Latest news with #racketeering
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
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Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' posse threatened to murder assistant Capricorn Clark after his jewelry vanished: ‘They're going to throw you in the East River'
Double-cross him and you'll be sleeping with the fishes. Sean 'Diddy' Combs' former assistant detailed her chilling experiences working for the music mogul in court Tuesday — including how one of his goons once told her she could wind up getting thrown into the East River. In a scene that could have been straight out of 'The Sopranos,' a Combs bodyguard nicknamed 'Uncle Paulie' allegedly forced ex-assistant Capricorn Clark to an abandoned Manhattan skyscraper to have her take a lie detector test for five days straight. The Bad Boy Records founder's diamond necklace, bracelet and watch had gone missing while Clark was transporting them, she testified, describing how Paul 'Uncle Paulie' Offord came to her home and brought her to the empty Midtown building — where a heavy-set man chain smoking cigarettes and drinking black coffee greeted her on the sixth floor. 'He said if you fail this test, they're going to throw you in the East River,' Clark, 46, recalled in Manhattan federal court. Combs, sitting at the defense table flanked by his lawyers, shook his head as Clark described the wise-guy threat leaving her 'petrified.' 'I was told I was not able to leave until I got to the bottom of this,' said Clark, who worked for Combs from 2004 through 2012. The terrifying account from Clark kicked off the third week of testimony in Combs' sex-trafficking and racketeering trial – as federal prosecutors tried to bolster their case that the legendary music producer ran a criminal enterprise comparable to the mob. On her first day working for Combs, Clark said he took her to a deserted Central Park after dark — and threatened to kill her over her links to his rival Suge Knight, who managed Death Row Records when she had a job there. 'He told me that he didn't know that I had anything to do with Suge Knight and that if anything happened he would have to kill me,' Clark told the jury. Combs faces a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act – or RICO – charge that historically has been used to go after La Cosa Nostra. Diddy trial live updates: Drama as lawyers move for mistrial over fingerprints tied to Kid Cudi home break-in Kid Cudi's Porsche was 'targeted' with Molotov cocktail made from 40 oz Olde English bottle and designer handkerchief: testimony Livid Sean 'Diddy' Combs made chilling threat to Cassie Ventura as she partied at gay club with Rita Ora, longtime stylist reveals Sean 'Diddy' Combs once implied he might use a gun on 50 Cent over longstanding beef: testimony 'Kidnapping, arson, drugs, sex crimes, bribery and obstruction – these are just some of the crimes that the defendant and his inner circle committed again and again,' said prosecutor Emily Johnson during her opening statement in the trial. Combs' ex-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie Ventura, and other witnesses, including a male escort nicknamed 'The Punisher,' have previously testified about the mogul's degrading, drug-fueled and baby oil-drenched 'freak-off' sex parties. Kid Cudi, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, took the stand to accuse Combs of bombing his Porsche with a Molotov cocktail in a bout of violent jealousy over his budding relationship with Ventura. Clark testified to two alleged kidnapping incidents, including one in which Combs showed up to her house with a gun and forced her to join him as he broke into Mescudi's home. The other alleged kidnapping centered around Clark contending she was forced to undergo a whopping five full days of lie detector tests over the missing jewelry before being told she could finally return to work. The California native said Combs' bodyguard, Offord, was also present when her new boss threatened her over her ties to Suge Knight, who was also the dad of her best friend's kids. Suge Knight — whose real name is Marion Knight Jr. — founded West Coast record label Death Row Records, whose stable of rappers feuded with Combs' Bad Boy Records troupe in the 1990s. He's currently serving 28 years behind bars for manslaughter. Another former Combs assistant – David James – last week testified that his ex-boss once hauled him to confront Knight, while packing three guns. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to charges that could send him to prison for life, if convicted.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
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Could Trump pardon Diddy and end his trial?
