Jury selection began Monday in Manhattan for the high-profile federal trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, who faces serious criminal charges, including sex trafficking, transportation for prostitution, and racketeering conspiracy.
The 54-year-old music mogul has pleaded not guilty to all five counts and has remained in custody since his arrest last September.
Combs was taken into custody on September 16, 2024, in the lobby of the Park Hyatt New York hotel. Surveillance video of the arrest, later obtained by TMZ, circulated widely on social media and news platforms.
The trial is taking place at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. Courthouse in Manhattan. Although it is open to the public, federal law prohibits cameras in the courtroom, meaning the proceedings will not be televised.
Combs was initially indicted on three counts, but a superseding indictment filed last month added two more, including a second count of sex trafficking.
His defense team, led by attorneys Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos, unsuccessfully requested a delay in the trial to prepare for the new charges. Judge Arun Subramanian denied the motion and set opening statements for May 12.
The federal prosecution is being led by an all-female team headed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey, daughter of former FBI Director James Comey. Prosecutors allege that Combs operated a criminal organization spanning the music, fashion, and entertainment industries, which they claim facilitated and concealed sex crimes for more than a decade.
The charges include accusations that Combs lured women into exploitative situations by promising fame, romantic involvement, or financial support, only to coerce them into sex acts.
“With these high-profile cases like Harvey Weinstein and the NXIVM cult case, courts are willing to define commercial sex as an exchange of sex not just for money, but for anything of value,” Aya Gruber, a criminal law professor at the University of Southern California, told NPR.
Four alleged victims are expected to testify. Cassie Ventura, the singer and former partner of Combs who was signed to his label Bad Boy Entertainment in 2006, is the only named witness. She filed a civil suit in November 2023 accusing Combs of trafficking and abuse; it was settled out of court within a day. The other witnesses will testify anonymously or under pseudonyms.
Video footage of Combs physically assaulting Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel in 2016 has already become a focal point of the case. The video, published by CNN, shows Combs kicking and dragging Ventura in a hallway. Prosecutors cited the footage to argue he posed a threat and should remain detained. Combs’ legal team argued the video showed a private dispute and had been manipulated, but Judge Subramanian ruled it admissible.
The defense maintains that the relationship between Combs and Ventura was “toxic” but consensual.
“It’s our defense to these charges that this was a toxic, loving 11-year relationship,” said Agnifilo during a pre-trial hearing.
If convicted of racketeering, Combs could face life in prison. The other charges carry significant sentences as well. In addition to the criminal trial, Combs is facing multiple civil lawsuits from dozens of individuals alleging various forms of abuse, many of whom are represented by the controversial attorney Tony Buzbee.
A recent client of Buzbee famously falsely accused Jay-Z of sexual assault.
“Any time I see that Tony Buzby lawyer is involved, I know it’s a shakedown,” one social media user wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
