Latest news with #Offs'
TimesLIVE
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
'Diddy' convicted of prostitution, cleared on more serious charges
Sean 'Diddy' Combs was found guilty on Wednesday of prostitution-related offences but cleared of more serious charges, in a blow to prosecutors who had urged a jury to find him guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. Combs was convicted of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking, a partial win for the former billionaire known for elevating hip-hop in American culture. The verdict followed a criminal trial in which two of the music mogul's former girlfriends testified that he physically and sexually abused them. Combs faces a maximum 10-year prison sentence on each of the two prostitution counts. US district judge Arun Subramanian will determine Combs' sentence later. The acquittals on the sex trafficking counts mean he will avoid a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence. He could have faced life in prison if he were convicted on sex trafficking or racketeering conspiracy. After the judge dismissed the jury and lawyers for both sides, Combs knelt before his chair and appeared to pray. Combs then rose and faced the courtroom gallery. 'I'm gonna be home soon,' he said, smiling and clasping his hands. 'I love you. Thank you, I love you.' Combs' family and supporters erupted into applause and cheers. After the jury read its verdict, defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo asked Subramanian to release Combs on bail, which prosecutors opposed. Subramanian asked lawyers for both sides to submit written arguments on whether he should release Combs by 1pm. Prosecutors say Combs for two decades used his business empire to force two of his romantic partners to take part in drug-fuelled, days-long sexual performances sometimes known as 'Freak Offs' with male sex workers in hotel rooms while Combs watched, masturbated and occasionally filmed. During raids of Combs' homes, authorities found drugs and 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant that he would use in the performances, prosecutors said. Combs, 55, had pleaded not guilty to all five counts. His lawyers acknowledged that the Bad Boy Records founder, once famed for hosting lavish parties for the cultural elite in luxurious locales like the Hamptons and Saint-Tropez, was at times violent in his domestic relationships. But they said the sexual activity described by prosecutors was consensual. The seven-week trial in Manhattan federal court exposed the inner workings of Combs' business empire and gave the 12-member jury an intimate look into his volatile romantic relationships with the rhythm and blues singer Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura and a woman known in court by the pseudonym Jane. Ventura sued Combs in November 2023 for sex trafficking, the first of dozens of civil lawsuits accusing him of abuse. Combs, also known throughout his career as Puff Daddy and P Diddy and once feted for turning artists like Notorious B.I.G. and Usher into stars, settled with Ventura for $20m. He has denied all wrongdoing. At the trial, jurors saw surveillance footage from 2016 showing Combs kicking and dragging Ventura in the hallway of an InterContinental hotel in Los Angeles, where she said she was trying to leave a 'Freak Off.' Jane later testified that Combs in June 2024 attacked her and directed her to perform oral sex on a male entertainer, even though she told him she did not want to. That alleged attack took place a month after Combs apologised on social media for his 2016 attack of Ventura, footage of which had been broadcast on CNN. According to prosecutors, physical violence was just one way Combs compelled Ventura and Jane to take part in the performances — an act of coercion they say amounts to sex trafficking because the male escorts were paid. Both women testified that he threatened to withhold financial support and to leak sexually explicit images of them if they refused to comply. 'The defendant used power, violence and fear to get what he wanted,' prosecutor Christy Slavik said in her closing argument on June 26. 'He doesn't take no for an answer.' Combs' lawyers argued that while Combs may have committed domestic violence in the context of volatile romantic partnerships, his conduct did not amount to sex trafficking. They argued that Ventura and Jane were strong, independent women who voluntarily took part in the sexual performances because they wanted to please Combs. Both women testified they spent time with Combs and took part in sexual performances after he beat them. Defence lawyers argued that Ventura and Jane were retrospectively accusing Combs of forcing their participation in the performances because they were jealous he was seeing other women. 'If he was charged with domestic violence, we wouldn't all be here,' Combs' lawyer Marc Agnifilo said in his closing argument on June 27. 'He did not do the things he's charged with.' Besides Ventura and Jane, jurors also heard testimony from Combs' former personal assistants who said their jobs included setting up hotel rooms for 'Freak Offs' and buying their boss drugs. An InterContinental security guard testified that Combs, in the presence of his chief of staff, paid him $100,000 to hand over what he thought was the only copy of the surveillance tape of his attack on Ventura. And Scott Mescudi, the rapper known as Kid Cudi, told jurors Combs was likely involved in an arson on his car after Combs found out he was romantically involved with Ventura. According to prosecutors, those were all acts Combs and his associates undertook in furtherance of a racketeering conspiracy whose aim was, in part, to facilitate his abuse and keep evidence of his wrongdoing under wraps. The defence argued Combs was a successful entrepreneur who used drugs recreationally, but kept his professional and personal lives separate. Combs has been held in federal lock-up in Brooklyn since his September 2024 arrest.