Sean "Diddy" Combs is being tried in a New York courtroom for racketeering and sexual trafficking. Could that daily drama vanish instantly if President Donald Trump pardoned the embattled rapper? "Yes, it could," says Brian Kalt, law professor at Michigan State University College of Law, who focuses on legal issues and the presidency. According to Kalt, Trump — who appears to be in the middle of a pardoning spree — would be within his presidential rights to extend a preemptive pardon to fellow New Yorker Combs, who has been described by witnesses so far as violent and abusive. "These are federal charges (against Combs), so that's the main limit. The matter has be federal, it has to be criminal vs. civil, and related to something that's already been done," says Kalt. "But the person doesn't have to even be charged yet, or convicted. The Supreme Court has said preemptive pardons are OK." Trump weighed in on the possibility Friday, May 30, in the Oval Office. "Nobody's asked" about a pardon, the president said. "But I know people are thinking about it. I know they're thinking about it. I think some people have been very close to asking." Trump added, "I haven't spoken to him in years. He really liked me a lot." 'Nobody's asked': President Trump doesn't rule out pardoning Sean 'Diddy' Combs Typically, one of the last gestures from an outgoing president is a pardon. In President Joe Biden's final days in office, he famously pardoned his son, Hunter, convicted of federal gun felonies and federal tax charges. At the end of Trump's first term, he granted clemency to political allies such as Roger Stone, found guilty of obstructing a congressional investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and related offenses. But pardons can take place during a president's term, says Kalt. The right was established in Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 of the Constitution, which among other things gives the president "power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment." Kalt says the power to pardon is derived from the British monarch's historic right and stems from a recognition that criminal law was often too harsh, and it was important to have a safety valve. "The president was the best person to be that safety valve because of his political accountability," he says. But that's where things get murky, he adds, noting that Republican lawmakers "don't appear willing to hold the president accountable" for granting pardons, meaning they aren't costing him in terms of political capital. In contrast, President Gerald Ford's controversial pardoning of disgraced President Richard Nixon was perceived so negatively "that it probably cost Ford re-election in 1976," Kalt says. In just over 100 days since taking office, Trump has issued pardons to a broad range of personalities. They include Todd and Julie Chrisley, stars of the reality show "Chrisley Knows Best," who were convicted in 2022 of swindling $36 million from Atlanta banks and being tax evaders, and rapper NBA YoungBoy, who in 2024 was sentenced to two years in prison for weapons possession. He also pardoned former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, convicted of wire fraud and extortion, and Jan. 6 participant and "Bob's Burgers" actor Jay Johnston. The reason many presidents issue pardons at the end of their terms is precisely to avoid political fallout, says Kalt. In that sense, Trump's brash approach suggests he has no concerns about such ramifications. "I don't agree with these pardons on their merits, but the fact that he did them when he is politically accountable as opposed to slinking out the door does add some legitimacy to them in that sense," he says. "With pardons, you don't need Congress, you wave your magic wand and it happens. You can see the appeal for a president, particularly one like Trump." One can also see the appeal for those such as Combs, whose ordeal could end instantly should Trump's pardon "wand" wave his way. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Trump pardon Diddy? Trial could end, experts say
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sean Combs Trial: RICO Heating Up, Suspicious Destroyed Evidence and Alleged Rape
The third week of Sean Combs' sex trafficking and racketeering criminal trial brought three crucial witnesses for the prosecution to the stand: former staffers who all claim they not only witnessed Combs attack Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura but that they were subjected to a range of abuse themselves while trying to protect her from the unpredictable and volatile hip-hop mogul. Their testimonies help corroborate Ventura's accusations of physical abuse against Combs, who is accused of keeping the R&B singer trapped in an abusive dynamic through physical force, manipulation, and coercion. The former employees also help build out the Southern District of New York's racketeering charge against Combs, who is accused of using his billion-dollar empire as a criminal enterprise to carry out acts of bribery, arson, and kidnapping. More from Rolling Stone Sean Combs Accuser Sues Harvey Weinstein for Sexual Assault Trump Addresses Possible Sean Combs Pardon: 'I Would Certainly Look at the Facts' Sean Combs' Ex-Assistant Says He Terrorized Her With Threats Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to the five felony counts of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution charges against him. If convicted, he stands to face 15 years to life in prison. Although the former employees spoke at length of their fearfulness of Combs, the mogul's all-star defense team questioned them on why they remained friendly with Combs after either departing his company or claims of sexual assault. The defense went particularly hard on Combs' former personal assistant, Mia, referred to as Victim-4 in the government's case. Mia claimed that Combs sexually assaulted her numerous times throughout her employment and would threaten to tell Ventura that she instigated the alleged assaults if she failed to carry out his demands. Highlighting the numerous loving social media posts Mia made about Combs, attorney Brian Steel asked Mia, 'How did you find any goodness with Mr. Combs after what you described to the ladies and gentlemen of this jury?' 