Latest news with #Sean"Diddy"Combs
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Straits Times
Sean 'Diddy' Combs loses mistrial bid in sex trafficking trial
NEW YORK - Sean "Diddy" Combs lost a bid for a mistrial in his sex-trafficking case on Wednesday, after his lawyers argued that prosecutors were improperly trying to suggest that the hip-hop mogul had evidence tied to an alleged arson incident destroyed. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five counts including racketeering and sex trafficking. Last week, Scott Mescudi - the rapper known as Kid Cudi - testified that his car was set on fire in 2012, shortly after Combs learned that Mescudi had a romantic relationship with Combs' on-and-off girlfriend, Casandra Ventura. Alexandra Shapiro, a lawyer for Combs, said on Wednesday outside the jurors' presence that prosecutors' questions to a Los Angeles arson investigator who probed the fire implied that Combs had a role in the destruction of fingerprint evidence. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian swiftly denied Shapiro's request for a mistrial. "There was absolutely no testimony from the witness that was prejudicial in any way shape or form," Subramanian said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
NBC News
7 days ago
- NBC News
Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial live updates: Court returns after testimony on Cassie, Kid Cudi from ex-assistant
IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Combs faces five criminal counts in total, including two of sex trafficking, and has denied all of the allegations. Sean "Diddy" Combs speaks with his legal team before court begins for the day at Combs' sex trafficking trial in New York City, on Tuesday. Jane Rosenberg / Reuters Updated May 28, 2025, 6:37 AM EDT Los Angeles police officer Christopher Ignacio and L.A. fire arson investigator Lance Jiminez are expected to be the first witnesses to take the witness stand this morning. They will presumably discuss the 2012 Molotov cocktail attack on Kid Cudi's Porsche. Stylist Deonte Nash, a former Combs employee, and 'Mia,' an alleged victim of Combs, are set to follow the L.A. authorities.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Who is Diddy? Everything to know about hip-hop mogul facing federal sex crimes trial
Sean "Diddy" Combs, who rocketed to worldwide fame with his musical prowess and business acumen, has been thrust into the legal limelight. A year after becoming the subject of a federal sex-trafficking investigation, the award-winning hip-hop mogul is set to go to trial May 5 on various sex-crimes charges, which collectively claim Combs used his multimedia empire as a criminal enterprise to victimize several people. The court battle also follows a barrage of damning civil lawsuits — spearheaded by a civil complaint from singer and ex-girlfriend Casandra "Cassie" Ventura — that have upended Combs' public persona and accused the rapper of numerous abuses, including sexual assault, rape and physical violence. Despite run-ins with the law stretching back three decades, Combs managed to solidify his status as a pop cultural juggernaut thanks to a steady stream of platinum albums, hit TV shows and retail ventures that included a fashion label and alcoholic beverages line. Combs has denied all allegations against him and pleaded not guilty to the five criminal counts he faces. Here's a look back at the hip-hop icon's life, career and fall from grace. In September 2024, Combs was arrested in New York based on an indictment filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. He was subsequently charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. Federal authorities claimed Combs turned his "multi-faceted business empire" into a "criminal enterprise" in which he and his associates engaged in kidnapping, arson and physical violence, sex trafficking and forced labor, among other alleged crimes. A superseding indictment filed April 3 — the third revised indictment following an amended indictment in January and a superseding indictment in March — charged him with two additional counts: one of sex trafficking and one of transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Despite repeated attempts at bail, Combs was ordered to remain in custody at the Special Housing Unit in Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center ahead of his May 5 trial — a ruling his legal team has challenged. He's been in jail since his arrest on Sept. 16, 2024. Diddy on trial newsletter: Step inside the courtroom as rapper faces sex crimes, trafficking charges Combs got his start in the music industry in the early 1990s as an intern — and later talent director — at Uptown Records, where he worked with emerging acts such as Mary J. Blige and Jodeci. He then founded his own music label, Bad Boy Records, in 1993. The company has sold over 500 million records, produced 38 platinum singles and earned multiple Grammy Awards, according to the official website for Combs Global. The Bad Boy founder, under the stage name Puff Daddy, launched a solo music career in the summer of 1997 with the album "No Way Out." The hip-hop LP, which featured the No. 1 hit "I'll Be Missing You," sold 7 million copies and earned Combs a pair of Grammys for best rap album and best rap performance by a duo or group. Combs has also gone by the aliases Puffy, Puff, P. Diddy, Diddy, Love and Brother Love. Combs' showbiz success wasn't limited to the radio airwaves. He proved himself a television personality when he took on the reality-TV franchise "Making the Band." The talent competition series spawned Combs-produced groups including Danity Kane, Da Band and Day26. In the fashion world, Combs struck gold with his Sean John line, which launched with a sportswear collection in 1998. The style retailer, which expanded to include accessories, fragrances and footwear, won Combs a Council of Fashion Designers of America Award in 2004 for menswear designer of the year, the first Black designer to earn the honor. As an entrepreneur, Combs also found success in the spirits world, collaborating with British beverage maker Diageo on its vodka brand Cîroc in a since-terminated "equal-share venture." As a producer, Combs helped define the sound of '90s hip-hop by crafting hits for the likes of