Diddy trial closing arguments: 'Inner circle, money and influence' concealed crimes

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This page reflects the news from Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial on Thursday, June 26. For the latest updates from Diddy's trial, read USA TODAY's live coverage for Friday, June 27.
This story contains graphic descriptions that some readers may find disturbing.
U.S. attorneys seeking a conviction for Sean "Diddy" Combs have had their final say in his criminal trial before the jury reaches a verdict.
Prosecutors and attorneys for the embattled hip-hop mogul returned to Manhattan federal court on June 26 to begin closing arguments in the sweeping federal sex-crimes case. The prosecution kicked off closing arguments, with the day beginning around 10 a.m. and wrapping at about 4:15 p.m.
While concluding her closing arguments, which reminded jurors of disturbing testimony from Cassie Ventura Fine and others in Combs' network, prosecutor Christy Slavik thanked jurors for their time. She told the 12-person group the government has presented ample evidence to establish Combs led a criminal enterprise with "total control and used his loyal staff" to go about it.
"All of this evidence paints a clear picture of how the defendant committed crimes," Slavik told the courtroom. "Up until today, he was able to get away with it because of his money, his power (and) his influence."
"That stops now," she concluded. "It's time for justice. It's time to find the defendant guilty."
Prosecutors called forward more than 30 witnesses over the course of nearly seven weeks of testimony. Several individuals in Combs' personal and professional orbit — from ex-girlfriends Ventura Fine and the woman using the pseudonym "Jane" to Danity Kane alum Dawn Richard and rap peer Kid Cudi — took the stand.
As testimony came to an end June 24, U.S. attorneys painted a picture of Combs and his employees being personally involved with organizing his alleged "freak-off" sex parties, working with escorts, Combs' partners and others to produce the elaborate sexual performances.
Combs, 55, was arrested in September and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty.
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Combs' allegedly frequent use of escorts in his "freak offs" was cited by prosecutors as an additional racketeering act, namely interstate transportation for prostitution, for jurors' consideration.
Prosecutor Slavik told the jury that, unlike the sex trafficking charges, transportation for prostitution doesn't require proof of force, fraud or coercion. She went on to reference multiple male escorts who were allegedly hired by Combs to participate in "freak offs" in various locations across the globe.
One of these escorts, Slavik said, includes Paul Arthur, who previously worked as Combs' personal trainer and reportedly traveled to Los Angeles, Miami, and Turks and Caicos Islands at Combs' request. Slavik also discussed text messages between Combs and his then-chief-of-staff Kristina "KK" Khorrram, in which they allegedly planned Arthur's trip to Las Vegas for a "freak off."
Slavik also mentioned Jules Theodore, who was the male escort present at the Intercontinental Hotel freak off with Ventura Fine. The prosecutor also mentioned male stripper Daniel Phillip, who traveled to Miami for Combs; Cabral traveled to LA, Miami and New York.
Ventura Fine was the victim of sex trafficking multiple times, Slavik told jurors, detailing three specific instances.
The first was when Combs assaulted her at the Los Angeles' InterContinental Hotel in 2015. Pointing to a text message Ventura Fine had sent Combs at the time that read "We can have fun, I don't want you thinking I don't want to," Slavik said, "She knows that the defendant won't take no for an answer." The prosecutor also noted the "freak off" did not need to have been completed for Combs to be found of sex trafficking.
Combs paying Daniel Phillip to have sex with Ventura Fine between 2012 and 2014 was another example of sex trafficking, Slavik said, hitting back against the defense's characterization of the payments as compensation for sex workers' time.
Lastly, she referred back to Ventura Fine's testimony about the Cannes Film Festival incident where Combs kicked her off a boat. "In case it's not clear that the defendant had the power, he spent the plane ride back to the U.S. showing Cassie the 'freak off' videos," Slavik said. She noted the three examples were hardly the only times Combs allegedly trafficking Ventura Fine.
Combs' alleged "freak offs," which dominated much of witnesses' court testimony, were also discussed in U.S. attorneys' closing arguments.
Prosecutor Slavik told jurors that they are not expected to find that every "freak off" was sex trafficking. "This is not an all-or-nothing situation," she said.
Slavik cited Ventura Fine's alleged involvement in several of Combs' "freak offs" as an example of the coercion Combs employed in his sexual performances. She told jurors that Cassie "obviously didn't want to have sex with escorts for days on end," to have sex "with escorts when she had UTIs" or have sex workers urinate "in her mouth while she lay on the floor."
