Prosecutors Launch Racketeering Trial Against Sean “Diddy” Combs in New York

Federal prosecutors began presenting their case on Monday in a trial alleging that hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs turned his entertainment empire into a racketeering enterprise by coercing women into drug-fueled, nonconsensual sexual encounters over a span of two decades, The Associated Press reports.

Testimony is expected to commence shortly after jury selection and opening statements. Combs, 55, who has pleaded not guilty to a five-count indictment, faces a potential prison term of at least 15 years if convicted on all charges. He has been held in a federal jail in Brooklyn since his arrest in September.

Prosecutors allege that Combs systematically forced women to participate in drugged group sexual encounters, using violence—including choking, hitting, kicking, and hair-pulling—to enforce his control. Among the early witnesses is former girlfriend and R&B singer Cassie, who has previously filed a lawsuit accusing Combs of years of abuse, including beatings and rape. That lawsuit was quickly settled but ignited a wider law enforcement investigation and led to numerous similar claims.

Federal authorities plan to present evidence including security camera footage purportedly showing Combs assaulting Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016. Additionally, prosecutors expect to introduce recordings of events labeled “Freak Offs,” during which women allegedly engaged in sexual acts with male sex workers while being filmed by Combs. According to the indictment, some of these events lasted for days and required participants to receive IV-drips to recover.

Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, acknowledged that his client “was not a perfect person” and noted that he had been undergoing therapy for drug use prior to his arrest. Agnifilo and the defense team have contended that any group sexual encounters were consensual and that any violent incidents were isolated aberrations.

Following the circulation of video footage on CNN last year of Combs assaulting Cassie, Combs publicly apologized, saying:

“I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now,” and claimed to have taken full responsibility for his actions.

The trial, which is expected to last at least eight weeks, will scrutinize decades of allegations against the music mogul, with jurors set to evaluate evidence and testimonies from numerous witnesses, including individuals who have accused Combs of similar misconduct.