Latest news with #Khorram
Scottish Sun
04-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Diddy's ‘phantom fixer' breaks her cover for 1st time in months just hours after rapper ex-boss cleared of racketeering
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SEAN 'Diddy' Combs' former chief of staff looked relieved as she broke cover for a day out with friends the morning after the rap mogul was cleared of racketeering and sex trafficking. Exclusive photographs and video obtained by The U.S. Sun show Kristina Khorram, 38, chatting with pals in Los Angeles just hours after her former boss was found guilty of prostitution - but cleared of the other three more serious charges. 10 Kristina Khorram, Sean 'Diddy' Combs' former chief of staff, is seen in LA on Thursday morning Credit: The US Sun 10 Khorram was all smiles as she headed to a pilates session after Diddy's trial in New York came to a close Credit: The US Sun 10 Khorram appeared to be having a debrief with her girlfriends for more than an hour after the class Credit: The US Sun She was seen wearing black yoga pants, Hoka sneakers, and an orange bag, as she smiled while texting on her cell phone before joining pals for a pilates class. Khorram, known as "KK" throughout the trial, did not take the stand during Combs' trial but was a key figure mentioned throughout the legal proceedings as being his "right-hand woman." Witnesses gave testimony claiming she helped to assist and cover up his crimes, but she has never been charged with anything. She also previously publicly denied "aiding and abetting the sexual assault of anyone," in a statement to CNN. Read more on Diddy WHAT WENT WRONG How $10m case against Diddy collapsed after prosecutors got greedy An eyewitness told The U.S. Sun that Khorram went to a late morning pilates class on Thursday for an hour before grabbing a smoothie with two friends at nearby SunLife Organics. "The trio then headed back down to Sunset Plaza, and Kristina appeared very animated as they spoke for more than an hour, her friends seemed very supportive," they said. Just 24 hours before, a jury decided to only convict Combs of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution - each has a maximum 10-year prison sentence and no minimum. He has been acquitted of racketeering conspiracy, which carried a life sentence, and two counts of sex trafficking. Combs has been behind bars for ten months since his arrest in September 2024, and his bail was denied ahead of a sentencing hearing. Khorram began working for Combs in 2013 as a senior executive, according to her now-deleted LinkedIn profile, and was promoted to her top role in 2020. Diddy faces just two years in jail after overhyped prosecution but could still go BROKE, says lawyer She has been named in at least three civil lawsuits filed against Combs, which accuse her of knowing about his violent and criminal behavior and enabling it. "If anybody is gate-keeper, Kristina would know everything," a source previously told the New York Post. Combs and Khorram were last seen together at the rapper's Star Island mansion in Miami as the scandal began to unfold, and his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura filed a lawsuit against him in November 2023. Khorram was seen in a white robe sitting on a day bed with the stressed star while she was on her cell phone amid the drama. She later stopped working for him, and he settled Ventura's suit. "I have never condoned or aided and abetted the sexual assault of anyone." Kristina Khorram in a statement The U.S. Sun can confirm Khorram is now based in Los Angeles, but it is not known where she is now working. Despite being named by witnesses involved in the scandal, the prosecution decided not to call Khorram during the trial. Her lawyer has declined interview requests on her behalf, stating that Khorram cannot "tell her story until the criminal trial is over and the civil cases are resolved," according to CNN. 10 Sean Combs pictured with Kristina Khorram in an Instagram photo before his arrest Credit: Instagram 10 Khorram's friends seemed supportive as they all spent time catching up at Sunset Plaza after the trial Credit: The US Sun 10 Combs' former right-hand woman was out enjoying a smoothie after the class with two friends Credit: The US Sun 10 Sean 'Diddy' Combs reacts to the verdicts of the five counts against him in this courtroom sketch Credit: Reuters Khorram also declined to comment this week on the judge's verdict in the criminal case when approached by The U.S. Sun. However, she previously told CNN in a statement, "For months, horrific accusations have been made about me in various lawsuits regarding my former boss. "These false allegations of my involvement are causing irreparable and incalculable damage to my reputation and the emotional well-being of myself and my family. "I have never condoned or aided and abetted the sexual assault of anyone. Nor have I ever drugged anyone," Khorram continued. "The idea that I could be accused of playing a role in – or even being a bystander to – the rape of anyone is beyond upsetting, disturbing, and unthinkable. That is not who