Falun Gong Booth in New York Attacked After Receiving Terror and Bomb Threats
'The CCP's acts of terror threaten the lives and property of the American people, threaten the security and stability of American communities, and undermine America's foundation of religious freedom. We call on the United States to take this seriously and designate the CCP as a terrorist organization and a terrorist party,' the Global Service Center for Quitting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) stated in response to the attack and recent threats.
The New York-based center is an nonprofit organization formed in the wake of the global 'Quit the CCP' ('
The series of threats began ahead of an anniversary of a key date related to the Chinese communist regime's religious persecution of Falun Gong, and a day after thousands of Falun Gong practitioners held a parade and rally in Flushing, calling for an end to the CCP's persecution and standing in support of more than 440 million Chinese people who have quit the CCP.
Threats Surrounding the April 25 Anniversary
On April 20, the service center received a message threatening a mass shooting of anyone wearing clothes with 'Falun Gong' on April 25 in Flushing.
The date marks Falun Gong practitioners' peaceful appeal for their
The Chinese communist regime launched a violent persecution of Falun Gong practitioners on July 20, 1999, under which practitioners have been victims of human trafficking and live
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5/7/2025
4/22/2025
Since then, Falun Gong practitioners
From April 20 to April 28, the center received six messages threatening bomb attacks, shootings, car accidents, rapes, abduction of children, and other acts of terror, largely targeting Falun Gong practitioners and supporters.
On April 20, multiple Queens Public Library branches
An official with the New York City Police Department's 109th Precinct confirmed that the emails the center and libraries received are similar, and that the IP addresses of the emails are in China.
Cybersecurity experts who recently
Eyewitness Account
In Flushing, Falun Gong practitioners and volunteers with the Global Service Center for Quitting often have a booth set up near the Main Street subway station, with materials about how to quit the CCP, as well as information about Falun Gong.
Chen Yikui, a Falun Gong practitioner, was nearby and passing out pamphlets the morning of April 29 when Chen saw a Chinese man dressed in green walk over and begin kicking the booth, almost knocking it over.
'
I felt that with his strength and speed, if I hadn't gone over to stop him, he would have kicked it apart,' Chen told The Epoch Times.
Chen said the man also yelled at a practitioner to hit him, as if trying to incite a fight. A video taken of the incident and viewed by The Epoch Times mirrors Chen's account.
Chen said that the man had also taken a call during that time and that he wondered whether he was being directed to attack the booth. When Chen asked the man why he was kicking the booth, the man, who identified himself as Fan Yang, said he didn't like them, and that no one had sent him.
Chen said that Fan accused the practitioners of illegally setting up the booth, and Chen replied that they are exercising their First Amendment rights, and the police who routinely patrol by the booth greet them normally.
Some of the Falun Gong practitioners who distribute pamphlets in Flushing have experienced firsthand the CCP's persecution in China, such as detention and torture, and find the harassment and recent threats characteristic of the regime. Chen said that if the threats had really been carried out, the CCP would seal its fate as a 'terrorist organization.'
The service center has reported the incident to the local police and the FBI.
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Washington Post
25 minutes ago
- Washington Post
For Sean 'Diddy' Combs, could a lesser conviction mean a greater public rehabilitation?
