Sean “Diddy” Combs built a reputation as a music tycoon and cultural icon, but prosecutors say that behind the scenes, he orchestrated a campaign of intimidation, manipulation, and abuse. Opening statements Monday in his sex trafficking trial painted a stark contrast between the mogul’s public persona and his alleged private misconduct.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson, addressing the Manhattan jury, pointed at Combs as she delivered a grim preview of the trial: “This is Sean Combs. During this trial you are going to hear about 20 years of the defendant’s crimes.” The alleged offenses include kidnapping, arson, sexual exploitation, drug use, bribery, and attempts to obstruct justice.
Combs, 55, appeared composed, leaning back as Johnson laid out her case. His defense, however, offered a different narrative.
“Sean Combs is a complicated man. But this is not a complicated case,” defense attorney Teny Geragos countered. “This case is about love, jealousy, infidelity and money.” She characterized the charges as a prosecutorial overreach, insisting the government was twisting the facts of consensual adult relationships into something sinister.
Geragos acknowledged Combs’ volatile nature, including instances of alcohol- and drug-fueled outbursts. “You may think he’s a ‘jerk,’ and you might not like his ‘kinky sex,’” she told jurors, “but he’s not charged with being a jerk.”
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Still, the prosecution wasted no time spotlighting Combs’ alleged pattern of control. Jurors were shown surveillance footage, now widely circulated of Combs physically assaulting singer Cassie, his longtime partner, in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016. The silent video was played four times during testimony by Israel Florez, a former hotel security guard now serving in the LAPD.
According to Florez, he responded to a “woman in distress” call on the sixth floor and found Combs clad in a towel, sitting with what he described as “a devilish stare.” Florez said Cassie asked to leave, but Combs insisted she wouldn’t. “If she wants to leave, she’s going to leave,” Florez recalled telling him. Moments later, Combs allegedly tried to bribe him, flashing cash and saying, “Don’t tell nobody.” Florez refused, saying, “I don’t want your money. Just go back into your room.”
Cassie, legally named Casandra Ventura, is expected to take the stand Tuesday, according to an AP report.
Jurors also heard from Daniel Phillip, a former male stripper who testified that Combs paid him up to $6,000 to have sex with Cassie while he watched and gave instructions. Phillip said he walked away from those encounters after witnessing Combs hurl a bottle at Cassie and violently drag her by the hair.
Defense attorney Xavier Donaldson attempted to undermine Phillip’s credibility, ridiculing his past job with a male revue troupe marketed as “the ultimate ladies night experience.”
Throughout the proceedings, Combs appeared engaged, greeting his lawyers warmly and acknowledging his family in the gallery. He blew a kiss to his mother and mouthed “Hi mom, I love you.” His three daughters left the courtroom as the testimony became graphic.
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Public interest in the trial remains high. Lines to enter the courthouse began forming before court adjourned Monday, with spectators eager to witness what could become one of the most high-profile celebrity trials of the decade.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to a five-count federal indictment that carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. He’s been in custody at a Brooklyn detention facility since his arrest in September. Per court approval, he appeared Monday in civilian clothes, his signature black hair now streaked with gray due to the jail’s ban on dye.
Prosecutors allege Combs orchestrated a system of abuse involving drug-laced sex parties, often referred to as “freak-offs,” “wild king nights,” or “hotel nights”—which were staged and facilitated by his employees. Women were allegedly coerced into sex acts with male escorts while Combs watched, recorded, and, at times, joined in.
“These were not isolated incidents,” Johnson said, adding that Cassie wasn’t the only victim. The prosecution described a pattern of physical violence and psychological control, including threats to sabotage careers and public reputations.
One woman, referred to only as Jane, was allegedly beaten severely by Combs after confronting him about the years of abuse she endured. Prosecutors say Combs used fear and manipulation to keep women compliant while rewarding others with trips and public displays of affection.
Johnson accused Combs of financing the sex parties through his businesses and staffing the events to meet his specifications. “Her livelihood depended on keeping him happy,” she said, referring to Cassie.
Though Cassie settled a civil suit against Combs in 2023 within hours of filing, it triggered a federal investigation and prompted a series of similar lawsuits from other alleged victims.
Geragos maintained that the allegations are driven by financial incentives. “Cassie demanded $30 million,” she said, adding that another accuser had previously sought $22 million over a breach of contract. She admitted Combs had a “bad temper” and made “wrong choices,” but firmly rejected the framing of those actions as sex trafficking.
“Domestic violence is not sex trafficking,” Geragos concluded, urging the jury to focus on facts, not the scandal surrounding Combs’ extravagant lifestyle.
The trial is expected to continue through the summer.
