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Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sean Combs Alternate Juror Speaks Out
An alternate juror in Sean Combs' criminal sex trafficking and racketeering trial has spoken out following the mogul's acquittal on the more serious charges, saying the footage of Combs attacking Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura at the InterContinental Hotel did not weigh too heavily in the context of the charges. 'I mean, it was a very bad video,' the 37-year-old man, who works at the United Nations in the counter-terrorism office, told CNN anchor Laura Coates on Thursday. But Combs 'wasn't charged with domestic violence.' More from Rolling Stone Beating RICO Charges Doesn't Make Diddy a Hero How the Sean Combs Verdict May Have 'Chilling Effect' on Cases for Abuse Victims Charlize Theron on Why She Won't Reveal Name of Director She Alleges Sexually Harassed Her The man, who CNN only identified as George, said he would've likely reached the same conclusion as the eight men and four women who decided Combs' fate. 'I understood the final verdict,' he said. 'I took a copious amount of notes, overall, 350 pages worth of notes … and looking back at the evidence, I probably would have reached the same conclusion as the other jurors … I think there was always a little bit of doubt.' On Wednesday morning, Combs dropped to his knees in prayer after he was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and the sex trafficking of Ventura and Combs' girlfriend, 'Jane.' Although the Bad Boy Entertainment founder escaped a life sentence, he still faces prison time after being found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Although the juror was not part of the group that deliberated, he was the first member of the jury pool, which included six alternates, who shared their thoughts after sitting through eight weeks of grueling testimony from 34 witnesses. He also spoke about the sealed freak-off videos of Combs' girlfriends having sex with male escorts. Both prosecutors from the Southern District of New York and Combs' high-powered defense team played the explicit videos, but the man said each side showed different tapes. Tripping over his words when trying to describe the explicit videos, the man said they were 'riveting' but some portions were 'tame.' 'They were very graphic, but I think overall, it was looking at it from one side,' the man offered. 'It was definitely riveting and eye-opening.' However, he seemed to contradict himself a few seconds later when he said some videos, while depicting sexual activity, didn't show anything 'too graphic.' 'It didn't seem forced,' he added. 'It was actually, like, pretty tame. It was just a lot of rubbing oil.' Prosecutors claimed Combs coerced his girlfriends Ventura and Jane to participate in 'freak-offs,' where the women would have sex with male escorts while Combs masturbated and filed the encounters. Both women testified they often felt obligated to perform during these days-long sex marathons, taking mood-changing drugs to dissociate from the experience. (Combs denied the allegations.) Combs is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center awaiting sentencing. A hearing on his sentencing is scheduled for Tuesday, July 8. His team has requested an expedited sentencing, as they plan to push for a minimum sentence for the one-time billionaire. Speaking to members of the press following the verdict, Combs' lead attorney Marc Agnifilo said they weren't 'nearly done fighting' in the case. 'We're not going to stop until he walks out of prison a free man to his family.' Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked
USA Today
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Everything that came out of Diddy's trial, from disturbing allegations to photos of belongings
This story contains graphic descriptions that some readers may find disturbing. Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial had no shortage of disturbing testimony and illuminating evidence. Even for those following every step of the way in the eight-week trial, from jury selection to witness testimony, closing arguments and jury deliberations, there were a lot of claims and evidence to parse through. One juror described taking 350 pages of handwritten notes during testimony, and it was clear the 12-person jury had much to sort through before handing down the verdict that acquitted Combs of his top criminal charges. Before telling the judge they had reached a unanimous vote on four of five criminal counts on July 1, the jury asked to review testimony transcripts and refresh their memories regarding what Cassie Ventura Fine said about Combs' physical assault at the InterContinental Hotel in 2016 as well as his abusive actions at the