For nearly two years, a nearly nonstop parade of allegations and revelations has ravaged and unraveled Sean 'Diddy' Combs' carefully cultivated reputation as an affable celebrity entrepreneur, A-list party host, Grammy-winning artist and music executive, brand ambassador and reality TV star. It culminated in a verdict Wednesday that saw Combs acquitted of the most serious sex trafficking charges, though guilty of two lesser ones. The stratospheric heights of his previous life may be impossible to regain, but the question remains whether a partial conviction could mean a partial public rehabilitation, or if too much damage has been done. 'Combs managed to avoid becoming the next R. Kelly,' said Evan Nierman, CEO and president of crisis public relations firm Red Banyan, referring to the R&B superstar convicted of similar sex trafficking charges as those that Combs beat. Combs, 55, has yet to be sentenced and faces the likelihood of prison time, but he no longer faces the prospect of spending most of the rest of his life behind bars. While the law allows for a prison sentence of up to 10 years, the lawyers in the case said in court filings that guidelines suggest a term that could be as short as 21 months or last more than five years. 'This is a very positive outcome overall for him. And it does give him an opportunity to try to rebuild his life,' Nierman said. 'It won't be the same, but at least he's likely going to be out there in the world and able to move forward.' The case had a broad reach across media that made Combs a punchline as much as a villain. Talk shows, 'Saturday Night Live' and social media posters milked it for jokes about 'freak-offs' and the voluminous amounts of baby oil he had for the sex marathons. 'There are definitely terms which have now become part of the popular lexicon that never existed pre-Diddy trial, including things like 'freak-off,'' Nierman said. 'The images that were painted in the trial and some of the evidence that was introduced is going to stick with him for a long time.' Danny Deraney, who has worked in crisis communications for celebrities as CEO of Deraney Public Relations, agreed. 'The jokes will haunt him forever,' Deraney said. Managing public narratives — something Combs has previously excelled at — will be essential. He could cast himself as a tough survivor who took on the feds and came out ahead, or as a contrite Christian seeking redemption, or both. 'It's a powerful thing for the hip-hop mogul to go public and brag that he beat the rap and that the feds tried to come after him and they failed,' Nierman said. 'I could definitely see him leaning into that.' Nierman said the fight 'now will become part of the Sean Combs mythology.' Combs fell to his knees and prayed in the courtroom after he was acquitted Wednesday of sex trafficking and racketeering charges. The moment by all accounts was spontaneous but could also be read as the start of a revival narrative. 'No matter what you're accused of, it's what you do to redeem yourself on the way back,' Deraney said. 'Is he redeemable? Those are still heavy charges he was guilty of. It's tough to say; people have had these charges hanging over their heads and were able to move on.' Combs has been behind bars since his September arrest and will remain jailed while he awaits sentencing. His long reputational fall began when his former longtime girlfriend and R&B singer Cassie , the criminal trial's key witness, sued him in November 2023, alleging years of sexual and physical abuse. He settled the next day for $20 million, but the lawsuit set off a storm of similar allegations from other women and men. Most of the lawsuits are still pending. The Associated Press does not typically name people who say they have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly, as Cassie, born Casandra Ventura, has. The revelation last year of a major federal sex trafficking investigation on the day of a bicoastal raid of Combs' houses took the allegations to another level of seriousness and public knowledge. The later revelation that feds had seized 1,000 bottles of baby oil and other lubricant entered the popular culture immediately. Fellow celebrities were called out for past Diddy associations — though no others were implicated in the criminal allegations. The May 2024 leak of a video of Combs beating Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway eight years earlier was arguably just as damaging, if not more, than the initial wave of allegations. It brought a rare public apology, in an earnestly presented Instagram video two days later. Nierman called the video, shown at trial, 'something people aren't just going to forget.' Shortly after Combs' apology, New York City Mayor Eric Adams requested he return a key to the city he'd gotten at a ceremony in 2023 . Howard University rescinded an honorary degree it had awarded him and ended a scholarship program in his name. He sold off his stake in Revolt , the media company he'd founded more than a decade earlier. Combs is not about to get the key, or the degree, back. But he could pick up the pieces of his reputation to salvage something from it. Deraney said it may require 'some kind of come-to-Jesus moment where he owns up to it.' 'Really what it's going to come down to is if he goes to prison, will it change him?' Deraney said. 'Has he changed at all during this whole processes? I don't know.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Sean 'Diddy' Combs verdict live updates: Hip-hop mogul denied bail after being found guilty on 2 of 5 counts, acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges
