P Diddy’s trial is will begin on 5 May after he was arrested last September – he faces charges including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force and transportation to engage in prostitution
Sean Combs, also known as P Diddy, will take his seat in a Manhattan federal court next week.
The 55-year-old is accused of masterminding a violent sex trafficking ring. After rejecting an 11th plea deal offer from prosecutors, the disgraced music mogul believes the jury due for selection on Monday will clear him of the devastating accusations against him.
The 12 men and women are set to hear evidence that could put him away for life, including allegations he drugged and abused victims during drug-fuelled sex parties dubbed “freak offs”.
The I’ll Be Missing You hitmaker is accused of a number of charges, including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution.
The eight-week trial, scheduled to begin Monday 5 May with jury selection from hundreds of prospective jurors, hinges on allegations that Combs orchestrated and directed drug-fuelled sex parties involving both female victims and male sex workers.
Prosecutors say he controlled through manipulation, fear, and drugs. Court documents detail what the indictment repeatedly refers to as “freak offs” – a term to describe marathon sex events allegedly arranged, recorded, and supervised by Combs.
According to federal prosecutors, the performances were “produced” with precision, during which Combs is said to have watched, masturbated, and electronically recorded participants.
“These were not consensual parties,” one federal investigator told the court. “These were coercive, manipulative events designed to break down victims and keep them dependent.”
Victims were allegedly administered powerful controlled substances, sometimes without their knowledge, to keep them “obedient and compliant” throughout the sessions that sometimes spanned days. The indictment alleges that both Combs and the participants were so physically and mentally drained after the sessions that they “typically received IV fluids to recover from the physical exertion and drug use.”
In pretrial hearings, investigators disclosed that nearly 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant were seized during coordinated raids on Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami. Federal agents described the March 2024 raids as “unprecedented in scale and disturbing in content.”
Combs, who rose to prominence in the 1990s as a producer and founder of Bad Boy Records, has denied all allegations against him and maintains his innocence.
He is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, where he has remained since last September.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
