NEW YORK — Sean “Diddy” Combs, the hip-hop mogul and entertainment tycoon long surrounded by allegations of abuse, is set to face a federal jury in New York as proceedings begin Monday in a high-stakes sex trafficking and racketeering trial that could define his legacy and land him behind bars for decades.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin in the morning and could take several days, with opening arguments and witness testimony expected to start next week. The 55-year-old music entrepreneur is accused in a sweeping federal indictment of orchestrating a decades-long campaign of sexual exploitation, physical abuse, and criminal coercion — crimes prosecutors say were masked by the power and wealth of his multi-industry empire.
The 17-page indictment, unsealed earlier this year, portrays Combs as the leader of a criminal enterprise resembling a mafia syndicate, alleging that he directed a network of employees, bodyguards, and business associates to lure, manipulate, and abuse women through fear, drugs, and career-based incentives.
Federal prosecutors say Combs hosted a series of ritualized sex parties known as “Freak Offs,” where women — often under the influence of drugs or coercion — were allegedly forced to engage in group sex acts, sometimes involving paid male sex workers. Women who resisted or refused, according to the indictment, were subjected to threats, violent retaliation, and professional blacklisting.
The indictment further alleges that Combs personally engaged in beatings, kidnappings, arson, and intimidation to maintain control. In one disturbing instance, prosecutors claim he dangled a person from a balcony during a confrontation.
Combs has denied all criminal wrongdoing. Through his legal team, he argues that any sexual activity was consensual and that the accusations are false, exaggerated, or rooted in toxic but non-criminal relationships. His attorney, Marc Agnifilo, acknowledged past drug use and turbulent relationships but maintains that the allegations do not amount to criminal conduct.
History of legal troubles looms over trial
Combs is no stranger to controversy or courtrooms. His legal history includes multiple high-profile incidents:
- In 1999, he was charged with assault after attacking music executive Steve Stoute with a champagne bottle and chair. The charge was later reduced, and Combs completed anger management classes.
- Later that year, he was arrested after fleeing a Manhattan nightclub shooting with then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez. He was acquitted of weapons charges in 2001, although rapper Jamal “Shyne” Barrow, part of his entourage, was convicted and served nearly nine years in prison.
- In 2015, he was accused of assaulting a UCLA football coach with a kettlebell. Combs said he acted in self-defense, and prosecutors dropped the case.
Still, none of those incidents compare to the scope and severity of the current charges.
The upcoming trial is expected to last at least eight weeks. If convicted, Combs faces the possibility of decades in federal prison.
Among the most high-profile episodes likely to feature in the trial is a 2016 hotel hallway assault involving Combs and his ex-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, born Casandra Ventura. Surveillance footage captured Combs physically assaulting her — footage that resurfaced following Cassie’s 2023 lawsuit accusing him of years of sexual and physical abuse.
Cassie, who publicly identified herself, alleged beatings, rape, and psychological torment over the course of their relationship. Combs settled the civil case out of court but admitted to the violence captured on video. His legal team insists that the rest of the relationship was consensual and disputes the claims made in the lawsuit.
The Associated Press typically does not name alleged victims of sexual abuse, but Cassie has spoken publicly and initiated litigation, making her identity a matter of public record.
As Combs returns to federal court, the proceedings mark a pivotal moment in the life of one of the most influential figures in hip-hop and pop culture. Once celebrated for building a multimedia empire spanning music, fashion, and spirits, Combs now faces the possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison if convicted of the most serious counts.