Sean "Diddy" Combs will remain in jail while he awaits sentencing for his conviction on two counts of prostitution-related offenses, a judge decided Wednesday evening. Hours earlier, jurors in Combs's federal criminal trial found the hip-hop mogul guilty on two of the five counts filed against him, acquitting him of the other three. The 12-member panel acquitted Combs of racketeering and sex trafficking, the most serious charges, but found him guilty of prostitution-related offenses. The 55-year-old, who could have been sentenced to life in prison had he been convicted of racketeering or sex trafficking, now faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. At a bail hearing scheduled for 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Judge Arun Subramanian rejected a request from Combs's attorneys that he be released on a $1 million bond while he awaits sentencing, citing, in part, the defense's own testimony in the trial. "At trial, the defense conceded the defendant's violence in his personal relationships," he said, adding that the defense had failed to prove that Combs poses "no danger to any person." The jury spent more than 12 hours across three days deliberating the case. On Tuesday afternoon, the panel said that it had come to an agreement on counts two, three, four and five — sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution — but was unable to reach a verdict on count one: racketeering conspiracy. An hour into its deliberations Wednesday, the jury sent a note telling the judge that it had reached a verdict on all five counts. Follow the live blog below for the latest updates culled from various reporters and news organizations in the courtroom, including ABC News, the Associated Press, CNN, NBC News, the New York Times and USA Today. Live coverage has ended for today. Judge Arun Subramanian concluded Wednesday's bail hearing after denying the defense's request that Combs be released on bond. The next step in the trial will be a remote hearing next Tuesday to discuss when sentencing should begin. Judge Arun Subramanian suggested that sentencing could begin in four months, but indicated that he would be open to moving up that date at the defense's request. Combs will remain in custody in the interim. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison after being convicted of two prostitution-related charges, though the actual sentence could be much shorter. The final decision will be up to the judge. Judge Arun Subramanian told the courtroom that he opted to deny Combs's request for release in part because his attorneys had admitted that he had a history of violent behavior over the course of the trial. "At trial, the defense conceded the defendant's violence in his personal relationships," he said, adding that the defense had failed to prove that Combs poses "no danger to any person." Subramanian added that Combs's duties as a father and son did not rise to the level that's necessary to allow an exception to the text of the law, which mandates detention in most cases. Judge Arun Subramanian has rejected the defense's request that Combs be released on a $1 million bond while he awaits sentencing, arguing that the detention is "mandatory" under the law for the crimes he was convicted of, per the New York Times. Judge Arun Subramanian will decide whether Combs can be released or if he will be forced to remain in custody as he awaits sentencing after being found guilty of two prostitution-related offenses. His lawyers have proposed that he be freed on a $1 million bond and agreed to have him face certain conditions upon his release, including surrendering his passport, submitting to drug testing and complying with strict restrictions on where he can travel within the U.S. "He needs and wants to be with — and remain with — his family," they wrote in a letter to the judge. The prosecution has urged the judge to deny Combs bail, arguing that he "continues to be a danger to others and is either unable or unwilling to follow the law." Doug Wigdor, Cassie Ventura's lawyer, submitted a separate letter to the judge stating that his client believes Combs "likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case, including herself, as well as to the community." In the lead-up to Combs's bail hearing to decide whether he will be released ahead of sentencing, his legal team has sent a second letter encouraging the judge to allow him to be released. In the letter, they accuse the prosecution of unfairly portraying Combs as "a monster who perpetrated a 20-year federal crime spree through a racketeering enterprise," adding that this depiction was "resoundingly rejected by the jury." The letter also discussed the notoriously dangerous conditions at the Brooklyn jail where Combs has been housed. "It would be unjust to continue detaining Mr. Combs at the [Metropolitan Detention Center] even one day longer, especially since — given the sentencing guidelines for these prostitution offenses — he would otherwise be entitled to serve any additional time imposed at a lower-security facility," they wrote. In the wake of the jury's decision, legal experts have been offering their views on why the prosecution was only able to secure guilty verdicts on two prostitution-related charges and not the more serious sex trafficking and racketeering charges. Ephraim Savitt, a former federal prosecutor in New York, told Business Insider that the prosecution overstepped by attempting to portray Combs as a "mob boss" — an accusation he says was unconvincing. "They were overreaching, and in my view, it was a mistake," Savitt said. "The jury just rejected the entire notion wholesale." Former Assistant District Attorney Julie Grant suggested on CNN that jurors may have relied on their own conceptions of what something like sex trafficking should look like rather than how those crimes are defined in the law. "[They] may not see the enterprise — they may not see the sex