Warning: This article discusses allegations of sex trafficking, abuse, and assault which may be distressing to some readers.
The trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has begun, with the first day featuring accusations against him and testimony from two witnesses.
On September 16, 2024, the 55-year-old was apprehended at the Park Hyatt hotel in Manhattan, New York, following his indictment by a grand jury.
Combs faces charges including racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking, and two counts of transportation for prostitution, all of which he denies.
On Monday, May 12, his sex-trafficking trial started in Manhattan, where the allegations against him were detailed in the opening statements.
The indictment, once unsealed, accused Combs of ‘abusing, threatening, and coercing women and others to fulfill his desires, protect his image, and hide his actions.’ It also claimed he used the resources and influence of his business empire to engage in crimes like sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice.
The document outlines alleged abuses against ‘women and other individuals’ as a mix of ‘verbal, emotional, physical, and sexual,’ noting that Combs’ ‘physical abuse’ was ‘recurrent and widely known,’ referencing a video of him and former partner Casandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura in a hotel corridor.
Prosecutors on the trial’s first day focused on Ventura and another ex-girlfriend who has remained unnamed.
They accused Combs of sexually abusing women and operating a criminal network, using threats against Ventura’s career to compel her participation in ‘freak-offs.’
Two witnesses were presented by the prosecution.
The first witness, Los Angeles police officer Israel Florez, was called after opening statements.
Florez worked as a security guard at the InterContinental Hotel in California, where a video of Combs assaulting Ventura was filmed in March 2016.
He responded to the incident, recounting how he was alerted to ‘a woman in distress on the sixth floor,’ according to BBC reports.
The security guard described finding Ventura curled up in a corner covering her face, while Combs only wore a towel and socks with a ‘devilish’ expression.
Florez recounted Ventura expressing a desire to leave, but Combs insisted she couldn’t. Florez then escorted them to their room, ensuring Ventura could exit before assisting her to the valet.
He noticed Ventura had a purple eye, but she declined his offer to call the police.
Florez also claimed that when he returned with the hotel manager, Combs took the manager’s phone, fearing being recorded, and allegedly showed Florez a wad of cash, which he interpreted as a bribe attempt—a claim refuted by Combs’ defense.
The widely circulated video was shown in court, despite defense efforts to block it, and photos from the incident’s aftermath were also displayed.
Combs’ attorney, Teny Geragos, argued in response to the video, asserting ‘domestic violence is not sex trafficking.’
The second witness then took the stand.
Daniel Phillip, 41, alleged he was paid $5,000 to engage in sexual acts with Ventura while the rapper watched.
Phillip testified that he attended a meeting at the Gramercy Hotel, believing he was filling in for a male stripper at a bachelorette party, only to find himself alone with Ventura.
He provided insight into Combs’ alleged ‘freak-offs,’ describing them as typically occurring in New York hotel rooms or the rapper’s residences.
Spanning one to ten hours, Phillip said these meetings involved Combs, sometimes masked, directing him and Ventura, with the rapper allegedly recording the sessions.
Phillip recalled an incident where Ventura was reportedly beaten and left sobbing, observing Combs allegedly dragging her by her hair. He explained his reluctance to go to authorities was due to ‘concern for [his] life,’ according to BBC.
In Combs’ defense, Geragos stated the rapper merely has ‘a bit of a different sex life.’
Following Combs’ arrest, his attorney Marc Agnifilo expressed disappointment with the prosecution to UNILAD, stating: “We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children, and working to uplift the Black community. He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal,” Agnifilo continued.
“To his credit, Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
The trial is anticipated to last approximately eight weeks, with Combs facing a potential life sentence if convicted.
For those impacted by topics discussed in this article, The National Sexual Assault Hotline is available at 800.656.HOPE (4673) 24/7. Alternatively, you can chat online via online.rainn.org.