The prosecutor said Combs' filming of the "freak offs" and his alleged threats to release footage featuring Ventura Fine was part of this coercive dynamic.
Explaining that jurors would need to find Combs guilty of two racketeering acts in order to convict him on the RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization) charge, Slavik delved into claims that Combs engaged in sex trafficking as part of his alleged criminal enterprise.
The prosecutor discussed Cassie Ventura Fine having "trauma bonded" with Combs to explain why she'd gone back to Combs after he'd allegedly raped her and had consensual sex with him once.
Slavik alleged that Combs is "the head of a criminal enterprise" as she walked jurors through racketeering charges against the mogul. She pointed to allegations Combs physically and sexually abused Ventura Fine and Jane over and over again – and worked with his staff to force the women into "freak offs."
"The concept is simple," Slavik said, calling racketeering the act of committing a crime as part of a group. "They're more powerful and more dangerous."
"Remember, it's his kingdom. Everyone was there to serve him," she added, alleging Combs' staff "made it their mission" to promote his power and stature.
During their closing arguments, prosecutors argued Combs kidnapped Ventura Fine and his ex-assistant Capricorn Clark. They detailed three incidents:
2004: Clark alleged she was held against her will for five days after several pieces of jewelry went missing at the rapper's home. She said she was "petrified" and forced to take polygraph tests over and over again in a New York City building.
2009: Ventura Fine alleged that Combs allegedly forced her to go to the London Hotel in Los Angeles after he stomped on her during an argument.
2011: Finally, Clark said Combs and some of his aides showed up at her home with weapons and told her "Get dressed. We're going to kill Cudi." This was around the same time Kid Cudi was dating Ventura Fine, setting off a war with Combs.
During prosecutors' closing arguments, Combs had his chair pulled back about a foot behind his lawyers' seats. He appeared comfortable as his legs were crossed, looking in the direction of the prosecutors and jurors.
Later, Combs held his head down with his chin to his chest, writing notes in his lap and handing them to his lawyers.
Prosecutors also zeroed in on Kid Cudi's Porsche being hit with a Molotov cocktail and exploding in a January 2012 incident.
Slavik alleged Combs organized for employees to set his rap peer's car on fire. She displayed images of the damaged Porsche, saying it was clearly arson.
"Of course, the defendant was behind this," she said. "He literally said he was going to blow up Kid Cudi's car."
Slavik appeared to be referencing Ventura Fine's testimony. Combs' ex-girlfriend told the court that Combs made similar threats around the time Kid Cudi's car was set ablaze.
"It can't be a wild coincidence," the prosecutor told jurors.
Kid Cudi was arguably the most famous person to take the stand during Combs' trial, along with Ventura Fine.
Combs used "violence and fear" to lead a criminal enterprise that helped him subject two of his former girlfriends to sex trafficking, Slavik said in her closing argument.
"The defendant used power, violence and fear to get what he wanted," Slavik told jurors in her address. "He thought that his fame, wealth and power put him above the law."
"He used his inner circle, his money and his influence to cover up his crimes," she argued.
The witness identified as Jane, who dated Combs on-and-off from 2021 to 2024, alleged years of coerced sex with escorts.
She initially thought the couple would just have a one-night escapade with a sex worker – but it allegedly turned into frequent "hotel nights" where Combs pushed her to have sex with several men consecutively, lasting as long as three and a half days.
"I don't want to be used and locked in a room to fulfill your fantasies," Jane said in a message to Combs while they were dating, which was shown in court.
"I'm not a porn star. I'm not an animal," she sent in another text.
Jane also said she fainted when she learned of Ventura Fine suing Combs in November 2023 on allegations he trafficked, sexually assaulted and physically abused her.
Two alleged victims – Ventura Fine and Jane – testified that Combs physically, sexually and emotionally abused them. The jury repeatedly saw hotel surveillance footage of the rapper beating Ventura Fine.
The women both said they took part in "freak offs" with male sex workers while Combs watched, masturbated and sometimes filmed. Both women allege he also threatened to cut off financial support or leak sex tapes when they complained about their treatment.
Ventura and Jane also both said that they at times took part in the performances because they loved Combs and wanted to make him happy – and they were fearful of the repercussions if they refused to participate in the sex acts.