trafficking for what it literally is by law," she said. Criminal defense attorney Dina Doll told the Associated Press that the "dream team" of lawyers Combs was able to afford likely played a major role in the outcome of the case. "A typical criminal defendant cannot do that," she said. "I think that's where his fame and celebrity helped him." In a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian, federal prosecutors asked the judge to deny the defense's request for Combs to be released on bail, arguing that he should remain incarcerated while he awaits sentencing. The letter recounted much of what the government presented during the trial. "Over the course of seven weeks, the jury heard evidence of the defendant's violence, interstate transportation of numerous individuals for prostitution, drug use and distribution, and attempts to escape law enforcement detection," their letter read. "This conduct spanned two decades. At trial, the defendant did not walk away from these facts — indeed, the defendant embraced the fact that he was a habitual drug user who regularly engaged in domestic abuse." It also argued that Combs remains a danger to the community because he "brutally assaulted" a woman who testified at his trial under the pseudonym "Jane" three months before his September 2024 arrest — while he was aware he was under federal investigation. Prosecutors also pointed out that when Combs was ultimately taken into custody at a New York hotel, he was in possession of materials for a "freak off." "The defendant's conduct after he understood that he was under federal investigation underscores that he continues to be a danger to others and is either unable or unwilling to follow the law," prosecutors wrote. Doug Wigdor, Cassie Ventura's lawyer, submitted a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian requesting that Combs not be released from custody as he awaits sentencing. 'Ms. Ventura believes that Mr. Combs is likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case, including herself, as well as to the community,' Wigdor wrote in the letter, per CNN. In a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian, Combs's defense team outlined its proposed conditions for his release: a. A $1,000,000 bond;b. Co-signed by Sean Combs, his mother, his sister, and the mother of his oldest daughter;c. Mr. Combs's travel will be restricted to the Southern District of Florida, Central District of California and the Southern District of New York (to attend Court and meet with his counsel) as well as the Eastern District of New York or the District of New Jersey (only to the extent that his travel to and from New York involves an airport in those Districts);d. Mr. Combs's passport surrendered to Pretrial Services;e. Drug testing as ordered by Pretrial Services.f. All other standard conditions of pretrial supervision. His lawyers argued that Combs poses no flight risk and that he has already missed several important family events due to his incarceration. "As just a few examples of what Mr. Combs has missed, since he has been incarcerated, he has missed the biggest moments in his daughters' life," the letter read. "He missed his twins' high school graduation — they did not have any parent there with them, because their mother, Kim Porter, tragically passed away in 2018. He missed his twins' prom. He has a minor daughter (2.5 years old) who has been without him for 9 months. He needs and wants to be with — and remain with — his family." A note from Deonte Nash, a celebrity stylist and friend of Cassie Ventura, was included in the prosecutors' letter stating why they are against Combs being released while he awaits sentencing. 'While I appreciate the fairness you have shown throughout this proceeding, I feel compelled to be unequivocal about the danger he poses to the public and to the individuals who have risked everything by coming forward,' Nash wrote, per the Associated Press. Nash continued, 'Mr. Combs has a long, well-documented history of violent, coercive, and retaliatory behavior. Over the years, he has repeatedly escaped meaningful accountability, and each time this has only reinforced his sense of impunity. If he is released now, I have no doubt he will see it as yet another license to continue intimidating, threatening, and harming people who challenge or expose him.' During the trial, Nash testified that Ventura was attacked by Combs. A hearing to determine whether Combs will be released on bail has been set for 5 p.m. ET. Combs has been held without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., since his arrest last September. Judge Arun Subramanian had requested that both sides submit letters containing their arguments for and against his release in writing ahead of the hearing. Sean Combs's mother, Janice Combs, who has been a constant presence throughout the trial, expressed satisfaction with the verdict in her son's case. "Yes, I was happy," she said when asked in the courthouse cafeteria if she approved of the jury's decision, according to NBC News. "Wouldn't you be happy?' Earlier, she was seen smiling and giving a thumbs-up as she exited the courthouse following the announcement of the verdict. The lawyer for singer Dawn Richard, who testified during the trial, was unhappy with the verdict. 'Today's split verdict is a disappointment, but the criminal charges are different than the civil claims we filed and have been fighting against Sean Combs,' Richard's attorney, Lisa Bloom, wrote in a statement obtained by the Associated Press. 