I am and my heart goes out to all victims of sexual assault." Khorram was compared to Jeffrey Epstein's "madam" Ghislaine Maxwell by producer Lil' Rod Jones in his $30 million suit, in which he accused Combs of sexual assault and sexual harassment. Jones named Kristina Khorram as a defendant, who has denied any wrongdoing, while Combs' attorney Erica Wolff branded the complaint "pure fiction." Although a judge recently rejected many of Jones's claims, he did not dismiss the allegations against Combs or Khorram. He said the lawsuit includes several specific examples of incidents Combs allegedly "recruited or enticed Jones to solicit and perform sex acts with commercial workers" and allegedly "transported Jones across state and international borders to do so." Meanwhile, Combs fell to his knees on Wednesday when the verdict was read out in a Manhattan courtroom. The U.S. Sun obtained a letter from the prosecution sent to Judge Arun Subramanian regarding the star's sentence. They say the guideline sentence for him is just 51 to 63 months [five and a half years maximum], and he has already been behind bars for nine months. It reads, "The Government notes, however, that the Guidelines applicable at sentencing may be higher than this preliminary calculation. "The Government has not had adequate time to carefully consider all potentially applicable Guidelines provisions." Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani, president of Los Angeles-based West Coast Trial Lawyers, spoke to The U.S. Sun about the verdict. He described it as "nothing less than a complete and total failure by the prosecution in what will go down as the most expensive prostitution trial in American history." 10 Kristina Khorram was seen wearing a white vest top and black yoga pants Credit: The US Sun 10 She beamed as she headed to a friend's car carrying a bottle of water, a smoothie, and her cell phone Credit: The US Sun
The Irish Sun
04-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Diddy's ‘phantom fixer' breaks her cover for 1st time in months just hours after rapper ex-boss cleared of racketeering
SEAN 'Diddy' Combs' former chief of staff looked relieved as she broke cover for a day out with friends the morning after the rap mogul was cleared of racketeering and sex trafficking. Exclusive photographs and video obtained by The U.S. Sun show Kristina Khorram, 38, chatting with pals in Los Angeles just hours after her former boss was found guilty of prostitution - but cleared of the other three more serious charges. Advertisement 10 Kristina Khorram, Sean 'Diddy' Combs' former chief of staff, is seen in LA on Thursday morning Credit: The US Sun 10 Khorram was all smiles as she headed to a pilates session after Diddy's trial in New York came to a close Credit: The US Sun 10 Khorram appeared to be having a debrief with her girlfriends for more than an hour after the class Credit: The US Sun She was seen wearing black yoga pants, Hoka sneakers, and an orange bag, as she smiled while texting on her cell phone before joining pals for a pilates class. Khorram, known as "KK" throughout the trial, did not take the stand during Witnesses gave testimony claiming she helped to assist and cover up his crimes, but she has never been charged with anything. She also previously publicly denied "aiding and abetting the sexual assault of anyone," in a statement to CNN. Advertisement Read more on Diddy An eyewitness told The U.S. Sun that Khorram went to a late morning pilates class on Thursday for an hour before grabbing a smoothie with two friends at nearby SunLife Organics. "The trio then headed back down to Sunset Plaza, and Kristina appeared very animated as they spoke for more than an hour, her friends seemed very supportive," they said. Just 24 hours before, a jury decided to only convict Combs of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution - each has a maximum 10-year prison sentence and no minimum. He has been acquitted of racketeering conspiracy, which carried a life sentence, and two counts of sex trafficking. Advertisement Most read in Celebrity Breaking Combs has been behind bars for ten months since his arrest in September 2024, and his Khorram began working for Combs in 2013 as a senior executive, according to her now-deleted LinkedIn profile, and was promoted to her top role in 2020. Diddy faces just two years in jail after overhyped prosecution but could still go BROKE, says lawyer She has been named in at least three civil lawsuits filed against Combs, which accuse her of knowing about his violent and criminal behavior and enabling it. "If anybody is gate-keeper, Kristina would know everything," a source previously told the Advertisement Combs and Khorram were last seen together at the rapper's Star Island mansion in Miami as the scandal began to unfold, and his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura filed a lawsuit against him in November 2023. Khorram was seen in a white robe sitting on a day bed with the stressed star while she was on her cell phone amid the drama. She later stopped working for him, and he settled Ventura's suit. "I have never condoned or