'I think there [are] a lot of textbooks out there that will explain it very easily,' she replied in part. 'It's an abusive relationship, the cycle of violence.' Here are the key moments from the trial's third week: The first two weeks of the trial focused mainly on the government's charges of sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution as it related to Combs' relationship with Ventura. The R&B singer testified that although she loved Combs, she was trapped in the abusive dynamic through threats, physical violence, threats, and coercion. She said many members of Combs' team were present when Combs would attack her, particularly his security, but rarely intervened. This week brought the racketeering charge into focus. Prosecutors claim that between 2004 and 2024, Combs used his sprawling businesses as a criminal enterprise to commit a range of offenses, including 'sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice.' Combs is accused of forced labor by exploiting and maintaining control over certain employees' lives by leading them to 'believe they would be harmed' or face financial ruin if they disappointed him. Combs' global brand director, Capricorn Clark, his personal assistant 'Mia,' and celebrity stylist Deonte Nash all testified about their overlapping tenure working for Combs between 2004 and 2018. They described their initial excitement at being part of the Bad Boy family but said their lives quickly became consumed by the chaotic, nonstop working environment Combs fostered. They testified that their jobs were in constant jeopardy and they were expected to be available for Combs' every whim. Clark said in exchange for her $65,000 salaried position as Combs' personal assistant, she developed stress-induced alopecia and averaged two to four hours of sleep a night. When she attempted to collect $80,000 in overtime pay, Clark said Combs ripped up the paperwork in front of her. Mia said after being hired in 2009, she suffered a physical breakdown after staying awake for five days straight, suffering blurred vision and muffled hearing. She was only allowed to sleep when she burst into tears. Eventually, a good portion of their roles became intertwined with Combs' relationship with Ventura, the witnesses claim, facing threats and physical attacks when Combs was upset with Ventura. Nash claimed Combs once threw him onto a parked car and strangled him because he had gone out with Ventura without Combs' permission. What was supposed to be an idyllic vacation in Turks and Caicos turned into Mia and Ventura escaping an irate Combs by paddle board, venturing far out into the ocean in stormy weather. And Clark said she sat frozen in fear when Combs allegedly kidnapped her, showing up at her apartment with a gun and forcing her to accompany him as he looked to confront Kid Cudi over his fling with Ventura in December 2011. Clark alleged she was held against her will at an earlier time, in 2004, after jewelry that Combs had on loan went missing. Clark said Combs' security guard brought her to a dilapidated office building, where she was questioned by a heavy-set, unidentified man for five consecutive days. 'He says I had been brought to the building to take a lie detector test to figure out what happened with this jewelry,' Clark testified. 'He said if you fail these tests, they're going to throw you in the East River.' Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Johnson said during opening statements that Mia's experience with Combs fell under the racketeering conspiracy charge. Combs 'used physical force, physiological harm, financial harm, reputational harm and/or threats of the same to cause the employee to engage in sex acts with Combs,' a March indictment alleged. Mia also testified that shortly after Ventura filed her sex trafficking lawsuit against Combs in November 2023, she was contacted out of the blue by D-Roc, a former senior member of Combs' security team. Mia said her 'radar went off' during a phone call where a nervous-sounding D-Roc began 'talking in circles,' attempting to minimize the violence in Combs and Ventura's relationship. Mia said Combs then attempted to contact her. 'I don't wanna be blowing up your phone,' Combs wrote to Mia in February 2024. 'Just needed to talk to you for 10 minutes. Just need my memory jogged on some things. You were my right hand for years, so I just [want] to speak to you to remember who was even around me. And it would be good to hear your voice. But if you don't want to, all good. Just let me know. Love. Hope you're well.' Around that same time, Mia said D-Roc asked how he could send her money. Mia said she never accepted the money and never replied to Combs. Combs' former personal assistant Mia, who worked for Combs from 2009 to 2017, alleged her boss sexually assaulted her numerous times during her employment and threatened to twist the narrative if she dared to disobey him. It was especially devastating, Mia testified, because she considered Ventura like a sister. 'I was going to die with this,' she told the court. 