'We will continue to aggressively fight our case until we obtain full and complete justice for Dawn.' Richard previously told jurors that Combs threatened to kill her if she told anyone that she saw him physically assault Cassie Ventura, his longtime girlfriend. According to her testimony, Combs threatened Richard and another woman who saw the attack, saying "we could go missing" if they ever told anyone about it. Rosie O'Donnell said she was angry about the Combs trial verdict, in which the jury found him not guilty of sex trafficking. "i guess a jury just never wants to believe that a woman stays because of power and coercion — wow —they just think women stay because what? money — fame — 'they love the abuse' — what a f***ing joke — this decision got me angry #cassie," O'Donnell wrote in an Instagram post on Wednesday morning. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rosie O'Donnell (@rosie) The "power of coercion" O'Donnell is referring to are counts two and four: sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion regarding Victim 1 (Cassie Ventura) and Victim 2 ("Jane"). Combs was found not guilty on both counts. No photographs or video recordings were allowed during the federal trial. So the only images from inside the courtroom as the verdict was announced were portraits by sketch artists, including Jane Rosenberg, who captured Combs looking back, pumping his fist and dropping to his knees underneath the defense table. Sean 'Diddy' Combs's longtime hip-hop rival 50 Cent, who mocked Combs on social media throughout the trial, posted a message on Instagram shortly after the jury found Combs guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted him on the more serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. 'Diddy beat the Feds that boy a bad man!' 50 Cent wrote on Instagram with clapping hands emojis. 'Beat the [RICO], he like the Gay John Gotti,' he added in a reference to the infamous mob boss who was similarly acquitted on racketeering charges. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 50 Cent (@50cent) Early in the trial, amid speculation that President Trump might pardon Combs, 50 Cent posted clips from past interviews of Combs criticizing Trump. "Trump don't like s*** like this, buddy," 50 Cent wrote in an Instagram post sharing one of the clips. "You run your mouth too much." The jury for Combs's trial was made up of 12 New Yorkers, eight men and four women, along with six alternates. One alternate was swapped in for a juror on June 16 after Judge Arun Subramanian expressed concern that the juror had been inconsistent about where he lived. Each juror has a college degree, and the group works in a variety of fields, with a few being retired. The group's ages ranged between 30 and 74 years old. Some have kids or live with family, and others live alone. Before the trial began in May, at least seven of the jurors said they had heard about the case before arriving at jury selection, but said they would remain unbiased during the trial, ABC News reported. Sean 'Diddy' Combs was found guilty of transporting his former girlfriends for prostitution but acquitted of the most serious charges: sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. Had he been convicted on either of those counts, Combs could have been facing a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Instead, he is facing 20 years in prison, as the two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution carry maximum sentences of 10 years apiece. Prosecutor Maurene Comey said that the government will seek the maximum possible sentence of 20 years, but the hip-hop mogul's defense team will argue he's a first-time offender who has already spent close to a year in jail. The final sentence will be up to a judge. Jay Clayton, acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, which prosecuted the case, released a statement in response to the verdict: Sex crimes deeply scar victims, and the disturbing reality is that sex crimes are all too present in many aspects of our society. Victims endure gut-wrenching physical and mental abuse, leading to lasting trauma. New Yorkers and all Americans want this scourge stopped and perpetrators brought to sex crimes requires brave victims to come forward and tell their harrowing stories. We and our law enforcement partners recognize the hardships victims endure and have prioritized a victim-centered approach to investigating and prosecuting these we recognize the important work of the SDNY's Civil Rights Unit as well as the tireless efforts of the women and men at [Homeland Security Investigations] who are devoted to combatting human trafficking. We thank the Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York, Digital Forensic Unit and the Complex Analytics and Social Media Enhancement (CASE) Team at the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. We would also like to thank our partners at the NYPD for their assistance in this matter and for sharing our victim-centered approach to combatting sex crimes. Judge Arun Subramanian concluded Wednesday's bail hearing after denying the defense's request that Combs be released on bond. The next step in the trial will be a remote hearing next Tuesday to discuss when sentencing should begin. Judge Arun Subramanian suggested that sentencing could begin in four months, but indicated that he would be open to moving up that date at the defense's request. Combs will remain in custody in the interim. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison after being convicted of two prostitution-related charges, though the actual sentence could be much shorter. The final decision will be up to the judge. Judge Arun Subramanian told the courtroom that he opted to deny Combs's request for release in part because his attorneys had admitted that he had a history of violent behavior over the course of the trial. "At trial, the defense conceded the defendant's violence in his personal relationships," he said, adding that the defense had failed to prove that Combs poses "no danger to any person." Subramanian added that Combs's duties as a father and son did not rise to the level that's necessary to allow an exception to the text of the law, which mandates detention in most cases. Judge Arun Subramanian has rejected the defense's request that Combs be released on a $1 million bond while he awaits sentencing, arguing that the detention is "mandatory" under the law for the crimes he was convicted of, per the New York Times. Judge Arun Subramanian will decide whether Combs can be released or if he will be forced to remain in custody as he awaits sentencing after being found guilty of two prostitution-related offenses. His lawyers have proposed that he be freed on a $1 million bond and agreed to have him face certain conditions upon his release, including surrendering his passport, submitting to drug testing and complying with strict restrictions on where he can travel within the U.S. "He needs and wants to be with — and remain with — his family," they wrote in a letter to the judge. The prosecution has urged the judge to deny Combs bail, arguing that he "continues to be a danger to others and is either unable or unwilling to follow the law." Doug Wigdor, Cassie Ventura's lawyer, submitted a separate letter to the judge stating that his client believes Combs "likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case, including herself, as well as to the community." In the lead-up to Combs's bail hearing to decide whether he will be released ahead of sentencing, his legal team has sent a second letter encouraging the judge to allow him to be released. In the letter, they accuse the prosecution of unfairly portraying Combs as "a monster who perpetrated a 20-year federal crime spree through a racketeering enterprise," adding that this depiction was "resoundingly rejected by the jury." The letter also discussed the notoriously dangerous conditions at the Brooklyn jail where Combs has been housed. "It would be unjust to continue detaining Mr. Combs at the [Metropolitan Detention Center] even one day longer, especially since — given the sentencing guidelines for these prostitution offenses — he would otherwise be entitled to serve any additional time imposed at a lower-security facility," they wrote. In the wake of the jury's decision, legal experts have been offering their views on why the prosecution was only able to secure guilty verdicts on two prostitution-related charges and not the more serious sex trafficking and racketeering charges. Ephraim Savitt, a former federal prosecutor in New York, told Business Insider that the prosecution overstepped by attempting to portray Combs as a "mob boss" — an accusation he says was unconvincing. "They were overreaching, and in my view, it was a mistake," Savitt said. "The jury just rejected the entire notion wholesale." Former Assistant District Attorney Julie Grant suggested on CNN that jurors may have relied on their own conceptions of what something like sex trafficking should look like rather than how those crimes are defined in the law. "[They] may not see the enterprise — they may not see the sex trafficking for what it literally is by law," she said. Criminal defense attorney Dina Doll told the Associated Press that the "dream team" of lawyers Combs was able to afford likely played a major role in the outcome of the case. "A typical criminal defendant cannot do that," she said. "I think that's where his fame and celebrity helped him." In a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian, federal prosecutors asked the judge to deny the defense's request for Combs to be released on bail, arguing that he should remain incarcerated while he awaits sentencing. The letter recounted much of what the government presented during the trial. "Over the course of seven weeks, the jury heard evidence of the defendant's violence, interstate transportation of numerous individuals for prostitution, drug use and distribution, and attempts to escape law enforcement detection," their letter read. "This conduct spanned two decades. At trial, the defendant did not walk away from these facts — indeed, the defendant embraced the fact that he was a habitual drug user who regularly engaged in domestic abuse." It also argued that Combs remains a danger to the community because he "brutally assaulted" a woman who testified at his trial under the pseudonym "Jane" three months before his September 2024 arrest — while he was aware he was under federal investigation. Prosecutors also pointed out that when Combs was ultimately taken into custody at a New York hotel, he was in possession of materials for a "freak off." "The defendant's conduct after he understood that he was under federal investigation underscores that he continues to be a danger to others and is either unable or unwilling to follow the law," prosecutors wrote. Doug Wigdor, Cassie Ventura's lawyer, submitted a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian requesting that Combs not be released from custody as he awaits sentencing. 