Indian Express
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs acquitted of sex trafficking charges, convicted on prostitution counts
Sean 'Diddy' Combs was found guilty on Wednesday of prostitution-related offenses but cleared of more serious charges, in a blow to prosecutors who had urged a jury to find him guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. Combs was convicted of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking, a partial win for the former billionaire known for elevating hip-hop in American culture. The verdict followed a criminal trial in which two of the music mogul's former girlfriends testified that he physically and sexually abused them. Combs faces a maximum 10-year prison sentence on each of the two prostitution counts. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian will determine Combs' sentence at a later date. The acquittals on the sex trafficking counts mean he will avoid a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence. He could have faced life in prison if he were convicted on sex trafficking or racketeering conspiracy. After the judge dismissed the jury and lawyers for both sides, Combs knelt before his chair and appeared to pray. Combs then rose and faced the courtroom gallery. 'I'm gonna be home soon,' he said, smiling and clasping his hands. 'I love you. Thank you, I love you.' Combs' family and supporters erupted into applause and cheers. After the jury read its verdict, defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo asked Subramanian to release Combs on bail, which prosecutors opposed. Subramanian asked lawyers for both sides to submit written arguments on whether he should release Combs by 1 p.m. EDT (1700 GMT). Prosecutors say Combs for two decades used his business empire to force two of his romantic partners to take part in drug-fueled, days-long sexual performances sometimes known as 'Freak Offs' with male sex workers in hotel rooms while Combs watched, masturbated and occasionally filmed. During raids of Combs' homes, authorities found drugs and 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant that he would use in the performances, prosecutors said. Combs, 55, had pleaded not guilty to all five counts. His lawyers acknowledged that the Bad Boy Records founder, once famed for hosting lavish parties for the cultural elite in luxurious locales like the Hamptons and Saint-Tropez, was at times violent in his domestic relationships. But they said the sexual activity described by prosecutors was consensual. The seven-week trial in Manhattan federal court exposed the inner workings of Combs' business empire and gave the 12-member jury an intimate look into his volatile romantic relationships with the rhythm and blues singer Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura and a woman known in court by the pseudonym Jane. Ventura sued Combs in November 2023 for sex trafficking, the first of dozens of civil lawsuits accusing him of abuse. Combs, also known throughout his career as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy and once feted for turning artists like Notorious B.I.G. and Usher into stars, settled with Ventura for $20 million. He has denied all wrongdoing. At the trial, jurors saw surveillance footage from 2016 showing Combs kicking and dragging Ventura in the hallway of an InterContinental hotel in Los Angeles, where she said she was trying to leave a 'Freak Off.' Jane later testified that Combs in June 2024 attacked her and directed her to perform oral sex on a male entertainer, even though she told him she did not want to. That alleged attack took place a month after Combs apologized on social media for his 2016 attack of Ventura, footage of which had been broadcast on CNN. According to prosecutors, physical violence was just one way Combs compelled Ventura and Jane to take part in the performances – an act of coercion they say amounts to sex trafficking because the male escorts were paid. Both women testified that he threatened to withhold financial support and to leak sexually explicit images of them if they refused to comply. 'The defendant used power, violence and fear to get what he wanted,' prosecutor Christy Slavik said in her closing argument on June 26. 'He doesn't take no for an answer.' Combs' defense lawyers argued that while Combs may have committed domestic violence in the context of volatile romantic partnerships, his conduct did not amount to sex trafficking. They argued that Ventura and Jane were strong, independent women who voluntarily took part in the sexual performances because they wanted to please Combs. Both women testified they spent time with Combs and took part in sexual performances after he beat them. Defense lawyers argued that Ventura and Jane were retrospectively accusing Combs of forcing their participation in the performances because they were jealous he was seeing other women. 'If he was charged with domestic violence, we wouldn't all be here,' Combs' defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo said in his closing argument on June 27. 'He did not do the things he's charged with.' Besides Ventura and Jane, jurors also heard testimony from Combs' former personal assistants who said their jobs included setting up hotel rooms for 'Freak Offs' and buying their boss drugs. An InterContinental security guard testified that Combs, in the presence of his chief of staff, paid him $100,000 to hand over what he thought was the only copy of the surveillance tape of his attack on Ventura. And Scott Mescudi, the rapper known as Kid Cudi, told jurors Combs was likely involved in an arson on his car after Combs found out he was romantically involved with Ventura. According to prosecutors, those were all acts Combs and his associates undertook in furtherance of a racketeering conspiracy whose aim was, in part, to facilitate his abuse and keep evidence of his wrongdoing under wraps. The defense argued Combs was a successful entrepreneur who used drugs recreationally, but kept his professional and personal lives separate. Combs has been held in federal lockup in Brooklyn since his September 2024 arrest.