'I didn't want anyone to know ever.' Mia said the first encounter happened at Combs' 40th birthday party at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. She said she believed two vodka shots that Combs handed her might have been drugged, causing her head to spin as Combs leaned in for a kiss and slid his hand up her dress. Her next memory was waking up on a chair in another room, she testified. The alleged assaults were always random and sporadic, Mia said. Once, she alleged, Combs climbed on top of her while she was sleeping in a staff bunk bed at his Los Angeles house and penetrated her. Another time, Mia alleged he unzipped his pants while she was packing his clothes and forced her to perform oral sex on him. There were several other sexual assaults, Mia claimed, but she blocked many of them out, only able to recall a 'dark horrible feeling' in the pit of her stomach surrounding them. Mia said she never discussed the alleged assaults with Combs, but alleged he would vaguely refer to them while threatening her. 'He threatened that he was going to tell everybody, and he was going to telecast as though I had something to do with it,' Mia said. 'That he would fire me and ruin my future and somehow twist the story into making me look like a threat.' During her four days on the stand, Ventura said throughout her decade-long relationship with Combs, she was forced into participating in countless freak-offs at Combs' behest. The freak-offs are at the heart of the sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution charges against Combs; as Ventura testified, she dreaded the freak-offs and tried to push back but felt unable to refuse Combs. On cross-examination, Combs' defense team quizzed Ventura on the numerous emails and text exchanges with Combs, where she seemingly expressed an openness to continue the sexual encounters. Yet, Ventura was adamant that she would give anything never to have had to experience a freak-off. This week, at least one witness seemed to corroborate Ventura's claim that she didn't want to have freak-offs with Combs yet felt she had no other choice. Ventura's stylist and friend, Deonte Nash, recalled a pushy Combs yanking Ventura away from her 29th birthday celebration in 2015. 'As they were leaving, Puff was telling Cassie, 'Fuck you, I do all this — I'll do everything for you, and you just can't do this one thing for me,'' Nash recalled. 'I was like, 'Girl, what is [he] over there doing, what is [he] talking about?' And Cassie said, 'Girl, [he's] just mad because I don't want to go to the hotel and freak-off with him.'' Later that night, Nash recalled an intoxicated Combs yelling out, 'Y'all's girl is going to get some dick tonight.' A 'high' Ventura reluctantly packed a bag filled with sex toys and cash to leave with Combs. Nash said Ventura told him that Combs was 'making her' go to the hotel. Mia said she became concerned for Ventura when she accidentally interrupted a freak-off while dropping off supplies for Combs at the hotel. She claimed Ventura answered the door in a bright blue wig and looked like she was 'struggling.' Ventura's demeanor was much 'different than I had seen her before,' Mia explained. 'So much that I asked, like, are you good? … She was kind of like, 'Shh, I'm good.' And closed the door.' A line of questioning to a Los Angeles Fire Department arson investigator led to Combs' defense team accusing SDNY prosecutors of 'outrageous' behavior and demanding a mistrial. In previous days, jurors heard testimony from Ventura, Kid Cudi, and Clark regarding a series of incidents that played out over the holidays in December 2011 and January 2012. They alleged that Combs became furious when he discovered Ventura was dating Cudi (whose real name is Scott Mescudi), allegedly breaking into Mescudi's home and making a series of threats against the singer. A few weeks after the break-in, Mescudi testified that his Porsche was firebombed in his driveway. Firefighter and arson investigator Lance Jimenez said as part of his investigation into the firebomb, he ordered fingerprints be collected from several items found at the scene, including the Porsche itself. Jimenez said two fingerprints had already been recovered from Mescudi's glass front door from the earlier break-in, which he passed along to the Los Angeles Police Department to be tested against any fingerprints found at the scene of the arson. But Jimenez said he never received any report back. Only recently did he learn that the fingerprint evidence was ordered to be destroyed in August 2012. (Earlier in his testimony, Jimenez said he made calls around that time to Clark and Ventura seeking statements about the firebombing.) Combs' defense team claimed prosecutors seemed to be suggesting that Combs had something to do with the fingerprint cards being destroyed. After a brief break, Combs' attorney, Alexandra Shapiro, asked for a mistrial. 'As the court will recall, during jury selection, there were issues raised by some prospective jurors about the idea that Mr. Combs could buy his way out of this,' she said. 'This type of conspiracy theory is out there, and the type of implication that we believe these questions were designed to create plays right into that.' However, Judge Arun Subramanian swiftly denied the request, saying, 'There is absolutely no testimony from the witness that was prejudicial in any way, shape, or form, as the court sustained the objections that were raised.' Nearly two weeks after testifying against Combs in court, Ventura gave birth to her third child, a boy, on Tuesday. The 38-year-old had been seen earlier in the day running errands in New York City. The announcement played out in court Wednesday during cross-examination of Ventura's close friend, celebrity stylist Deonte Nash. Asked by defense attorney Xavier Donaldson when was the last time Nash had spoken with Ventura, he casually answered, 'After she had the baby yesterday [to] tell her congratulations.' Ventura shares two daughters with her husband, Alex Fine, who was by her side throughout her four days on the witness stand. The couple began dating in 2018 — around the time Ventura said she ended her relationship with Combs for good. They married in August 2019, welcomed their first daughter later that year, and had their second daughter in 2021. Steel's cross-examination of Mia will continue on Monday, June 2. The following witnesses will testify: InterContinental Hotel security supervisor Eddie Garcia, who will testify under immunity; hotel custodian Sylvia Okun and two men named Enrique Santos and Frank Piazza. The eight-week trial is expected to conclude before the July 4th holiday, as prosecutors previously stated they anticipated a six-week presentation of their case. However, Agnifilo flagged to the court this week that prosecutors indicated they had made 'fairly substantial changes in their direct case' and would no longer be calling certain witnesses. Agnifilo said this might lead to the defense's side taking longer. 