2 days ago
Diddy trial updates: Sean Combs' ex Jane details couple's alleged sexual dynamic
Diddy trial updates: Sean Combs' ex Jane details couple's alleged sexual dynamic
Show Caption
Hide Caption
Witness says Diddy called himself Michael Jordan during encounters
Witness Jane testified she and Sean "Diddy" Combs would watch "Dateline" after hotel nights with escorts.
This story contains graphic descriptions that some readers may find disturbing.
Attorneys for Sean "Diddy" Combs continue to hone in on the music mogul's alleged history of sexual abuse as one of Combs' former girlfriends details the dynamic of their intimate relationship during his criminal trial.
Cross-examination of the woman, testifying under the pseudonym "Jane," is set to resume in Manhattan court on June 11 after Combs' legal team questioned her about the financial support he provided her, warm moments between the couple and the alleged "hotel nights" they held with male escorts.
While on the stand June 10, Jane confirmed that when she moved into a rental home in April 2023, Combs paid approximately $40,000 to cover the security deposit and rent for her first and last month. When Combs' lawyer, Teny Geragos, asked Jane if she believed Combs would stop paying her rent, she alleged he used the payments as a control tactic.
"I felt pressured to perform these things my lover desired," Jane told jurors of her alleged sexual performances with Combs. Her testimony comes after she alleged her ex-boyfriend physically, sexually and psychologically abused her during their on-and-off relationship.
Combs, 55, was arrested in September and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty.
Diddy on trial newsletter: Step inside the courtroom as music mogul faces sex-crimes charges.
While being cross-examined on June 10, Jane said she became worried Combs was struggling with substance use early in their relationship while they were on a trip to Turks and Caicos. She said Combs' eyes were jaundiced, his gums were gray from alleged drug use and his hands were shaking from what she believed was alcohol withdrawal.
Jane said she suggested they go to Thailand, where there was a facility with a 30-day program, to which Combs allegedly responded, "What the hell, you think I need rehab?"
"I felt that I encountered somebody that was overdoing the partying," Jane said, adding she would now call Combs a drug addict. She said she wanted "him to get back to his natural form and natural state."
Discover WITNESS: Access our exclusive collection of true crime stories, podcasts, videos and more
Combs is facing federal sex-crimes and trafficking charges in a sprawling case 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 the 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.