aided and abetted the sexual assault of anyone." Kristina Khorram in a statement The U.S. Sun can confirm Khorram is now based in Los Angeles, but it is not known where she is now working. Advertisement Despite being named by witnesses involved in the scandal, the prosecution decided not to call Khorram during the trial. Her lawyer has declined interview requests on her behalf, stating that Khorram cannot "tell her story until the criminal trial is over and the civil cases are resolved," according to CNN. 10 Sean Combs pictured with Kristina Khorram in an Instagram photo before his arrest Credit: Instagram 10 Khorram's friends seemed supportive as they all spent time catching up at Sunset Plaza after the trial Credit: The US Sun Advertisement 10 Combs' former right-hand woman was out enjoying a smoothie after the class with two friends Credit: The US Sun 10 Sean 'Diddy' Combs reacts to the verdicts of the five counts against him in this courtroom sketch Credit: Reuters Khorram also declined to comment this week on the judge's verdict in the criminal case when approached by The U.S. Sun. However, she previously told CNN in a statement, "For months, horrific accusations have been made about me in various lawsuits regarding my former boss. Advertisement "These false allegations of my involvement are causing irreparable and incalculable damage to my reputation and the emotional well-being of myself and my family. "I have never condoned or aided and abetted the sexual assault of anyone. Nor have I ever drugged anyone," Khorram continued. "The idea that I could be accused of playing a role in – or even being a bystander to – the rape of anyone is beyond upsetting, disturbing, and unthinkable. That is not who I am and my heart goes out to all victims of sexual assault." Khorram was compared to Jeffrey Epstein's "madam" Ghislaine Maxwell by producer Lil' Rod Jones in his $30 million suit, in which he accused Combs of sexual assault and sexual harassment. Advertisement Jones named Kristina Khorram as a defendant, who has denied any wrongdoing, while Combs' attorney Erica Wolff branded the complaint "pure fiction." Although a judge recently rejected many of Jones's claims, he did not dismiss the allegations against Combs or Khorram. He said the lawsuit includes several specific examples of incidents Combs allegedly "recruited or enticed Jones to solicit and perform sex acts with commercial workers" and allegedly "transported Jones across state and international borders to do so." Meanwhile, Combs on Wednesday when the verdict was read out in a Manhattan courtroom. Advertisement The U.S. Sun obtained a letter from the prosecution sent to Judge Arun Subramanian regarding the star's sentence. They say the guideline sentence for him is just 51 to 63 months [five and a half years maximum], and he has already been behind bars for nine months. It reads, "The Government notes, however, that the Guidelines applicable at sentencing may be higher than this preliminary calculation. "The Government has not had adequate time to carefully consider all potentially applicable Guidelines provisions." Advertisement Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani, president of Los Angeles-based West Coast Trial Lawyers, spoke to The U.S. Sun about the verdict. He described it as "nothing less than a complete and total failure by the prosecution in what will go down as the most expensive prostitution trial in American history." 10 Kristina Khorram was seen wearing a white vest top and black yoga pants Credit: The US Sun 10 She beamed as she headed to a friend's car carrying a bottle of water, a smoothie, and her cell phone Credit: The US Sun Advertisement 10 Supporters of Sean Combs rejoice after a jury acquitted Combs of racketeering and sex trafficking and found him guilty on lesser transportation charges in New York Credit: EPA
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How Diddy's Right-Hand Woman Became the Phantom of His Trial
When hip-hop titan Sean 'Diddy' Combs was served in November 2023 with a searing 35-page complaint filed by his longtime ex-girlfriend, Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura, alleging years of physical violence, his carefully crafted public image and decades of empire-building were thrown into chaos. That world-shattering moment of crisis was so dead-serious, it's now brought Combs, 'Diddy' or 'Puff,' if you work for him, before a judge and jury, facing federal sex-trafficking and racketeering charges in a high-profile trial. More from The Hollywood Reporter Sabrina Carpenter Debuts Alternate 'Man's Best Friend' Cover That's "Approved by God" Amid Online Backlash Sean "Diddy" Combs Tells Judge He Will Not Testify at His Trial The Sphere Worked Modern Magic on the Soundtrack for 'The Wizard of Oz' When Ventura filed her suit, Kristina Khorram was there, standing by his side, working her phone in full crisis mode for her boss of a decade. She was also there in 2016, sitting at Combs' side after he brought a bag containing $100,000 into the InterContinental Hotel in L.A., as a witness testified, in order to obtain the harrowing footage that could