The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey and Faith Evans, such as "Juicy," "Real Love," "Honey" and "You Used to Love Me." Combs' musical prowess seamlessly carried over to his solo act. The rapper has amassed 15 top 10 entries on the Billboard Hot 100, which include the No. 1 hits "I'll Be Missing You," "Mo Money Mo Problems," "Shake Ya Tailfeather," "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" and "Bump, Bump, Bump." Combs is not married, although he has had several longterm relationships. The rapper's most enduring romance was with model-actress Kimberly Porter, who died of pneumonia in November 2018. The on-again, off-again couple officially called it quits in 2007 after 13 years of dating, but the two remained friendly, often spending holidays together. Combs also dated R&B singer Ventura in the mid-2000s. The two became involved professionally and sexually when Ventura was 19 and Combs was 36. Their relationship spanned a decade. Combs' most recent high-profile relationship was with rapper Caresha Brownlee, better known as Yung Miami from the rap duo City Girls. Brownlee, who was first linked to Combs in 2021, confirmed she was single in an April 2023 interview with The Cut. Ventura accused the rapper of rape, sex trafficking and physical abuse in a November 2023 civil lawsuit. After being lured into an "ostentatious, fast-paced and drug-fueled lifestyle" and romantic relationship with Combs, the singer claimed he "took control" of her life, ranging from her healthcare to her career opportunities, and plied her with drugs and alcohol. Combs also allegedly raped Ventura in 2018 and forced the singer into "repeated unwanted sexual encounters" with male prostitutes who he hired and recorded their encounters, per the lawsuit. Ventura and Combs settled the legal matter one day later. Combs has seven children. He had his first biological son, Justin Combs, 31, with fashion designer and stylist Misa Hylton. The rapper shared four children with longtime girlfriend Porter, including Porter's son Quincy Brown, 33, whom she had with R&B singer-songwriter Al B. Sure! The couple's other children include son Christian "King" Combs, 27, and twin daughters D'Lila and Jessie Combs, 18. Combs has two other daughters: 18-year-old Chance Combs, whom he shares with businesswoman Sarah Chapman, and 2-year-old Love from his relationship with model and cybersecurity specialist Dana Tran. On March 25, 2024, Homeland Security Investigations agents raided Combs' Los Angeles home. Agents also searched Combs' Miami residence at that time, Rolling Stone, NBC News and The Associated Press reported. A Homeland Security Investigations spokesperson later told USA TODAY that the agency's New York branch "executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation." Authorities have since confirmed the searches were part of a state sex trafficking investigation. Just three months before the kickoff of Combs' trial, attorney Anthony Ricco withdrew from the rapper's legal team on Feb. 21. Ricco declined to offer the specific details that led to the decision, but he said in a statement: "Although I have provided Sean Combs with the high level of legal representation expected by the court, under no circumstances can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs." Despite Ricco's resignation, Combs' defense received a boost on April 17 when Georgia-based attorney Brian Steel joined the case, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY. Steel previously represented rap star Young Thug during his RICO trial. During a September 2024 press conference, U.S. attorney Damian Williams detailed the paraphernalia discovered during the federal raids of Combs' homes. The items included multiple AR-15 guns, large-capacity magazines, "evidence" of Combs' alleged sex crimes and over 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant. According to Combs' original indictment, the baby oil bottles were used during the hip-hop mogul's alleged "freak off" parties, which were described as "elaborate and produced sex performances" that involved sex workers. Combs and his employees conducted freak offs by booking hotel rooms and stocking them with supplies such as baby oil, lube, extra bedsheets and lighting, per the indictment. The rapper allegedly "arranged, directed" and "masturbated" during these sometimes dayslong "performances," and drugs were reportedly distributed to victims, in part, to keep them "obedient and compliant." Contributing: Naledi Ushe, Anna Kaufman, Taijuan Moorman, Cydney Henderson and KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Diddy? What to know about hip-hop mogul facing sex crimes trial
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Time of India
Ecstasy and bribery accusations in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' trial bolster racketeering charge
Two weeks into the sex trafficking trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs, witnesses have accused the hip-hop mogul of everything from breaking into a rival's home to taking ecstasy and attempting to intimidate or pay off witnesses in the case. Combs is not charged with any of these alleged crimes, but legal experts say these allegations could provide powerful fodder for the prosecution's use of a sweeping mafia-busting law that has widened the scope of the case against Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records who helped turn hip-hop mainstream. Known as the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act , " RICO " allows prosecutors to introduce evidence of crimes that are not charged in the indictment or even tied directly to the defendant, known as predicates or "bad acts." Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions and subtitles off , selected Audio Track Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Moose Approaches Girl At Bus Stop And Nudges Her To Follow - Watch What Happens Happy in Shape Undo That has allowed the prosecutors in Combs' case to show jurors evidence they would not have seen if he was charged only with sex trafficking, helping prosecutors paint a more compelling picture of his alleged criminal activity, said Bobby Taghavi , a defense lawyer and former prosecutor. "RICO allows you to bring in the bigger picture," Taghavi said. "His lifestyle, his power, his anger issues the way people had to obey him -- the 360-degree view of his conduct." Live Events Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty in Manhattan federal court to one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. The trial, which could last two months and will enter its third week of testimony on Tuesday, has drawn intense media attention. The jury of 12 must vote unanimously to convict on any of the charges. If convicted, Combs faces 15 years to life in prison. Manhattan federal prosecutors allege Combs violently coerced and blackmailed women and paid for male escorts to participate in drug-fueled sex parties he called "Freak Offs." An indictment against Combs last September alleges he did this through the "Combs Enterprise," a group of businesses and employees engaged in a pattern of prostitution, forced labor and a half-dozen other crimes dating to 2008. Combs' lawyers have conceded the rapper abused his ex-girlfriend but have argued prosecutors are trying to criminalize consensual sex and his "swingers' lifestyle." Combs will be able to call his own witnesses after the prosecution rests. A bad act free-for-all RICO became law in 1970 and was aimed at taking down organized crime bosses by tying them to crimes committed by their underlings. To prove RICO charges, prosecutors must show that members of a so-called enterprise, or group of people engaged in a common purpose, committed or planned to commit two other crimes in connection with the enterprise within a ten-year period. The Combs case is an unusual application of RICO, according to legal experts, who say the law is not typically used in cases that primarily concern things like sex trafficking and prostitution. During four days of testimony, the prosecution's star witness, Combs' ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura testified that Combs was a domineering serial abuser prone to fits of jealous rage. "I'd expect the defense will ask the jurors at closing, "Did you see a criminal organization? A racketeering enterprise? Or is this really a domestic violence case dressed up to look like an organized crime case?" said Mark Chutkow, a defense lawyer and former prosecutor with experience trying RICO cases. But prosecutors have called several witnesses to try to back their theory that crime was central to Combs' empire. The rapper known as Kid Cudi told the jury Combs broke into his home and likely had a role in the torching of his car. An ex-employee said Combs regularly took opiates and ecstasy. And a hotel security guard recalled Combs offered him a stack of cash to buy his silence after he saw Combs beat Ventura. Combs' lawyers have argued that evidence of this kind is irrelevant. Prosecutors have countered that it is admissible because it is related to the so-called means and methods of the Combs Enterprise. For example, defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo objected to Combs' former personal chef testifying about a time Combs allegedly assaulted her. "I think we're just getting very far afield, and I think this is becoming sort of a bad act free-for-all," Agnifilo told U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian outside the presence of the jury on May 19. Subramanian said he would allow the testimony. There is legal precedent for applying RICO in sexual abuse cases from the case of rapper R. Kelly, who argued in an unsuccessful appeal of his 2021 conviction that allegations of assault were unrelated to racketeering. And evidence in the Combs' case suggests that his business empire was riddled by illegal acts, according to Michelle Simpson Tuegel, an attorney following the case. "That could show he was not just an abusive person and a bad guy but the leader of a criminal enterprise carrying out commercial sex using weapons and blackmail," Simpson Tuegel said.
Hindustan Times
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
What Sean Diddy Combs is eating in jail on Memorial Day 2025?
As the courtroom doors close for Memorial Day, Sean "Diddy" Combs remains behind bars, awaiting the next phase of his high-profile trial. The 55-year-old music mogul is facing serious federal charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking, in a case that has rocked the entertainment industry and brought decades of alleged abuse into the spotlight. Also Read: Travis Hunter and Leanna Lenee's jaw-dropping wedding gift unveiled, luxurious Mercedes-Benz leaves guests in awe: Watch An assistant executive working at the prison revealed to People that Diddy and the other jail inmates' Memorial Day will include several activities. The insider told the media outlet, 'Spades card games, dominoes, 3 on 3 basketball tournament, and soccer tournament.' The music mogul will be served standard inmate meals at Brooklyn's MDC. According to People, the Memorial Day menu at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center includes a typical selection of meals served to inmates. Breakfast features items like cereal, fruit, skim milk, and a breakfast pastry. For lunch, inmates have the option of baked chili cheese tots or a baked potato, accompanied by green beans, whole wheat bread, and fruit. Dinner choices include either a chicken sandwich or a chickpea burger, with pinto beans, rice, corn, and a beverage rounding out the meal. The standard meal plan follows after it was reported that Diddy will not be provided any special treatment inside jail, following his initial arrest in September 2024. A source at the time told the media outlet, 'He is being treated like any other detainee awaiting trial. As with all public figures in his position, he was placed on suicide watch upon admittance to the facility as a precaution.' Also Read: Who is Ryan Akiyama? Washington educator under fire for disturbing 'this teacher kills fascists' post Diddy's trial began on May 12 after a rigorous jury selection process. So far, many people from the rapper's past have come forward to speak in court, including his former employees Kaplan and James, his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura, and her mother, a makeup artist. Kid Cudi also made an appearance in court regarding the trial. The trial is expected to stretch on for several weeks, with Judge Arun Subramaniam recently confirming that it will probably conclude by July 4.