If convicted on all counts, the Bad Boy Records founder faces a minimum 15-year prison term and could be sentenced to life behind bars.
Prosecutors spent weeks calling dozens of witnesses in their arguments against Combs. The jury heard from his former girlfriends and business associates, federal agents, security officers and others.
But his lawyers wrapped up their case in less than 30 minutes without calling anyone to the stand. Why?
One factor to note: Defendants in criminal cases aren't required to present evidence, and judges instruct juries not to hold that against defendants. To win a guilty verdict, prosecutors have to prove their cases beyond a reasonable doubt.
Combs' lawyers haven't explained why they didn't call any witnesses. But they may think prosecutors haven't cleared that bar, or they don't want to risk calling a witness who could sway the jury against their client.
As the June 25 hearing over jury instructions came to a close, Judge Arun Subramanian granted a request from Combs' team to wait until Friday morning, June 27, to begin its closing argument.
Prosecutor Maurene Comey said the defense should have to start Thursday afternoon, June 26, after the prosecution's closing argument. She expressed concern that delaying it would waste the jury's time and that the defense was engaging in gamesmanship in order to sit with the prosecution's closing argument overnight and map out its response.
However, Subramanian said he thought the arrangement would be fine, given that the defense is no longer expressing a concern about pushing the case beyond the July 4 holiday.
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The rapper verbally confirmed on June 24 he did not want to take the stand – one of the only times Combs spoke out loud during his weekslong trial.
Combs exchanged a few remarks with the judge, saying he was doing "great" and that he thought the judge was managing the trial well. He said it was "solely my decision" not to to testify, and he "thoroughly" discussed it with his legal team.
During the June 25 conference, lawyers for Combs and the prosecution continued to make their cases to the judge on how he should instruct the jury about the charges the music mogul faces.
Prosecutor Madison Smyser said it's important for jurors to understand that sex trafficking may sometimes have occurred without a completed commercial sex act. She gave the example of when Combs was seen on hotel security camera footage throwing Ventura Fine to the ground near an elevator and then dragging her, reportedly during an alleged "freak off."
Surviving abuse: Cassie Ventura Fine and the unlikely bond with her mother-in-law
Combs' lawyer, Alexandra Shapiro, argued that Combs would be "severely prejudiced" by that instruction, even if it's consistent with existing law, because the prosecution has repeatedly tried its case against Combs as if a commercial sex act is required. The judge said he was leaning toward the prosecution on the issue but would consider the matter further.
No, none of the charges from Combs' federal indictment have been formally dropped. But in a June 24 letter to Judge Subramanian, prosecutors revealed they were withdrawing some of their criminal allegations ahead of closing arguments.
U.S. attorneys said they don't want jurors to consider their previous claims that Combs allegedly engaged in racketeering by attempting kidnapping in California and New York, attempting arson in California, and aiding and abetting sex trafficking. The move was made as part of an effort to "streamline" jury instructions that will be issued soon.
Despite the tossed allegations, Combs' indictment accused him not just of attempting arson and kidnapping, but also of committing these crimes outright as part of a criminal conspiracy.
The disgraced music mogul is in custody, and despite repeated attempts at bail, has remained confined to the Special Housing Unit in Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center. He has been in jail since his arrest on Sept. 16, 2024.
Combs is facing federal sex-crimes and trafficking charges in a sprawling case that has eroded his status as a power player and kingmaker in the entertainment industry.
He was arrested in September 2024 and later charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. The rapper has pleaded not guilty to the five counts against him.
Racketeering is the participation in an illegal scheme under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Statute, or RICO, as a way for the U.S. government to prosecute organizations that contribute to criminal activity.
Using RICO law, which is typically aimed at targeting multi-person criminal organizations, prosecutors allege that Combs coerced victims, some of whom they say were sex workers, through intimidation and narcotics to participate in "freak offs" — sometimes dayslong sex performances that federal prosecutors allege they have on video.
The trial will not be televised, as cameras are typically not allowed in federal criminal trial proceedings.
USA TODAY will be reporting live from the courtroom. Sign up for our newsletter for more updates.
Contributing: USA TODAY staff, Reuters
If you are a survivor of sexual assault, RAINN offers support through the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: P Diddy trial closing arguments: Prosecution says guilt is 'clear'