'I think we are probably still bumping up against the 4th of July holiday,' Agnifilo said. 'I don't see ending that much earlier, even if the government rests a few days or a week early.' Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
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NEWS OF THE WEEK: Judge denies Sean 'Diddy' Combs' bid for mistrial
The hip-hop mogul's lawyers had called for a mistrial in his federal racketeering conspiracy and sex-trafficking trial, alleging misconduct by prosecutors in the case. They argued that prosecutors had improperly suggested and implied through questioning that Combs was involved in the destruction of evidence tied to the investigation into rapper Scott Mescudi's (Kid Cudi's) car being firebombed. Their request was quickly denied by the judge. "There was absolutely no testimony from the witness that was prejudicial in any way, shape or form," Judge Arun Subramanian countered.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Could Trump pardon Diddy and end his trial?
Sean "Diddy" Combs is being tried in a New York courtroom for racketeering and sexual trafficking. Could that daily drama vanish instantly if President Donald Trump pardoned the embattled rapper? "Yes, it could," says Brian Kalt, law professor at Michigan State University College of Law, who focuses on legal issues and the presidency. According to Kalt, Trump — who appears to be in the middle of a pardoning spree — would be within his presidential rights to extend a preemptive pardon to fellow New Yorker Combs, who has been described by witnesses so far as violent and abusive. "These are federal charges (against Combs), so that's the main limit. The matter has be federal, it has to be criminal vs. civil, and related to something that's already been done," says Kalt. "But the person doesn't have to even be charged yet, or convicted. The Supreme Court has said preemptive pardons are OK." Trump weighed in on the possibility Friday, May 30, in the Oval Office. "Nobody's asked" about a pardon, the president said. "But I know people are thinking about it. I know they're thinking about it. I think some people have been very close to asking." Trump added, "I haven't spoken to him in years. He really liked me a lot." 'Nobody's asked': President Trump doesn't rule out pardoning Sean 'Diddy' Combs Typically, one of the last gestures from an outgoing president is a pardon. In President Joe Biden's final days in office, he famously pardoned his son, Hunter, convicted of federal gun felonies and federal tax charges. At the end of Trump's first term, he granted clemency to political allies such as Roger Stone, found guilty of obstructing a congressional investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and related offenses. But pardons can take place during a president's term, says Kalt. The right was established in Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 of the Constitution, which among other things gives the president "power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment." Kalt says the power to pardon is derived from the British monarch's historic right and stems from a recognition that criminal law was often too harsh, and it was important to have a safety valve. "The president was the best person to be that safety valve because of his political accountability," he says. But that's where things get murky, he adds, noting that Republican lawmakers "don't appear willing to hold the president accountable" for granting pardons, meaning they aren't costing him in terms of political capital. In contrast, President Gerald Ford's controversial pardoning of disgraced President Richard Nixon was perceived so negatively "that it probably cost Ford re-election in 1976," Kalt says. In just over 100 days since taking office, Trump has issued pardons to a broad range of personalities. They include Todd and Julie Chrisley, stars of the reality show "Chrisley Knows Best," who were convicted in 2022 of swindling $36 million from Atlanta banks and being tax evaders, and rapper NBA YoungBoy, who in 2024 was sentenced to two years in prison for weapons possession. He also pardoned former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, convicted of wire fraud and extortion, and Jan. 6 participant and "Bob's Burgers" actor Jay Johnston. The reason many presidents issue pardons at the end of their terms is precisely to avoid political fallout, says Kalt. In that sense, Trump's brash approach suggests he has no concerns about such ramifications. "I don't agree with these pardons on their merits, but the fact that he did them when he is politically accountable as opposed to slinking out the door does add some legitimacy to them in that sense," he says. "With pardons, you don't need Congress, you wave your magic wand and it happens. You can see the appeal for a president, particularly one like Trump." One can also see the appeal for those such as Combs, whose ordeal could end instantly should Trump's pardon "wand" wave his way. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Trump pardon Diddy? Trial could end, experts say
