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Sean “Diddy” Combs entered a crowded courtroom on Monday morning. In it his children and concerned family members. The hip-hop mogul are at risk of sex trade and organized crime. He threatens lifelong imprisonment.
Family appearance in the courtroom: support from children and mother
The 55-year-old, whose hair is now completely gray, has declared itself unpaid in all five charges. During the selection of the jury last week, the survival -sized music manager admitted that he was “a little nervous” before the start of the process. Combs is actually known for standing in the spotlight.
On Monday morning, however, his press spokeswoman Holly Baird Combs described as “optimistic”. And “ready to tell his site in court”. Combs’ mother Janice and his children Christian, Justin, Quincy, d’lila, Jessie and chance appeared in court to support the Mogul.
Great media interest: fans, podcaster and content creators on site
The snake before the Federal Supreme Court in Manhattan ranged until the end of the block. Where press representatives, enthusiastic supporters, curious viewers, podcaster and content creators-including Myron Gaines from “Fresh and Fit” and Jaguar Wright-were waiting for up to 12 hours to secure a place in the courtroom. And to catch a look at the controversial founder of Bad Boy Entertainment. The music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, who had sued Combs in February 2024 for sexual coercion and non -payment, and his lawyer Tyrone Blackburn appeared in court. However, they rejected a statement.
Combs, dressed in a sweater, a shirt with collar and suit trousers, welcomed his lawyers and took his place. Before the opening plea later, the public prosecutor of the Southern District of New York and Combs’ defense team reduced the remaining 43 jurors to a final group of eight men and four women as well as six replacement sworn. According to the New York Times belong to the jury “a massage therapist, an investment analyst, a seller in a Gristedes food shop, a nutritionist in a nursing home and a pensioner who used to work for JPMorgan”.
The indictment against Diddy: sex trade and organized crime
The public prosecutor claims that Combs-who founded Bad Boy Records, which produced the legendary rapper The Notorious Big and whose enormous influence made hip-hop and rap a mainstream-used his billion-in empire as a criminal company. Driven by the sexual desires of the mogul. Against the background of his business relationships, Combs is accused of having traded two women between 2009 and 2024 for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
The accusations in detail: violence, extortion and “freak-offs”
He is said to have instructed a team of employees – who were supposedly subject to forced labor and physical threats – to commit bribery, arson and kidnapping. Other alleged victims are said to have been forced to sex with Combs and with hired male sex workers in days of sex orgies accompanied by drugs. Which Combs called “freak-offs”.
Defense strategy: “Swinger lifestyle is not a crime”
Meanwhile, the Combs star lawyer team-which also includes celebrity lawyers Brian Steel and Marc Agnifilo, insists on the innocence of their client. They claim that Combs maintained a “swinger” lifestyle and often hired male escorts, but this is not a sex trade.
Cassie Ventura case: a toxic relationship?
With regard to Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, which is referred to as “Victim 1” in the indictment, Combs’ lawyer Agnifilo told judge Arun Subramanian that the defense would argue that the couple’s decades -long relationship was deeply “toxic”. And there were “mutual” violence on both sides.
When asked what questions would ask the defense in the cross -interpretation of victims 1, the lawyers Agnifilo and Alexandra Shapiro said that they wanted to ask Combs’ former girlfriend about “other cases in which she was violent”. They said that the survey was of central importance in order to address Venturas, not peaceful nature and independence. And to refute the public prosecutor’s claim, Combs forced it in certain situations.
Judge Subramanian rejects attempts
Judge Subramanian quickly rejected this idea. “Strong people can be forced as well as weak people,” said Subramanian.
Process environment: Further prominent names in the court
This week, the prosecutors announced that they wanted to call two “short” witnesses to the witness stand. Including a male escort before a third witness should testify. Although the name of this witness has not been announced, everything indicates Ventura. The public prosecutor emphasized that it was necessary to comply with a strict schedule for the process. However, she explained that an important witness was “time -critical”. And during his testimony lasting several days must take frequent breaks.
Ventura is in the third month pregnant and the indictment largely corresponds to the claims that she has drawn up in her sensational lawsuit for sex trade.