Straits Times
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs convicted on prostitution counts, but cleared of more serious charges
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Prosecutors say Sean 'Diddy' Combs was found guilty after a criminal trial in which two former girlfriends testified that he physically and sexually abused them. NEW YORK - Sean 'Diddy' Combs was found guilty on July 2 of prostitution-related offences, but cleared of more serious charges after a criminal trial in which two of the music mogul's former girlfriends testified that he physically and sexually abused them. Combs was convicted of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking, a partial win for the former billionaire known for elevating hip-hop in American culture. Prosecutors say Combs for two decades used his business empire to force two of his romantic partners to take part in drug-fuelled, days-long sexual performances sometimes known as 'Freak Offs' with male sex workers in hotel rooms while Combs watched, masturbated and occasionally filmed. During raids of Combs' homes, authorities found drugs and 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant that he would use in the performances, prosecutors said. Combs, 55, had pleaded not guilty to all five counts. His lawyers acknowledged that the Bad Boy Records founder, once famed for hosting lavish parties for the cultural elite in luxurious locales like the Hamptons and Saint-Tropez, was at times violent in his domestic relationships. But they said the sexual activity described by prosecutors was consensual. The seven-week trial in Manhattan federal court exposed the inner workings of Combs' business empire and gave the 12-member jury an intimate look into his volatile romantic relationships with the rhythm and blues singer Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura and a woman known in court by the pseudonym Jane. Ms Ventura sued Combs in November 2023 for sex trafficking, the first of dozens of civil lawsuits accusing him of abuse. Combs, also known throughout his career as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy and once feted for turning artists like Notorious B.I.G. and Usher into stars, settled with Ms Ventura for US$20 million (S$25 million). He has denied all wrongdoing. At the trial, jurors saw surveillance footage from 2016 showing Combs kicking and dragging Ms Ventura in the hallway of an InterContinental hotel in Los Angeles, where she said she was trying to leave a 'Freak Off'. Jane later testified that Combs in June 2024 attacked her and directed her to perform oral sex on a male entertainer, even though she told him she did not want to. That alleged attack took place a month after Combs apologised on social media for his 2016 attack of Ms Ventura, footage of which had been broadcast on CNN. According to prosecutors, physical violence was just one way Combs compelled Ms Ventura and Jane to take part in the performances - an act of coercion they say amounts to sex trafficking because the male escorts were paid. Both women testified that he threatened to withhold financial support and to leak sexually explicit images of them if they refused to comply. 'The defendant used power, violence and fear to get what he wanted,' prosecutor Christy Slavik said in her closing argument on June 26. 'He doesn't take no for an answer.' Combs' defence lawyers argued that while Combs may have committed domestic violence in the context of volatile romantic partnerships, his conduct did not amount to sex trafficking. They argued that Ms Ventura and Jane were strong, independent women who voluntarily took part in the sexual performances because they wanted to please Combs. Both women testified they spent time with Combs and took part in sexual performances after he beat them. Defence lawyers argued that Ms Ventura and Jane were retrospectively accusing Combs of forcing their participation in the performances because they were jealous he was seeing other women. 'If he was charged with domestic violence, we wouldn't all be here,' Combs' defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo said in his closing argument on June 27. 'He did not do the things he's charged with.' Racketeering conspiracy Besides Ms Ventura and Jane, jurors also heard testimony from Combs' former personal assistants who said their jobs included setting up hotel rooms for 'Freak Offs' and buying their boss drugs. An InterContinental security guard testified that Combs, in the presence of his chief of staff, paid him US$100,000 to hand over what he thought was the only copy of the surveillance tape of his attack on Ms Ventura. And Mr Scott Mescudi, the rapper known as Kid Cudi, told jurors Combs was likely involved in an arson on his car after Combs found out he was romantically involved with Ms Ventura. According to prosecutors, those were all acts Combs and his associates undertook in furtherance of a racketeering conspiracy whose aim was, in part, to facilitate his abuse and keep evidence of his wrongdoing under wraps. The defence argued Combs was a successful entrepreneur who used drugs recreationally, but kept his professional and personal lives separate. Combs has been held in federal lockup in Brooklyn since his September 2024 arrest. REUTERS
