Latest news with #TenyGeragos
Sky News
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Sean 'Diddy' Combs denied bail after being convicted over prostitution-related offences
Sean "Diddy" Combs has been denied bail, after being found guilty of transportation for prostitution following a landmark trial in New York - but cleared of more serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. It means the 55-year-old hip-hop mogul will remain behind bars until his sentencing on 3 October. Combs was accused by prosecutors of abusing and coercing three alleged victims, including his former long-term partner, singer and model Cassie Ventura, and other crimes including kidnapping, arson and blackmail. Jurors decided not all the allegations were proven - but Combs still faces up to 20 years in prison after being convicted of transporting people across the US, including Cassie and another former girlfriend, Jane*, and paying male escorts to engage in sexual encounters. However, with the not guilty verdict on three other more serious charges - racketeering conspiracy and two of sex-trafficking - he has avoided a maximum possible sentence of life behind bars. The mixed result from the jury came not long into their third day of deliberations. In the courtroom in Manhattan, New York, there were cheers from Combs's family, and the rapper himself held his hands up in a prayer motion, looking at the jury, and hugged his defence lawyer Teny Geragos. His mood seemed very different to just a day earlier - when he learned the jury had reached a verdict on four of the five charges, but were split on the racketeering charge. After deliberating for longer on Wednesday, they came to a unanimous decision. As the verdict sunk in, Combs appeared overwhelmed, kneeling at his chair and bowing his head in prayer once again. "I'll be home soon," he said as he faced his family members. "I love you, Mum." Cassie 'paved the way' Reacting to the verdict, Cassie's lawyer Douglas H Wigdor said that although jurors did not find Combs guilty of sex-trafficking Cassie, she had "paved the way" for the other guilty verdicts. "By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice," he said. "We must repeat - with no reservation - that we believe and support our client, who showed exemplary courage throughout this trial." Cassie, who testified heavily pregnant just three weeks before giving birth, displayed "unquestionable strength", he added, and "brought attention to the realities of powerful men in our orbit". Videos of "freak off" sex sessions with male escorts were shown to jurors only during the seven-week trial, with the footage kept private from members of the public and media in court. Former employees, along with escorts, hotel staff and police officers were among those to give evidence. Cassie and Jane, who used a pseudonym, also testified. They told the court they were coerced into drug-fuelled freak offs - which were also referred to as "hotel nights" or "wild king nights" - with male escorts, and abused throughout their relationships. Combs's defence team presented a very different picture to show that sexual acts, including freak offs, were consensual. They conceded the music star could be violent, had a bad temper, and used drugs. He also had multiple relationships at the same time. But crucially, they said, while he was "not proud" of some of his behaviour, none of it made him guilty of the charges against him. After hearing evidence of flights and travel for escorts and Cassie and Jane, paid for by Combs, as well as hotel bookings across the US and the Caribbean, jurors found him guilty of the transportation to engage in prostitution charges. However, they did not find that the allegations against the rapper amounted to sex-trafficking or racketeering. The Cassie hotel tape Combs, known variously as Puff Daddy, P Diddy, and Diddy over the years, was once one of the most influential figures in hip-hop - famous as a producer, founder of Bad Boy Records and manager of the late Notorious BIG in the 1990s, as well as a rapper in his own right. As an artist, he won three Grammys during his career, and had hits including I'll Be Missing You, Come With Me, and Bad Boy For Life. In September 2023, he received the "global icon" award from MTV and was given the key to New York City at a ceremony in Times Square, just a few miles away from the streets in Harlem where he spent his first years. Allegations first came to prominence in November 2023, when Cassie filed a bombshell lawsuit accusing him of coercing her into unwanted sex sessions, as well as blackmail and several incidences of violence. The suit was settled in 24 hours - for $20m, it emerged during the trial - but months later CNN aired hotel security footage showing Combs punching and kicking Cassie and throwing her to the floor in 2016. He apologised after the video aired, saying: "I was disgusted when I did it." Footage from the hotel incident was shown during the trial.