Cannes Film Festival. They also requested testimony from Daniel Phillip, who was hired to have sex with Ventura Fine. Here are the key moments and pieces of evidence that led to the split verdict. More: Sean 'Diddy' Combs' 'Diddy Inc.' empire of mansions, cars and jet likely spared by verdict Cassie Ventura Fine's testimony in Diddy trial included 'freak offs,' other graphic abuse The "Me & U" singer testified May 13-16 and laid bare the raw details of their complicated relationship, including her participation in alleged drug-fueled sexual performances labeled "freak offs," the physical and emotional abuse she said she faced just a few years into their relationship and the violence she allegedly witnessed while with Combs. Explaining why she decided to testify, Ventura Fine told the court, "I can't carry this anymore. I can't carry the shame, the guilt." More: Where to watch the Sean 'Diddy' Combs documentaries on sex-crimes trial, allegations Toward the end of her second day of testimony, Ventura Fine delved into the years following her 2018 breakup from Combs. She said she'd put a $30 million price tag on the rights to a book she'd written about her alleged experiences, a project she'd characterized as an effort to help him understand what he'd put her through. But after he allegedly failed to respond, she sued him in November 2023, alleging he had raped, trafficked, sexually assaulted and physically abused her. The two came to an agreement by the following day and announced Ventura Fine would dismiss the lawsuit following an unspecified settlement. It was finally revealed on May 14 that the settlement amounted to $20 million, paid for by Combs and his companies. 'I understand': Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial juror breaks silence on verdict Diddy's former personal assistant describes alleged rape "Mia," a woman using a pseudonym who worked for Combs from 2009 to 2017, testified on May 29 that Combs sexually assaulted her on "more than one" occasion. While living with Combs at his Beverly Hills mansion from 2010 to 2014, she claimed she lived in a room that couldn't lock. This was where, at one point, Combs raped her as she was asleep in a bottom bunk, Mia told the courtroom through sobs. She said she felt like she couldn't tell him "no" about anything. "I couldn't tell him 'no' about a sandwich," she said. She worried that he would "fire me and ruin my future. I knew his power and his control over me. I didn't want to lose everything I had worked so hard for." OPINION: Diddy verdict got it wrong because we don't recognize what sex trafficking looks like Diddy's ex-girlfriend extensively detailed 'hotel nights' with escorts that could last 3 days "Jane," a woman using a pseudonym who dated Combs on-and-off from 2021 to 2024, tearfully testified about feeling pressured to take drugs, have nonstop sex with escorts and deprioritize her work, for fear of Combs' disapproval and cease financial contributions. She said that "freak offs" would happen every week or every other week for much of their relationship and could last as long as three and a half days. In 2023, Jane said she texted Combs that she was feeling "disgusted with myself" after one night of fun had turned into their entire relationship. She wrote that she didn't "want to lose the roof over my head" or "feel obligated to perform these nights with you." At the time, Jane said Combs was paying her $10,000 rent. Jane sobbed as she described one "hotel night" that happened as they celebrated her birthday in Miami in 2023. What was supposed to be a night for "just me and him" turned into Jane agreeing to have sex with three men consecutively to please Combs, she said. Did Cassie consent to Diddy? When it comes to abuse, there can't be consent. "I just feel like at this point I've done so many of these," she testified. "I just know how to tune it out." Diddy still pays for ex-girlfriend's home Jane testified that Combs paid her $10,000 a month in rent as part of a "love contract" that he proposed between them, and he also got her veneers. "Sean said, let's do a love contract," she said. "He asked me how much allowance I want going forward." There were gasps in the overflow room when Jane was asked who was paying her rent now and she responded, "Sean (Combs)." Combs is also still paying for Jane's lawyer. Cassie's mom said she wired Diddy $20K Regina Ventura, Cassie Ventura Fine's mother, testified that she wired Combs $20,000 when the rapper was threatening to release sex tapes of her daughter. Ventura said the money came back to her four or five days after Combs pushed her to wire it to his company. "He was angry that he spent money on her and that she had been with another person," she said on the stand, going on to add that she sent the money because she "was scared for my daughter's safety." More: Abusive lifestyle vs. a criminal enterprise: Inside the Diddy trial and what the verdict means Evidence in Diddy's trial showed drugs in his hotel room, hundreds of baby oil bottles Throughout the trial, prosecutors released evidence shown to jurors to the public. Pictures taken by federal agents showed the items in Combs' possession up until his September 2024 arrest, which included hundreds of baby oil and lubricant bottles in his Los Angeles and Miami homes – uncovered during Homeland Security raids in March 2024 – as well as drugs found in his hotel room after he was taken into custody. The government also presented photos of damage to a Porsche belonging to Kid Cudi, who testified about his belief that Combs was responsible for a Molotov cocktail that exploded in the car. However, some evidence in the criminal case, including footage of Combs' "freak offs," was off-limits to the public and only shown to jurors due to the graphic nature of the content, which was deemed a privacy violation by the witnesses –Ventura Fine and Jane – who were shown in the videos. Read on to see what prosecutors claimed was evidence of Combs' criminal enterprise. Raid of Diddy's LA home revealed 900 bottles of Astroglide, bags of ketamine On June 13, Andre Lamon from Homeland Security Investigations testified in Combs' criminal trial that he and other agents found 900 bottles of Astroglide, 200 bottles of baby oil and multiple bags of ketamine while raiding Combs' Los Angeles mansion. The jury was shown photos from the March 25, 2024, search through the sprawling is what agents discovered at Combs' multimillion-dollar Holmby Hills home. On her third day of testimony, Ventura Fine also revealed the extent of her and Combs' drug use in their decade together. Combs was once hospitalized due to "a very strong" opiate, she told defense lawyers, revealing the incident occurred around the time Whitney Houston died in February 2012. Raid of Diddy's Miami home found cocaine, guns, sexual enhancement product In the third week of Combs' trial on sex crimes and racketeering, Homeland Security Investigations special agent Gerard Gannon discussed his team's March 2024 raid of Combs' Miami estate. He and fellow agents allegedly found drugs including ketamine, cocaine, MDMA, hallucinogenic mushrooms and heroin, as well as firearms, gun accessories, Johnson's baby oil and Astroglide lubricant. A photo also showed a product promoted and sold for sexual enhancement. Diddy's arrest: Baby oil, drugs found in NYC hotel room On May 19, 2025, prosecutors released images of the belongings found in Combs' hotel room after the embattled music mogul was arrested at a New York hotel on Sept. items included baby oil, lubricant, $9,000 in cash, prescription medication and drugs that tested positive for ketamine and MDMA. Diddy's baby oil use was known at his favorite hotels Multiple witnesses' testimony touched on Combs' reported use of baby oil in "freak-offs." On May 22, for example, Frederic Zemmour, the general manager of the L'Ermitage Beverly Hills luxury hotel, walked jurors through logs of Combs' stays at the celebrity-favorite institution. For one of Combs' stays in 2015, the hotel's documents said that the rapper "ALWAYS spills candle wax on everything and uses excessive amounts of oil," and that his room should be placed "out of order upon departure for deep cleaning." The notes also said to "please authorize an extra $1000 when guest stays with us to cover any room damages." A housekeeping note said to "monitor outside his room/down the hall to spray air freshener." Alleged Molotov cocktail tore up the inside of Kid Cudi's Porsche Kid Cudi took the stand on May 22 to reveal Combs allegedly broke into his home in December 2011 after finding out Cudi was romantically involved with Ventura Fine. When the "Pursuit of Happiness" musician arrived at his house, he noticed no one was inside but some of his belongings were in disarray. Cudi said he received a call in January 2012 that his car was on fire, and jurors were shown photos of the destroyed vehicle. He later confronted Combs in a meeting, asking, "What about my vehicle?" to which Combs allegedly responded, "What vehicle?" Combs' team has repeatedly denied his involvement in the incident. While cross-examining Los Angeles law enforcement officials on May 28, the defense cast doubt on Combs' role by emphasizing police found a potential hit for female DNA on the bottle used in the car explosion. Contributing: Gina Barton, Aysha Bagchi, Josh Meyer, Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY staff If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support in English and Spanish via chat and at 800-656-4673. If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788.