Indian Express
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' lawyer says prosecutors trying to criminalize his ‘private sex life'
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' defense lawyer urged a jury on Friday to find the former hip-hop mogul not guilty in his sex trafficking trial, saying prosecutors are trying to criminalize his unusual sexual preferences. The lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, said during his closing argument in Manhattan federal court that over the past two months prosecutors had presented a 'fake trial' to use Combs' sexual proclivities as evidence of a criminal conspiracy centered on his businesses. 'They take the baby oil and the Astroglide and make it the evidence in this case, because there's nothing wrong with his businesses,' Agnifilo said, adding that the 'crime scene' in the case was Combs' 'private sex life.' Combs, a former billionaire known for elevating hip-hop in American culture, has pleaded not guilty to racketeering conspiracy and two counts each of sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. 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. Agnifilo peppered his closing argument with sarcastic questions, including asking how the women who testified against Combs could have been sex trafficked if they agreed to fulfill Combs' sexual fantasies partly out of love for him. 'If we're at 'Freak Off' number 75, and 75 of them have been consensual, what would have to happen at Freak Off 76 to say, now it's sex trafficking?' Agnifilo said, referring to Combs' ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura and using Combs' term for drug-fueled sexual performances with male escorts. During the first day of closing arguments on Thursday, a US prosecutor told jurors Combs used 'violence and fear' to lead a criminal enterprise that helped him subject two of his former girlfriends to sex trafficking, 'The defendant used power, violence and fear to get what he wanted,' prosecutor Christy Slavik told jurors in her address. 'He thought that his fame, wealth and power put him above the law.' Combs' defense lawyers acknowledge that Combs was occasionally violent in domestic relationships, but have argued that his conduct did not amount to sex trafficking because the sex acts described by prosecutors were consensual. Over more than six weeks of testimony in Manhattan federal court, jurors heard two of Combs' former girlfriends testify that they took part in days-long, drug-fueled sex parties sometimes called 'Freak Offs' with male sex workers while Combs watched, masturbated, and occasionally filmed. Combs did not testify. The jury saw hotel surveillance footage of Combs beating one of the women in a hallway, and heard Combs' employees describe setting up hotel rooms and buying drugs for the performances. Jurors are expected to start deliberations either late on Friday or on Monday. To convict Combs, they must vote unanimously.
The Sun
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Trump: No requests to pardon Sean 'Diddy' Combs, but will look at the facts
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said on Friday that no one has asked him to pardon Sean 'Diddy' Combs but that he would look at the facts of the hip-hop mogul's case. Trump's comments at a White House news conference came as Combs attended the 13th day of testimony in the rapper's criminal sex trafficking trial. The Bad Boy Records founder has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. During a press conference at the White House, Fox News reporter Peter Doocy asked Trump whether he would consider pardoning Combs, noting that the businessman-turned-politician said during a 2012 episode of his 'Celebrity Apprentice' reality show that he was friends with the rapper. 'Nobody's asked. You had to be the one to ask, Peter,' Trump said. 'I think some people have been very close to asking. First of all, I'd look at what's happening, and I haven't been watching it too closely although it's certainly getting a lot of coverage.' Since taking office on January 20, Trump has made extensive use of his power to pardon or commute the sentences of people accused of or convicted of federal crimes - a break with tradition as presidents normally wait until near the end of their terms before granting clemency. Trump, a Republican, said he had not seen or spoken to Combs in years. Combs could face life in prison if convicted on all counts. Also known throughout his career as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, Combs is known for turning artists like Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J. Blige into stars. In the process, he elevated hip-hop in American culture and became a billionaire. The criminal charges filed last September, as well as dozens of civil lawsuits accusing Combs of sexual abuse, have left his reputation in tatters. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan say Combs over two decades coerced women to take part in drug-fueled sexual performances known as 'Freak Offs' with male sex workers. Two women have testified that Combs had raped them. Combs' lawyers have acknowledged that he was at times abusive in romantic relationships, but argued that the women who took part in 'Freak Offs' did so consensually.