'Ms. Ventura believes that Mr. Combs is likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case, including herself, as well as to the community,' Wigdor wrote in the letter, per CNN. In a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian, Combs's defense team outlined its proposed conditions for his release: a. A $1,000,000 bond;b. Co-signed by Sean Combs, his mother, his sister, and the mother of his oldest daughter;c. Mr. Combs's travel will be restricted to the Southern District of Florida, Central District of California and the Southern District of New York (to attend Court and meet with his counsel) as well as the Eastern District of New York or the District of New Jersey (only to the extent that his travel to and from New York involves an airport in those Districts);d. Mr. Combs's passport surrendered to Pretrial Services;e. Drug testing as ordered by Pretrial Services.f. All other standard conditions of pretrial supervision. His lawyers argued that Combs poses no flight risk and that he has already missed several important family events due to his incarceration. "As just a few examples of what Mr. Combs has missed, since he has been incarcerated, he has missed the biggest moments in his daughters' life," the letter read. "He missed his twins' high school graduation — they did not have any parent there with them, because their mother, Kim Porter, tragically passed away in 2018. He missed his twins' prom. He has a minor daughter (2.5 years old) who has been without him for 9 months. He needs and wants to be with — and remain with — his family." A note from Deonte Nash, a celebrity stylist and friend of Cassie Ventura, was included in the prosecutors' letter stating why they are against Combs being released while he awaits sentencing. 'While I appreciate the fairness you have shown throughout this proceeding, I feel compelled to be unequivocal about the danger he poses to the public and to the individuals who have risked everything by coming forward,' Nash wrote, per the Associated Press. Nash continued, 'Mr. Combs has a long, well-documented history of violent, coercive, and retaliatory behavior. Over the years, he has repeatedly escaped meaningful accountability, and each time this has only reinforced his sense of impunity. If he is released now, I have no doubt he will see it as yet another license to continue intimidating, threatening, and harming people who challenge or expose him.' During the trial, Nash testified that Ventura was attacked by Combs. A hearing to determine whether Combs will be released on bail has been set for 5 p.m. ET. Combs has been held without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., since his arrest last September. Judge Arun Subramanian had requested that both sides submit letters containing their arguments for and against his release in writing ahead of the hearing. Sean Combs's mother, Janice Combs, who has been a constant presence throughout the trial, expressed satisfaction with the verdict in her son's case. "Yes, I was happy," she said when asked in the courthouse cafeteria if she approved of the jury's decision, according to NBC News. "Wouldn't you be happy?' Earlier, she was seen smiling and giving a thumbs-up as she exited the courthouse following the announcement of the verdict. The lawyer for singer Dawn Richard, who testified during the trial, was unhappy with the verdict. 'Today's split verdict is a disappointment, but the criminal charges are different than the civil claims we filed and have been fighting against Sean Combs,' Richard's attorney, Lisa Bloom, wrote in a statement obtained by the Associated Press. 'We will continue to aggressively fight our case until we obtain full and complete justice for Dawn.' Richard previously told jurors that Combs threatened to kill her if she told anyone that she saw him physically assault Cassie Ventura, his longtime girlfriend. According to her testimony, Combs threatened Richard and another woman who saw the attack, saying "we could go missing" if they ever told anyone about it. Rosie O'Donnell said she was angry about the Combs trial verdict, in which the jury found him not guilty of sex trafficking. "i guess a jury just never wants to believe that a woman stays because of power and coercion — wow —they just think women stay because what? money — fame — 'they love the abuse' — what a f***ing joke — this decision got me angry #cassie," O'Donnell wrote in an Instagram post on Wednesday morning. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rosie O'Donnell (@rosie) The "power of coercion" O'Donnell is referring to are counts two and four: sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion regarding Victim 1 (Cassie Ventura) and Victim 2 ("Jane"). Combs was found not guilty on both counts. No photographs or video recordings were allowed during the federal trial. So the only images from inside the courtroom as the verdict was announced were portraits by sketch artists, including Jane Rosenberg, who captured Combs looking back, pumping his fist and dropping to his knees underneath the defense table. Sean 'Diddy' Combs's longtime hip-hop rival 50 Cent, who mocked Combs on social media throughout the trial, posted a message on Instagram shortly after the jury found Combs guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted him on the more serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. 'Diddy beat the Feds that boy a bad man!' 50 Cent wrote on Instagram with clapping hands emojis. 'Beat the [RICO], he like the Gay John Gotti,' he added in a reference to the infamous mob boss who was similarly acquitted on racketeering charges. