CNN
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Jury selection in the federal trial that will determine the future for Sean “Diddy” Combs is set to get begin Monday, nearly seven months after the once-highly influential pop culture figure was indicted for racketeering conspiracy, transportation to engage in prostitution and sex trafficking, crimes that the government claims spanned over two decades.
Combs has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Combs, who has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn since his September 2024 arrest, and his lawyers will report to a Manhattan Federal courthouse for an trial – that will not be televised – with opening statements expected to begin on May 12.
If convicted on all charges, Combs faces up to life in prison.
Prosecutors allege that between 2004 and 2024, Combs created a criminal enterprise using his business empire where he engaged in sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice.
He is accused of coercing at least three women to engage in sex acts with him and, at times, with male prostitutes, during occasions known as “Freak Offs,” where the victims were allegedly drugged and forced to engage in sex for days. Authorities allege Combs recorded some of the sex acts and controlled his victims by promising financial and career opportunities, as well as through threats of violence and other harm.
He is facing five counts in total with charges related to four victims, including one count of racketeering conspiracy as it pertains to “Victim-1,” “Victim-2” and “Victim-3,” two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion as it pertains to “Victim-1” and “Victim-2” and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution as it pertains to “Victim-1” and “Victim-2.”
Prosecutors have said in court documents that “Victim-4” is a former employee of Combs, who they allege he “obtained forced labor” from.
The four victims that the government identified in court filings are expected to testify at trial.
Judge Arun Subramanian, who will be presiding over the trial, previously ruled that three of the four alleged victims can testify under pseudonyms. The person referred to as “Victim-1” in the indictment, Combs’ former girlfriend Cassie Ventura, has chosen to testify under her own name.
Ventura filed a lawsuit against Combs in 2023 where she alleged he raped her in 2018 and subjected her to years of repeated physical and other abuses over the course of their relationship. Combs denied Ventura’s allegations at the time and they settled Ventura’s lawsuit the day after it was filed.
In May 2024, Combs was seen striking and dragging Ventura in a 2016 surveillance video first published by CNN. two days after the video was published Combs apologized for physically assaulting Ventura, saying in a video posted on Instagram that he takes “full responsibility for my actions in that video.”
During a pre-trial hearing in April, Subramanian ruled that footage of the 2016 incident may be shown to the jury at trial.
Mark Agnifilo and Teny Geragos are the two lead attorneys representing Combs. Brian Steel, who represented rapper Young Thug in his recent racketeering trial in Georgia, was added to Combs’ legal team in April.
The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York indicted Combs in 2024, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith Foster, Emily A. Johnson, Christy Slavik, Madison Reddick Smyser and Mitzi Steiner are handling the case for the government, according to a news release from the US Attorney’s Office.
Separately, Combs is also facing dozens of civil lawsuits from in which he is accused of sexual assault. He has denied the allegations and the civil suits are not part of Combs’ federal criminal trial.
