Sean 'Diddy' Combs: Trial begins in New York with opening statements
Charlie Lucci and Janice Combs, mother of Sean Combs arrives for the continuation of the jury selection phase of the Sean "Diddy" Combs trial at the Southern District Manhattan Federal court on May 12, 2025 in New York City. Combs has been charged wi
ATLANTA - A federal jury in Manhattan is now hearing evidence in the explosive sex-trafficking trial of music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, as prosecutors and defense attorneys presented starkly different narratives in opening statements, according to The Associated Press.
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Opening statements in Combs' trial
What we know:
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson told jurors that Combs ran an abusive empire for two decades, using "an inner circle of bodyguards and high-ranking employees" to facilitate and conceal crimes that included kidnapping, sex trafficking, drug distribution, and violent assaults.
"This is Sean Combs," Johnson said, pointing to the 55-year-old defendant. "For 20 years, the defendant, with the help of his trusted inner circle, committed crime after crime. That’s why we’re here today. That’s what this case is about."
Among the most disturbing allegations are claims that Combs organized drug-fueled sex parties—referred to as "freak offs," "wild king nights," and "hotel nights"—where women were pressured into sex acts with male escorts while Combs watched or recorded. Prosecutors say these events were paid for by his company and staged by his staff, often in hotel rooms across the U.S. and abroad.
Cassie, whose real name is Cassandra Ventura, is expected to be a central witness. Prosecutors say Combs beat and sexually exploited her for years, threatening to destroy her career if she left or disobeyed him. "Her livelihood depended on keeping him happy," Johnson said.
Combs' defense
What they're saying:
Defense attorney Teny Geragos dismissed the charges as an "overreach" and claimed prosecutors were twisting consensual adult relationships into criminal conduct.
"Sean Combs is a complicated man. But this is not a complicated case," Geragos said. "This case is about love, jealousy, infidelity and money." She urged the jury to ignore the "tremendous amount of noise around this case" and focus on the facts.
Combs’ legal team insists that any group sex was consensual, and that isolated incidents of violence were not part of a broader pattern. Attorney Marc Agnifilo has said the rapper has sought therapy, including for drug use, and is not a "perfect person."
After a video surfaced showing Combs assaulting Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016, Combs released a public apology: "I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now."
Combs is also represented by Atlanta's Brian Steel, who successfully represented Atlanta rapper against racketeering and other charges in Georgia last year.
Brian Steel, attorney for Sean "Diddy" Combs," arrives at federal court for Combs' sex trafficking trial in New York City on May 12, 2025. Opening statements are expected Monday in the federal sex trafficking trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs, the music mo
How It Started
The backstory:
Combs has been in federal custody since his arrest in September and has pleaded not guilty to a five-count indictment. If convicted on all charges, he could face at least 15 years in prison.
The current case grew out of a 2023 lawsuit filed by Cassie, which was settled just hours after it was filed. But that legal action triggered a wider investigation and a wave of additional lawsuits from individuals alleging similar patterns of abuse.
Johnson told jurors the hotel hallway video is just one example of how Combs used his influence to cover up attacks. She said security footage shows Combs beating Cassie, and that his team later paid a guard $100,000 in cash to recover the recording while his chief of staff and bodyguard looked on.
PREVIOUS STORIES
- Diddy's sex trafficking trial to begin with jury selection: What to know
- Diddy pleads not guilty ahead of sex trafficking trial
- New Diddy lawsuits: 6 people accuse Sean Combs of sexual assault, including minor
- Diddy's alleged 1,000 bottles of baby oil, 'Freak Off' parties explained
- Woman who accused Jay-Z and Diddy of raping her when she was 13 withdraws lawsuit
Timeline:
Combs was taken into custody in September 2024 and remains jailed at a federal facility in Brooklyn. His trial began Monday morning in Manhattan, where opening statements were delivered to a jury of eight men and four women. The case is expected to last at least eight weeks.
What Will Happen In Court
What's next:
Cassie is anticipated to take the stand early in the proceedings. Prosecutors may also present additional videos, some showing the orchestrated sex parties allegedly central to Combs’ abuse. The court could also hear testimony about IV-drip treatments used by partygoers to recover from multi-day events.
While Combs’ defense continues to argue that this is a case of consensual adult behavior mischaracterized as criminal, prosecutors are working to show that behind the celebrity façade was a network of manipulation, violence, and fear.
Possible sentence for Combs
What Could Happen:
If Combs is convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison. He is facing up to 25 years for racketeering, 15 to life for sex trafficking, and up to 10 years for transporting for prostitution. There must be an unanimous vote for a conviction on each count.