Latest news with #KristinaKhorram
The Sun
04-07-2025
- The 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. 10 10 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. 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. 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 10 10 10 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 10
Fox News
27-06-2025
- Fox News
Diddy's 'righthand woman' comparison to Epstein's confidante is 'provocative but weak': expert
Closing arguments in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal trial began Thursday, more than seven weeks after jurors were seated for the case. While the Bad Boy Records founder was the focus of the government's charges, his former chief of staff, Kristina (KK) Khorram, was brought up throughout witnesses' testimony, though she never testified nor was charged. KK was previously compared to Jeffrey Epstein's righthand woman, Ghislaine Maxwell, in a lawsuit brought against her and Diddy in March 2024. Music producer Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones claimed he witnessed KK ordering sex workers for Diddy. KK also had all the assistants keep drugs ready for Diddy at a moment's notice, according to Jones' allegations. "From what we've seen so far, the comparison between Kristina Khorram and Ghislaine Maxwell isn't really a fair one, given that Epstein's victims were underage girls," John J. Perlstein explained to Fox News Digital. "Still, Khorram is an alleged co-conspirator in the Diddy case, so it makes sense that she wouldn't want to testify, as she would've likely had to plead the Fifth." "While Ghislaine Maxwell was not originally charged in the Jeffrey Epstein case, charges were eventually filed against her," the Los Angeles-based litigator added. "That's likely what we see happening here with Khorram and the Diddy case. However, the criminal enterprise case against Diddy is extremely weak, and it's possible that the case against Khorram would be even weaker." During Diddy's sex trafficking and racketeering trial, prosecutors claimed the music mogul was the leader of the alleged criminal enterprise. His inner circle included his chief of staff, assistants and security. Diddy's ex-girlfriend, Jane, testified KK was the rapper's "righthand woman." The government claimed KK lived in Diddy's home in Miami and knew what he was doing all the time. She even allegedly responded to people from his phones. According to the prosecution, Diddy and his staff were involved in purchasing and distributing drugs. Jane testified that KK helped her transport drugs across state lines. KK was seemingly aware Diddy's assistants were purchasing drugs for the rapper. In texts shown during Brendan Paul's testimony, he asked KK for reimbursement. KK was also allegedly involved in covering up Diddy's attack on Cassie Ventura at the InterContinental Hotel in 2016. According to testimony from a hotel security guard, KK facilitated the sale of the surveillance footage showing the attack. Diddy's former chief of staff was brought up in testimony from Cassie; Diddy's ex, Jane; and each of his former personal assistants. Text messages from KK were also entered into evidence in the trial. However, she never actually took the stand. WATCH: SEAN 'DIDDY' COMBS ASSAULTS CASSIE VENTURA IN 2016 LOS ANGELES HOTEL INCIDENT KK likely wasn't called to testify because her narrative might not match the government's case against Diddy, criminal defense attorney Nicole Blank Becker told Fox News Digital. "You never call a witness or ask a question that you don't know," Becker, who worked on R. Kelly's case, told Fox News Digital. "So, in this case, if no one was able to actually have these deep conversations with KK and know exactly what she was going to testify to, she could have actually been a thorn in the government's side." To date, KK has not been charged with any crimes. "It's very common in enterprise cases that you're going to want, as the government, to bring in as many witnesses as you can to show that this was, in fact, an organized organization. Now, the question becomes, 'Well, if KK is the one who was responsible for some of the very criminal activities that they're now putting on P. Diddy, why isn't she charged with the same types of crimes?' "From a legal strategy standpoint, the big fish is who you go after," Becker added. "Who's the big fish that the public knows? Who is the hip-hop mogul that we all know of? Well, it's not KK. Who is it? It's the face. And so the government wants to be firm that the face of the enterprise is the individual who gets in trouble." The government wanted to show that KK was only responsible for the alleged crimes because Diddy told her to do them, the lawyer noted. "P. Diddy was the one in control," Becker said. "He was, for the government, they would like to say, the puppeteer, and that she, although she was the chief of his company, she still had strings that were attached. And those strings didn't move unless Sean Diddy Combs told them to move or had them moved." However, the prosecution not charging KK with any crimes "doesn't mean she's innocent just yet." "The prosecutors might not have enough evidence yet, or she could even be cooperating behind the scenes," New York-based civil attorney Nicole Brenecki explained to Fox News Digital. "These cases usually move slowly and with a specific strategy."