tank his public image (and it did, when CCTV video of him beating and dragging Ventura leaked to the press eight years later). For over a decade, Khorram, nicknamed 'KK,' was right there, next to Combs at these sort of moments of inflection. Six weeks of testimony just heard at his federal trial showed that the 38-year-old was steadfastly there for the powerful mogul: overseeing his assistants, assessing his moods, making appointments for the women he dated — and as several witnesses have told the court, 'KK' was pulling plenty of the strings to facilitate the deeds of which her boss is accused and then, as witnesses have said, helping to cover some of it up. But as a grey-haired Combs has sat for six weeks in a lower Manhattan federal courtroom, wearing the same five dull sweater-and-trousers outfits, where his defense against the federal government's claims about his relationships with Cassie and others will determine if he spends the rest of his life in prison, Khorram hasn't been there. With an outsized role, first as a Bad Boy Records liaison and then as chief of staff for the rap and fashion mogul's multi-pronged company, she's had an uncommon hand in his personal life since she was promoted to her top role in 2020. Despite facing zero charges from the feds alongside Combs, testimony at the lower Manhattan federal courthouse indicates Khorram was deeply entrenched in many of the allegations discussed at trial. Though the five-count indictment of Combs stops short of naming names, Khorram is clearly one of the people who prosecutors are talking about when they talk about 'high-ranking supervisors' Combs used to 'carry out, facilitate and cover up his abuse and commercial sex.' Notably, as the feds brought 34 witnesses — dozens of Combs Global staffers, hired sex workers and other key players — before the jury, Khorram's name remained absent from the witness list. But as testimony unfolded in the government's case, her name seemed to be lurking at every turn. She was there in name and spirit during the first week of testimony, when her monitoring and reporting back on Ventura's whereabouts and activities as Combs' trusted staffer was discussed; the R&B singer, who dated Combs until 2018, told the court how present 'KK' was as she detailed her and Combs' romance and how the relationship nosedived into physical abuse and, as she claimed, blackmail and coercive control. There's 'KK' again, in name but not beside her now ex-boss in week three of the trial, as evidence is entered of her texting with 'Mia,' the pseudonymous assistant to Combs, to talk her down from thoughts of suicide while ensuring she would not become a liability after being unceremoniously fired after years of service. (Now with hindsight on her time with Combs, 'Mia' told the jury that 'there was nobody around us that ever even flinched at his behavior.') The following week in court, 'KK' was metaphorically there, front and center again in discussions as 'Jane,' Combs' girlfriend until his arrest last year, told the court how the chief of staff downplayed the risk of transporting narcotics on a commercial flight to encourage her to do it for Combs' benefit. In this manner, Khorram's name has haunted the entire trial. From small moments recalled in court where she's taking photos of texts on Combs' phone or when she's allegedly managing those procuring sex workers and drugs for his 'freak-off' parties, overseeing those cleaning up after the hotel nights or just intimidating underlings and enforcing a culture of secrecy, 'KK' was referenced more than two dozen times in the trial before the jaw-dropping moment on June 5, when prosecutors referred to her as a 'co-conspirator and agent' of Combs. What did this mean? Would she be facing charges, proving the racketeering element of the feds' case or was she imminently taking the stand to testify? That last possibility is clearly not happening now that the prosecution has rested its case. But given Khorram's continued absence from the courtroom and the fact that no one has heard from her since March, when she broke her silence to adamantly deny claims made about her in three civil suits against her and Combs, this is the question that burns: Did she flip on him and work with the prosecution? Or is she now a sitting duck, possibly about to be charged for any of the myriad allegations the court and trial observers heard about over the past six weeks? The Hollywood Reporter reached out to Khorram through the Music Beats Hearts nonprofit she helped found but has not received a response from her. Since Khorram issued her statement in March, no publication has been able to get a response from her attorney. 'These false allegations of my involvement are causing irreparable and incalculable damage to my reputation and the emotional well-being of myself and my family,' her March statement reads, in part. 