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 50 Cent (@50cent) Early in the trial, amid speculation that President Trump might pardon Combs, 50 Cent posted clips from past interviews of Combs criticizing Trump. "Trump don't like s*** like this, buddy," 50 Cent wrote in an Instagram post sharing one of the clips. "You run your mouth too much." The jury for Combs's trial was made up of 12 New Yorkers, eight men and four women, along with six alternates. One alternate was swapped in for a juror on June 16 after Judge Arun Subramanian expressed concern that the juror had been inconsistent about where he lived. Each juror has a college degree, and the group works in a variety of fields, with a few being retired. The group's ages ranged between 30 and 74 years old. Some have kids or live with family, and others live alone. Before the trial began in May, at least seven of the jurors said they had heard about the case before arriving at jury selection, but said they would remain unbiased during the trial, ABC News reported. Sean 'Diddy' Combs was found guilty of transporting his former girlfriends for prostitution but acquitted of the most serious charges: sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. Had he been convicted on either of those counts, Combs could have been facing a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Instead, he is facing 20 years in prison, as the two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution carry maximum sentences of 10 years apiece. Prosecutor Maurene Comey said that the government will seek the maximum possible sentence of 20 years, but the hip-hop mogul's defense team will argue he's a first-time offender who has already spent close to a year in jail. The final sentence will be up to a judge. Jay Clayton, acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, which prosecuted the case, released a statement in response to the verdict: Sex crimes deeply scar victims, and the disturbing reality is that sex crimes are all too present in many aspects of our society. Victims endure gut-wrenching physical and mental abuse, leading to lasting trauma. New Yorkers and all Americans want this scourge stopped and perpetrators brought to sex crimes requires brave victims to come forward and tell their harrowing stories. We and our law enforcement partners recognize the hardships victims endure and have prioritized a victim-centered approach to investigating and prosecuting these we recognize the important work of the SDNY's Civil Rights Unit as well as the tireless efforts of the women and men at [Homeland Security Investigations] who are devoted to combatting human trafficking. We thank the Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York, Digital Forensic Unit and the Complex Analytics and Social Media Enhancement (CASE) Team at the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. We would also like to thank our partners at the NYPD for their assistance in this matter and for sharing our victim-centered approach to combatting sex crimes.
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Why hosting a July Fourth pool party may cost less this year
NEW YORK (AP) — Americans have one more reason to celebrate this Fourth of July: getting all the gear needed to host a pool party costs less than it has in years, according to a market research company's preliminary data. The total price to buy beach towels, a beverage cooler, bathing suits and other accountrements of summer fun averaged $858 in June, the lowest amount for the month since 2020, consumer data provider Numerator said in an analysis prepared for The Associated Press. The finding from the firm's seasonal snapshot comports with broader economic measures indicating that U.S. consumers so far have not seen major impacts from President Donald Trump's vigorous application of tariffs on foreign goods. Numerator tracks U.S. retail prices through sales receipts, online account activity and other information from a panel of 200,000 shoppers. To see how prices are shaping up for the summer, the company looked at the average purchase price for 16 seasonal items typically made in China. Along with four towels, a cooler and bathing suits for two adults and a toddler, the hypothetical shopping list for a poolside gathering included a grill, four patio chairs, four cushions, a patio umbrella and four outdoor pillows. Recreation supplies included a cornhole set, two pairs of swim goggles, a set of diving rings, two beach balls and two pool floats or noodles. Leo Feler, Numerator's chief economist, offered a few theories for why buying all that stuff cost 11% less last month than it did in June 2023, when the average cost reached a high of $966, and 8.4% less than it did in June 2024. Wholesale suppliers and retailers that order from Chinese manufacturers may have imported too much stock while trying to stay ahead of high tariff bills, Feler said. As declining consumer confidence measures pointed to the possibility of weak sales, those businesses might have offered early discounts rather than risking their merchandise going unsold, he said. Given wide swings in Trump's trade posture toward China, retail vendors may have decided to absorb any initial tariff costs instead of trying to figure out how much more to charge their business customers, Feler said. The tariff rate on Chinese products soared to 145% in April before China and the U.S. reached a deal last month that brought the overall rate down to 55%. Suppliers often work on six-month contracts that are signed in January or February and again in June or July. That means many contracts for patio tables and chairs, for example, were signed before the White House included metal furniture in the aluminum or steel products that would be subject to a 25% tariff that went up to 50% last month. Customers who want to buy a new set of beach towels or to replace an old cooler still might want to hold off until August since prices will get lower in late summer, Feler said. But waiting until next year may prove costly, if the tariffs on products from China remain in place, he said. Just because preparing for a backyard bash might be comparatively less expensive right now, many economists and retail industry analysts still expect consumers to feel the weight of Trump's favorite trade negotiation tool. Shoppers are likely to see higher prices for back-to-school items starting in July and August, according to Feler. 'It wasn't like there was a sudden surge," Feler said. "It was a few prices increased here, then a few more prices, and a few other prices, and a couple more prices. And it started gaining speed.'
