn't mean he can't. According to Michigan State law professor Brian Kalt, Trump would be within his presidential rights to extend a preemptive pardon to Combs. "These are federal charges so that's the main limit," Kalt tells USA TODAY. "The matter has (to) be federal, it has to be criminal vs. civil, and related to something that's already been done. But the person doesn't have to even be charged yet or convicted. The Supreme Court has said preemptive pardons are OK." When asked about a possible pardon during an Oval Office press conference on May 30, Trump said he hadn't been approached about the legal matter but added, "I know people are thinking about it." 50 Cent is looking to give President Trump his two cents about Combs. In an Instagram post on May 30, the "In da Club" emcee said he would reach out to Trump after the president said he would "look at the facts" in Combs' case, suggesting a pardon could be on the table. The rapper shared a clip of the president's comments in his post and wrote that Combs "said some really bad things about Trump," adding that he will "reach out so he knows how I feel about this guy." Combs is facing federal sex-crimes and trafficking charges in a sprawling lawsuit that has eroded his status as a power player and kingmaker in the entertainment industry. He was arrested in September 2024 and later charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. The rapper has pleaded not guilty to all five counts against him. Racketeering is the participation in an illegal scheme under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Statute, or RICO, as a way for the U.S. government to prosecute organizations that contribute to criminal activity. Using RICO law, which is typically aimed at targeting multi-person criminal organizations, prosecutors allege that Combs coerced victims, some of whom they say were sex workers, through intimidation and narcotics to participate in "freak offs" — sometimes dayslong sex performances that federal prosecutors allege they have video of. The trial will not be televised, as cameras are typically not allowed in federal criminal trial proceedings. USA TODAY will be reporting live from the courtroom. Sign up for our newsletter for more updates. Contributing: USA TODAY staff If you are a survivor of sexual assault, RAINN offers support through the National Sexual Assault Hotline at (4673) and and en Español If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Woman says Diddy held her over balcony, details drug use: Live updates