'I have never condoned or aided and abetted the sexual assault of anyone. Nor have I ever drugged anyone.' An important, and somewhat confusing, aspect of the racketeering charge Combs faces is that he is the lone accused party in a case that must prove a conspiracy. While this may seem counterintuitive, it's not uncommon in a RICO case, particularly now that prosecutors are getting creative, taking the statute designed to rope together organized crime syndicates to refer to various other alleged 'criminal enterprisers,' be they a cult (NXIVM, for sex trafficking) or a college admissions scam (the Varsity Blues scandal). In a case that has seen some comparisons to the Combs trial, singer R. Kelly became the only one convicted under RICO in his 2021 federal sex trafficking case; two men accused as co-conspirators were eventually acquitted. And as far as Combs' case, prosecutors must prove he used an entity as the vehicle to facilitate criminal activities over time, with him and only him facing racketeering charges. 'The prosecutor has broad discretion in terms of who they prosecute and what they prosecute them for,' Anna Cominsky, a professor at New York Law School, told The Hollywood Reporter. 'Keep in mind, just because someone wasn't prosecuted doesn't mean they didn't engage in criminal activity.' Given Khorram's proximity to many of the allegations heard in court of happenings at Combs Global, it follows that if the axe were to fall on someone else, it's likely going to be his 'right-hand woman,' who Combs proclaimed in a 2021 Facebook post that he didn't 'know how I'd function without her.' Producer Lil' Rod Jones went as far as to compare 'KK' and Combs to Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein, making a direct comparison between Maxwell and 'KK' in his explosive civil suit against Combs; that tenuous $30 million suit is one of three that names Khorram alongside Combs. While Epstein never made it to see a trial, having died in a federal lock-up, the timing of charges is notable and perhaps, something to watch for; it was notably just a hair under a full year after his indictment that the Department of Justice announced the charges against Maxwell. Combs was charged in September of 2024. As the prosecution rested its case on Tuesday, 'KK,' the phantom of the trial, remained out of the picture entirely. The defense called no witnesses, and Combs opted not to take the stand. Though charges could come Khorram's way at any moment, there's a solid chance that she may not be formally accused of anything by the government. Speaking with THR, Cominsky laid out three reasons this could be the case. One simple reason could be that Khorram quietly worked with the prosecutors in exchange for a non-prosecution agreement. At the time of her public denial of wrongdoing in March, rumors swirled that she would sing and the consensus seemed to be that throwing loyalty aside would be the smart thing for her to do. This was the case with multiple former Combs staffers who took the stand to tell the jury about his work and personal life. If she didn't work with the feds, Cominsky said, perhaps the statute of limitations for the alleged crimes she may or may not have been involved in has passed. But this is unlikely — she worked for Combs until his September arrest, and 'Jane' or 'Victim 4' was with Combs until then, too. Or perhaps, 'KK' is avoiding indictment because the case against her is too weak. 'The government has to analyze its evidence,' Cominsky said. 'Do they actually have evidence that would support a prosecution against the individual? If they do, then they can. But if they don't, they can't.' In fact, any potential case against 'KK' might have been weakened by trial testimony, which has called into question how much Khorram actually knew about Combs' 'freak-off' parties and hotel night sex-and-drug marathons. Combs, it turns out, may have concealed from his top lieutenant the frequency of these nights- and days-long sessions, which are central to the government's case. As 'Jane' told the court, Combs knew Khorram didn't approve of the lengthy sessions because he'd disappear on everyone and productivity could grind to a halt. As the jury is about to be handed the case against Combs, Khorram will remain the biggest absentee player in the trial while, for jurors forbidden from viewing related news coverage, she'll remain more of an idea than a person. This lack of testimony from someone so close to Combs could create an opening for the defense to plant a seed of doubt; if this is a conspiracy and criminal enterprise, where was 'K.K.'? Certainly no longer in the position of power she once held. And, while she's not facing any charges, the fate of her reputation will certainly, at least in part, be decided by the jurors in the coming days. And for the loyal, cutthroat right-hand woman, that sought-after reputation gained by association with a larger-than-life power player, one which she enjoyed for years, might now be impossible to shake off. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025 Harvey Weinstein's "Jane Doe 1" Victim Reveals Identity: "I'm Tired of Hiding" 'Awards Chatter' Podcast: 'Sopranos' Creator David Chase Finally Reveals What Happened to Tony (Exclusive)
Graziadaily
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Graziadaily
Who Is Diddy's 'Right Hand' And Alleged 'Co-Conspirator', Kristina Khorram?
The trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs, which sees the music mogul face charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution, continues in New York. This week, his former chief of staff, Kristina Khorram, also known as 'KK', has been a reoccurring name in court. Khorram has even been described by prosecutors as Diddy's 'agent and co-conspirator', so it makes sense that anyone closely following the trial should want to know more about her. She has not yet been called to testify. Diddy's trial is expected to last eight weeks. He has denied all allegations and has pleaded not guilty in court. Khorram was Diddy's former chief of staff of Diddy's global multi-faceted company, Combs Enterprises, which is now known as Combs Global. The business portfolio includes Bad Boy Entertainment, Love Records, REVOLT Media & Television, Aquahydrate, Sean John, Combs Investments, Empower Global, Our Fair Share and Sean Combs Foundation. Khorram has become a prominent name in the trial. She has been mentioned by several witnesses and has been accused of assisting Diddy in his alleged crimes. She was accused by one witness of helping Diddy transport drugs over state lines. She was also accused of monitoring the whereabouts of Diddy's ex-girlfriend of 10 years, Cassie Ventura, and helping secure hotel surveillance of Diddy physically assaulting Cassie. According to testimony from Eddy Garcia, a security officer working at the InterContinental Hotel in LA in 2016, Khorram allegedly arranged to pay $100,000 to secure the viral CCTV footage of Diddy violently beating and kicking Cassie outside their hotel room. Garcia told the court that Khorram repeatedly called him at the hotel lobby desk and showed up at the hotel to persuade him to hand over the footage. Garcia said Diddy later met him in person with a large sum of cash, the court heard, and Khorram was also there. Meanwhile, one of Diddy's former assistants, George Kaplan, testified that Khorram would instruct him to set up Diddy's hotel rooms with candles, liquor, baby oil and AstroGlide for his 'freak off' parties. Cassie also referred to 'KK' throughout her testimony. 'I talked to KK about a lot, she knew a lot about my personal things,' the singer testified. Another of Diddy's former partners who went by 'Jane' in court also mentioned Khorram. She alleged she collapsed after taking ecstasy about ten times during a nine-day trip to Turks and Caicos in 2021 and said, '[Diddy's] butler and KK tried to help me'. She also said Khorram made arrangements for her to get her teeth improved and her nipples pierced, per Diddy's request. Jane later told the court, 'I believe that [Khorram] had very strong opinions about me, which influenced a great deal of how Sean also treated me.' In March, Khorram was named as a defendant in three civil cases alongside Diddy. She has not been charged with any crimes. One civil accuser, Rodney Jones, called Khorram 'the Ghislaine Maxwell to Sean Combs' Jeffrey Epstein'. Another accuser, Phillip Pines, said Khorram was his supervisor at Diddy's company and claimed he told her when he witnessed Diddy's alleged violence and she 'instructed Plaintiff to never speak about it and there are repercussions that can happen if he did'. She denied all wrongdoing in a statement. Khorram has not been implicated in the active criminal case. Her attorney said she cannot 'tell her story until the criminal trial is over and the civil cases are resolved'. 'For months, horrific accusations have been made about me in various lawsuits regarding my former boss,' her statement read. 'These false allegations of my involvement are causing irreparable and incalculable damage to my reputation and the emotional wellbeing of myself and my family.' 'I have never condoned or aided and abetted the sexual assault of anyone. Nor have I ever drugged anyone,' she continued. 'The idea that I could be accused of playing a role in – or even being a bystander to – the rape of anyone is beyond upsetting, disturbing, and unthinkable. That is not who I am and my heart goes out to all victims of sexual assault.' 'I am confident that the allegations against me will be proven to be untrue,' Khorram concluded. In a 2021 facebook post, Diddy gushed about his former chief of staff. 'Meet Kristina Khorram, chief of staff at Combs Enterprises,' he wrote. 'Kristina aka KK keeps everything in my life and my business running. She's been my right hand for the last 8 years and has consistently proven to execute and get sh*t done. Don't know how I'd function without her.' Nikki Peach is a writer at Grazia UK, working across entertainment, TV and news. She has also written for the i, i-D and the New Statesman Media Group and covers all things pop culture for Grazia (treating high and lowbrow with equal respect).
