The long-awaited federal trial of hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs begins Monday in a Manhattan courtroom, with prosecutors prepared to unveil disturbing allegations of sex trafficking, abuse, and racketeering that span over two decades. The trial is expected to reveal the seediest elements of the rap industry and the alleged secret life of one of its most powerful figures.
Federal prosecutors accuse the 55-year-old Bad Boy Records founder of orchestrating drug-fueled “Freak Offs,” where women were coerced into sex acts with male sex workers while Combs filmed the encounters. The indictment also alleges Combs used physical violence and intimidation to silence victims, including dragging, choking, and even dangling someone from a balcony.
Though Combs denies the charges, his lawyers argue the sexual encounters were consensual and that prosecutors are overreaching by attempting to criminalize adult relationships. Combs is currently being held in a Brooklyn federal jail, deemed a flight risk and danger to witnesses.
Among the witnesses is R&B singer Cassie Ventura, Combs’ former girlfriend who publicly accused him of years of abuse in a lawsuit last year. The suit was quickly settled, but it triggered a sweeping federal investigation. Authorities raided Combs’ homes and seized nearly 100 electronic devices and several unregistered rifles.
The charges against Combs include sex trafficking, transporting people across state lines for prostitution, and racketeering conspiracy. If convicted, he faces decades in prison. Prosecutors will present digital records, hotel logs, emails, and surveillance footage—including a 2016 video of Combs beating and dragging Cassie—to support their case.
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo says the claims are exaggerated and motivated by financial payouts. He characterized the “Freak Offs” as consensual parts of Combs’ personal relationship with Cassie, noting their decade-long intimacy involved mutual decisions about bringing in third parties.
This marks Combs’ most serious legal battle. While he was previously acquitted in a 2001 nightclub shooting, the weight of the federal charges now could permanently tarnish his legacy and send shockwaves through the music industry.
