Imprisoned Reality Star Was Part of Diddy's Alleged Freak-Offs
Ash Armand, whose real name is Akshaya Kubiak, was a former cast member on the Showtime series Gigolos which followed the lives of five male escorts in Las Vegas. It ran between 2011 and 2016.
During the first week of testimony at Combs' trial, the jury were shown photos of male escorts allegedly hired to perform in the disgraced music mogul's freak-offs—events prosecutors have described as 'elaborate and produced sex performances' participants were coerced into joining by Combs. The producer's attorneys have maintained that the freak-offs were consensual.
Armand was reportedly one of the escorts shown to the jury last week, People magazine confirmed Tuesday.
The former reality star was arrested in 2020 for beating Herleen Dulai to death. He pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and mayhem in 2021 and is currently serving an 8-to-20 year prison sentence in Nevada. He claimed that he took psychedelic mushrooms and 'temporarily lost my mind' when the incident occurred.
'I have never hit a woman in my life, and I certainly never wanted to hurt Herleen,' he said during his sentencing hearing, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
In a January 2024 interview with Rolling Stone from prison, almost a year and a half prior to the commencement of Combs' trial, Armand claimed that he met Combs and his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura at a party. Ventura has alleged that she was often tasked with hiring escorts to join Combs' freak-offs and would primarily do so through web services.
'I've always been super respectful towards my clients,' Armand told the outlet, who wrote that he was 'uncomfortable discussing the topic further' and 'denied being hired for freak-offs.'
'It just all becomes tricky once the privacy is violated. Nobody will feel comfortable using the nature of the business,' he continued.
Combs is currently on trial for charges pertaining to sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty and has denied any wrongdoing.
In an April statement, his legal team said Combs' accusers were 'former long-term girlfriends, who were involved in consensual relationships. This was their private sex life, defined by consent, not coercion.'
Ventura testified for four days last week during which she accused Combs of abuse, blackmail, and rape.
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