USA Today
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
The woman at the center of Diddy's inner circle may take the stand
The woman at the center of Diddy's inner circle may take the stand Show Caption Hide Caption Witness describes moment Diddy allegedly held her over a balcony A witness in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal sex-crimes trial testified that he dangled her over a 17-story balcony and threatened to kill her. For weeks, Sean "Diddy" Combs has watched from a courtroom table as witness after witness has taken the stand, unraveling a wide-ranging tale of alleged abuse and conspiracy. The common thread uniting many of the witnesses? They used to work for Combs. Ex-assistants, stylists and artists for his label Bad Boy Records have come forward – some willingly and some not – and testified about a man whose status as a public icon allegedly enabled him to be a private monster. On Thursday, June 5, a statement from prosecutors that they may have caught the big kahuna: Kristina "KK" Khorram, Combs' former chief of staff and right-hand woman. In an aside with the judge, lawyers for the government called Khorram "an agent and co-conspirator," marking the first time she has been referred to that way. The language implies Khorram has likely reached an agreement with the prosecution and will testify. Diddy Inc.: How Sean Combs' closest aides are unraveling his jet set empire in court Should she take the stand, she would likely be the closest person inside Combs' alleged criminal enterprise to do so. The government has accused the music mogul of leading a Promethean lifestyle powered by wealth and fame and propelled relentlessly forward by a combination of intimidation, manipulation, violence and even rape. To accomplish that, Combs enlisted an entourage of paid support staff and enablers who lived a life most mortals could only dream of – lavish, nonstop and, like Combs himself, at the white-hot center of fame, money and power atop the entertainment world, prosecutors say. And at the center of it was Khorram. In March, two months before Combs' trial began, she denied any involvement in the case or the flurry of civil lawsuits aimed at her "former boss," calling any allegations "untrue." "For months, horrific accusations have been made about me in various lawsuits regarding my former boss," Khorram's statement read. "These false allegations of my involvement are causing irreparable and incalculable damage to my reputation and the emotional well-being of myself and my family. I have never condoned or aided and abetted the sexual assault of anyone. Nor have I ever drugged anyone. "The idea that I could be accused of playing a role in – or even being a bystander to – the rape of anyone is beyond upsetting, disturbing, and unthinkable," the statement continued. "That is not who I am and my heart goes out to all victims of sexual assault." If Khorram testifies, she will join a growing cadre of ex-employees who allegedly helped Combs run his empire, and now may be the cause of its undoing. Diddy team admits to violence, but not sex trafficking. Will the jury see a difference? Some legal experts say their testimony, and that of more insiders to come, will bolster prosecutors' allegations that Combs oversaw a movable party operation that crossed the line into becoming a global criminal enterprise designed to "fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct." "It seems like each and every day, the testimony gets worse and worse for Sean Combs," said David Ring, a civil trial lawyer specializing in sexual assault cases who represented one of Harvey Weinstein's victims in a civil case, in a previous interview with USA TODAY. "And I think we're going to see more employees come forward who have to admit on the stand that they enabled these criminal actions because they felt like they were pressured into it." Contributing: Josh Meyer, Jay Stahl