New York Times
04-07-2025
- New York Times
What Sean Combs Got Away With
The most haunting image of the Sean Combs trial for many of us will be the video of him, wearing a towel and striped socks, kicking and dragging a limp Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura down the hall of the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles. It's haunting on its own terms, witnessing such abuse. But it's also haunting now that the trial is over, knowing that Mr. Combs could not be convicted of that behavior, because of failures in our legal system. On Wednesday, Mr. Combs was acquitted on the most serious charges against him: sex trafficking and racketeering. A jury convicted him on two counts of transporting people to engage in prostitution, for which he faces as many as 20 years in prison. But it seems likely that he will serve much less than that. The prosecutors are asking for about four to five years in prison, while Mr. Combs's attorneys are seeking less than two and a half. That the hotel tape is not by itself enough to convict Mr. Combs — of something — speaks to the system's failures. When that video was released, prosecutors were subject to the statute of limitations for domestic violence in California. The time to prosecute Mr. Combs's evident violence had long since run out. Mr. Combs's domestic abuse came up again and again in that trial — by the prosecutors, by the witnesses, and even by his own defense team. It came up so often, even in his lawyer's own closing argument — 'We own the domestic violence. I hope you guys know that.' — that it seemed to me practically a wink, a shrug, at Mr. Combs's documented abuse. How hard is it to own domestic violence with no charges? Mr. Combs himself offered up a grossly inadequate apology once the tape became known. 'I make no excuses,' he said, and then went on to make excuses, saying he'd 'hit rock bottom' in his life. What is rock bottom, I wonder, for someone with hundreds of millions of dollars, a staff tending his every whim, multiple houses, all the benefits and trappings of fame, talent and power? And in any case, is 'rock bottom' ever a justification for violence? There is also another more subtle, more sinister image that prosecutors tried and failed to get the jury to see: That video showed violence, yes, but, more importantly, it showed how a powerful man coerced and controlled a woman. But how were they to prove coercive control when text messages showed both Ms. Ventura and 'Jane,' who testified under a pseudonym, appearing to want to participate in the baby oil-fueled orgies called 'freak-offs,' which they even sometimes helped arrange? To the uninitiated, these women hardly sound coerced; they sound exactly like what Mr. Combs's lawyer, Teny Geragos, described: 'capable adults' making 'voluntary adult choices.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Daily Mirror
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Diddy trial shows society doesn't care about women's suffering
He's a man known by many names: Diddy; Puff Daddy; Puffy; Sean Combs; and now a convicted criminal. His music was ubiquitous with the 2000s, collaborating with some of the biggest names in pop, from Christina Aguilera to Justin Bieber. His Bad Boy Record label brought artists such as Janelle Monáe and Machine Gun Kelly to the world. But now, after two months on trial his fame should pale in significance to the crimes he committed. Over a period of eight weeks, a jury at Manhattan's Federal Court in New York City heard the case against Sean Combs. He was tried on two counts of transportation for prostitution in relation to Cassie Ventura and another woman known as 'Jane', as well as two charges of sex trafficking with regards to Ventura and 'Jane', and one charge of racketeering conspiracy. On June 6, he was found guilty on both counts of transportation for prostitution, and not guilty on the other three charges. Combs denied all allegations against him and pleaded not guilty to all charges. This case has garnered significant attention, not least from the media and fans alike. A fan outside the court wore a T-shirt that read 'A Freako is not a R.I.C.O'. The so-called 'Freak-offs' are drug-fuelled, days-long sex parties, where hundreds of bottles of baby oil seized from Diddy's Los Angeles home became an emblem for the excess and distress. The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act has been used in the past to tackle criminal organisations, most notably in 1985 when Rudy Giuliani charged the heads of the so-called 'Five Families' of the New York Mafia. But where do we go from the news that one of the most recognisable men in music is dangerous? In May 2024 leaked surveillance footage from 2016, showed the world how Diddy brutally assaulted his then girlfriend Cassie Ventura at the InterContinental Hotel in L.A . In a response on Instagram, Diddy described his 'behaviour as inexcusable.' The footage is difficult to watch: what I see is a woman in a moment of desperate hope trying to flee her