NEW YORK (AP) – Sean “Diddy” Combs, the prominent hip-hop entrepreneur, is set to appear in a New York courthouse on Monday to face charges related to the sexual abuse of women, using the influence and resources of his extensive business empire. Jury selection is slated to begin in the morning, with opening statements and testimony expected to commence the following week. This case marks a significant chapter in Combs' controversial career marked by accusations of violence.
The indictment against Combs spans 17 pages and resembles charges often associated with organized crime figures. It accuses him of engaging in sex trafficking and leading a racketeering conspiracy designed to manipulate and abuse women over the course of two decades. Prosecutors allege that, aided by associates and employees, Combs created a pervasive environment of fear and control aimed at women within his orbit.
According to the indictment, Combs orchestrated drug-fueled sexual performances that he referred to as “Freak Offs,” wherein women were coerced into participation alongside male sex workers. To maintain control over these women, Combs allegedly wielded his influence, promising to advance their careers while simultaneously threatening to thwart their opportunities if they resisted his demands.
Prosecutors detail a pattern of violence utilized by Combs and his associates to maintain submission, which reportedly included beatings, kidnapping, and arson. Notably, the indictment alleges a chilling incident in which Combs once dangled an individual from a balcony, underscoring the severity of the accusations against him.
Combs, age 55, and his legal team maintain that he is innocent of these charges, asserting that all sexual encounters were consensual and denying any claims of coercion or criminal conspiracy. They argue that the allegations are unfounded and that any group activities were entered into voluntarily.
Remarkably, this trial is expected to last a minimum of eight weeks, during which the prosecution's and defense's cases will be laid out in detail. Combs has previously acknowledged a specific episode of violence captured on security camera footage in 2016, which involved an assault on his former girlfriend, the R&B singer Cassie. In a lawsuit filed in late 2023, Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, accused Combs of years of abuse, including physical violence and rape.
In the context of past legal troubles, Combs has faced a variety of charges throughout his career. In 1999, he was involved in an altercation in which he attacked an Interscope Records executive with a champagne bottle and a chair. Although he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and completed anger management, this incident set a precedent for his legal woes. Later that year, he was embroiled in a shooting incident outside a nightclub, for which he was acquitted, but a member of his entourage was convicted.
Furthermore, in 2015, Combs faced assault charges related to an incident involving a kettlebell at UCLA, connected to his son’s football activity. That case was ultimately dropped by prosecutors. Now, however, he faces potentially the most serious legal predicament of his career. If convicted of the current charges, Combs could face decades behind bars, which would have a profound impact on his life and career moving forward.