New York Times
22-06-2025
- New York Times
Aide Who Was Sean Combs's ‘Right Hand' Draws Scrutiny at His Trial
For years, anyone who wanted access to Sean Combs had to go through Kristina Khorram first. An employee at his company since 2013, becoming his chief of staff in 2020, Ms. Khorram was the mogul's 'right hand,' as he once called her. Before leaving her role in the last year, she commanded a rotating army of personal assistants for Mr. Combs and was the central go-between for his multifaceted business empire. While much of her work related to Mr. Combs's businesses, she also made doctor's appointments for his girlfriends. Made sure their rent was paid. Apprised them of the boss's daily moods. 'Don't know how I'd function without her,' Mr. Combs wrote in a Facebook shout-out in 2021. The actions of Ms. Khorram and others who worked for Mr. Combs over the years are now being scrutinized in federal court, where prosecutors are trying to convince jurors that Mr. Combs is guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, asserting that he ran a 'criminal enterprise.' Ms. Khorram, 38, has not been charged in the case, has not been called as a witness and has denied wrongdoing in the past. But her presence is woven through various accounts given at the trial of wrangling hotel logistics for the sex marathons that are at the heart of the case, or of arranging for drugs to be transported by plane to the music mogul. 'Her duties as Mr. Combs's chief of staff were extremely broad,' Meredith Foster, a prosecutor, told the judge this month. 'They involved setting up hotel nights,' she added, 'facilitating the transportation of narcotics, various items such as that.' During the trial, prosecutors have described the behavior of various bodyguards and staff at Mr. Combs's companies, as well as Ms. Khorram, as they argue to the jury that the conduct of the employees was not just the work of dutiful assistants, but of racketeering co-conspirators. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Fox News
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Diddy's alleged 'drug mule' testifies employees moved like 'Seal Team 6', used cocaine to stay awake
Sean "Diddy" Combs' former assistant testified Friday about "intense" conditions while working for the disgraced music mogul. Brendan Paul began working for the "Last Night" rapper in late 2022 up until March 25, 2024 – the day Combs' Los Angeles and Miami homes were raided as part of a human trafficking investigation. Paul, a former Syracuse basketball player, claimed that Combs wanted his employees to move like "Seal Team 6," and his mission was to make sure Combs was always happy. Paul allegedly used Adderall and cocaine to stay awake while employed and would go long periods without sleeping – once for up to three days. Paul was the fifth person to receive immunity in exchange for his testimony in Combs' federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial. He told Christine Slavik of the U.S. Attorney's Office that Kristina "KK" Khorram, Combs' former chief of staff, "basically ran the enterprise" for the Bad Boy Records founder. Paul said he initially packed "a lot of joints" for Combs in the early days of his employment and would then travel ahead of Combs to "advance locations," he testified. Paul claimed he was instructed to buy drugs for the "Victory" rapper and once purchased more than $4,000 worth of marijuana from a former assistant, Phillip Pines. He testified to purchasing drugs like ecstasy, cocaine and ketamine for his boss. Paul became embroiled in Combs' legal drama in April 2024, after he was named in a lawsuit filed by Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones against the disgraced mogul. The music producer claimed Paul worked as a "mule" for Combs, procuring and distributing "drugs and guns." The former college basketball star was then charged with felony cocaine possession, which was later dropped. Nearly six weeks after the trial began, prosecutors indicated they would rest their case by Friday. The rapper's legal team recently told Judge Arun Subramanian it will need between two and five days to present its case, a stark contrast to its initial request of up to two weeks with witnesses on the stand. Combs was charged with racketeering conspiracy; sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and transportation to engage in prostitution in a federal indictment unsealed Sept. 17.
New York Times
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
The Sean Combs Trial: A Timeline of the Testimony
Sean Combs, one of America's most influential music moguls, is standing trial on federal charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors accuse him of leading a criminal enterprise that committed a series of crimes including kidnapping, arson and obstruction of justice. He has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers have said all the sex at issue in the case was consensual. Read the indictment here. The Latest: The Jury Sees 'Freak-Off' Videos and a Juror Is Dismissed As the trial enters its sixth week, the prosecution has highlighted key pieces of evidence to summarize its case. Among them were a trove of text messages from Kristina Khorram, Mr. Combs's former chief of staff, which prosecutors said showed that Ms. Khorram was closely involved in planning the intensive sex marathons that Casandra Ventura and a woman who testified as 'Jane' said they endured. Over the course of the trial, those events have been called 'freak-offs,' 'hotel nights' and 'wild king nights.' Prosecutors also showed jurors brief excerpts from videos of those events, which were taken from devices that Ms. Ventura, the singer known as Cassie, provided to the government. That evidence is sealed, and was not visible to the public or the news media. Jurors watched the videos on screens, and listened on headphones; one juror, frowning, snatched the headphones off after the first clip was played. The defense has called the footage 'powerful evidence that the sexual conduct in this case was consensual and not based on coercion.' On Monday, the judge dismissed a juror who gave inconsistent information about where he lives, raising concerns that he had been seeking a spot on the jury of the high-profile case. Prosecutors are expected to rest this week, and the defense will then call its own witnesses, who are expected to include a former human resources manager for Mr. Combs's company and a forensic psychiatrist. Week 1 Opening Statements and Cassie's Testimony Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