abuser. But I'm not convinced that everybody sees this pain in the way I do. The video is right there for all to see, but yet the era of disinformation has equipped some with the ability to think: 'Well, maybe we're not getting the whole story here'. Ignorance is the best case scenario for those who waited outside the Diddy court holding bottles of baby oil, rooting for his imminent release. But at worst, I think that fundamentally these people don't care about how women are treated. Heavily pregnant and weeping on the stand, Ventura told the court about her relationship with Diddy. She told the court about being plied with drugs and coerced into having sex with male prostitutes - which was sometimes recorded by Diddy. This was not the first public declaration by Cassie about Diddy's abuse. In 2023, the singer went public with allegations of rape and abuse that she suffered from Diddy. The media mogul settled this case out of court for $20million. Reading her testimony from the 2025 trial, the resilience to carry on in the hope of justice is inspiring. In a move that is both insensitive to survivors and out of touch with the testimony that came before, Diddy's defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo in closing arguments on June 27, described their relationship as a "great modern love story". He said: "It's complicated, but they are truly in love with each other, and that is what defines their relationship. It is based on love." Love should not result in bruises, split lips, and non-consensual sex. Love should not hurt. This is not a modern love story; this is a nightmare that plays out for far too many women. The National Centre for Domestic Violence defines domestic abuse as ranging from physical and sexual abuse to threatening or coercive behaviour. They report that 1 in 4 women will be a victim of domestic abuse in their lifetime. When the verdict was read out in court, Diddy buckled with relief. His legal team put in a request for bail pending sentencing, which was denied. He remains behind bars until the proposed sentencing date of October 3. The New York Times reported that when this decision was handed down by Judge Arun Subramanian his jubilance turned to a 'darkened demeanour'. Outside the court Ventura's lawyer, Douglas H. Wigdor praised the singer for her bravery, saying: "She displayed unquestionable strength and brought attention to the realities of powerful men in our orbit and the misconduct that has persisted for decades without repercussion. This case proved that change is long overdue, and we will continue to fight on behalf of survivors." But orbits are not eternal, and will eventually decay away, dropping stars out of alignment. Survivors will be the change-makers, as they continue to come forward and advocate for future women's safety. It is what we must do to ensure that powerful men cannot commit crimes unhindered.
Express Tribune
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Cassie Ventura responds after Diddy found guilty of transporting women for prostitution
After a two-month trial, rapper and producer Sean "Diddy" Combs has been found guilty of transporting his former partner, singer Cassie Ventura, for the purpose of prostitution. The verdict followed three days of deliberation by the jury, totaling 13 hours. Combs, 55, was charged with multiple offenses including sex trafficking and racketeering. While he was acquitted of sex trafficking Ventura and another woman referred to only as 'Jane,' he was convicted on two counts of transportation for prostitution. He was also found not guilty on the racketeering charge. The two convictions carry a maximum potential sentence of 10 years. Ventura, 38, testified across four days in June, recounting years of alleged abuse during her on-and-off relationship with Combs, which lasted from 2007 to 2018. She described instances of physical violence, including a 2016 incident at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles, supported by surveillance footage. Ventura also spoke about being coerced into so-called 'freak offs'—sex parties orchestrated by Combs. Following the verdict, Ventura's attorney, Douglas H. Wigdor, praised her decision to come forward. 'This entire criminal process started when our client Cassie Ventura had the courage to file her civil complaint in November 2023,' he said. 'Although the jury did not find Combs guilty of sex trafficking Cassie beyond a reasonable doubt, she paved the way for a jury to find him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution.' Outside the courtroom, Ventura's husband, Alex Fine, also publicly acknowledged her bravery. 'Cassie saved Cassie. She alone broke free from abuse, coercion, violence and threats,' he said. Beyond the courtroom, Ventura has continued to build a career in music, acting, and modeling. She rose to prominence with her 2006 single Me & U and has appeared in films such as Step Up 2: The Streets and The Perfect Match. She is now married to wellness consultant Alex Fine, with whom she shares three children.