International Business Times
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- International Business Times
Who Is Teny Geragos? Meet Diddy's Glamorous Nepo-Baby Lawyer Who Saved Music Mogul from Getting Life Sentence
A young and glamorous attorney, whose father made his name defending high-profile clients, pulled of a stunning victory in the high-profile case of Sean 'Diddy' Combs who was acquitted of the most serious charges brought against him. Teny Geragos, 34, was one of Combs' high-profile attorneys who successfully convinced the jury to acquit him on Wednesday of sex trafficking and racketeering charges—crimes that could have resulted in the music mogul spending the rest of his life behind the bars. As the verdict was read and Combs was found guilty on the lesser charge of shipping people for prostitution, which carries a potential 20-year prison term, Combs held Geragos' hand. Diddy's Savior The verdict marks biggest victory in Geragos' blossoming legal career, with some commentators drawing comparisons between the stylish attorney and Camille Vasquez, who earlier represented Johnny Depp. Vasquez gained widespread fame in 2022 after helping Depp win his defamation lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard, largely due to her tough and memorable cross-examination of the Aquaman actress. Teny Geragos, 34, gained widespread attention in the legal world for her unconventional approach to defending Diddy's innocence, as she used TikTok and primetime television as her platforms. Last September, after the music mogul was arrested and charged with sex trafficking in New York City, she began posting a series of short, one-minute videos online. Geragos has said in interviews that "misinformation spreads" online, and she has used social media to challenge Diddy's accusers and what she described as a "series of false claims" made "in the hopes of trying to get a payday." Now that Diddy's has been acquitted in most of the charges, the Loyola Law School alum is back in the spotlight. During Diddy's trial, Teny Geragos delivered a powerful opening statement, criticizing prosecutors for going too far in their charges against the rap mogul. She acknowledged that her client had a history of aggressive behavior but argued that the prosecution had overreached by attempting to portray consensual sexual relationships as acts of prostitution and sex trafficking. With nearly ten years of experience defending people accused of sexual assault, harassment, and other misconduct—as her firm proudly highlights—representing Diddy in one of the most high-profile trials in recent history marks a major milestone in her career. Geragos is a founding partner at Agnifilo Intrater LLP, where she works alongside seasoned defense attorney Marc Agnifilo, known for representing prominent figures. Often referred to as the "glamorous TikTok lawyer," she also shares a close bond with her father, Mark Geragos, a prominent attorney whose career likely inspired her own path in criminal defense. Star in Her own Right In 2021, she married her college sweetheart, Ashwinn Krishnaswamy, in a lavish summer wedding at her parents' Los Angeles home, styled after Paris's Jardin du Luxembourg. Geragos appears to have found her interest in the legal system early in her academic career. According to her LinkedIn profile, she earned her bachelor's degree in art history and media, culture, and communication from New York University in 2013. That same year, she began her Juris Doctor studies at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, completing the program in 2016. During law school, she gained valuable experience by serving as a judicial extern for a Supreme Court Justice in Kings County, New York. She also interned with Brooklyn Defender Services and later took on another judicial externship at a U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. In 2015, she worked as a legal intern with the Legal Aid Society in the Bronx. Geragos also worked as a law clerk for both the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office and her father's firm, Geragos & Geragos, APC, where Mark Geragos is the lead attorney. Her father has defended several celebrities over the years, including Chris Brown in his assault case involving Rihanna. He has also previously represented Sean "Diddy" Combs, Winona Ryder, Kesha, and Michael Jackson, as well as Susan McDougal during the 1990s Whitewater investigation connected to the Clintons. Geragos began her legal career as a trial attorney at Brafman & Associates PC, a law firm based in New York City, according to her LinkedIn profile. She was admitted to the bar in both New York and California in 2017. She spent nearly eight years at Brafman & Associates before becoming a founding partner at Agnifilo Intrater LLP. Her legal background includes expertise in cases involving sexual misconduct, where she has served as counsel for both alleged victims and those facing accusations.
Fast Company
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fast Company
‘You can do anything if you got money': The Diddy verdict sparks internet uproar
Sean 'Diddy' Combs was convicted of prostitution-related offenses but acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges on Wednesday, following an eight-week federal trial. The verdict immediately sparked a wave of reactions online, ranging from disbelief to outrage. The jury returned guilty verdicts on 2 of the 5 counts after three days of deliberations. Upon hearing the decision, Combs held his hands in a prayer motion and embraced defense attorney Teny Geragos, according to the Associated Press. The 55-year-old disgraced mogul now faces up to 10 years in prison. Many on social media expressed shock and outrage over the outcome. 'The Diddy jury verdict shocked me. I wasn't expecting anything other than guilty on all charges,' one X user wrote. 'So let me get this straight Diddy was found NOT guilty of sex trafficking…but somehow guilty of transporting someone for prostitution? How does that even work?' another asked. 'This is a staggeringly big loss for federal prosecutors,' journalist Meghann Cuniff posted on X. 'Not guilty on both the RICO and trafficking counts is as bad as it can get for them. When is their press conference??' Some critics raised concerns about the precedent the ruling might set for future sex crime prosecutions. 'This Diddy trial is proof that you can do anything if you got money,' one person wrote. 'The Diddy verdict is a stark display of privilege and the persistent disbelief of women. Absolutely revolting,' another posted. Others focused on the public reaction to the verdict. 'These Diddy takes are about to be cringe-worthy,' one user commented. 'The worst people you know gonna celebrate the Diddy verdict like it's some kind of a win,' another X user wrote. One prediction read: 'Diddy is about to go on the greatest rebrand in american history and yall all gonna fall for it.' 50 Cent, a longtime rival of Combs, shared an Instagram post referring to him as the 'Gay John Gotti'—a nod to the infamous mafia boss known as the 'Teflon Don' for repeatedly avoiding conviction in the 1980s. In response to the verdict, UltraViolet, a women's rights organization, released a statement: 'This is a decisive moment for our justice system, one which threatens to undo the sacrifice of courageous survivors who stepped forward to share their stories in this trial, as well as to all those abused by Diddy who weren't able to,' said Arisha Hatch, the organization's interim executive director, according to The New York Times.
Arab News
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs acquitted of most serious charges, convicted of prostitution-related offenses
NEW YORK: Sean 'Diddy' Combs dropped to his knees and prayed in the courtroom after he was acquitted Wednesday of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have put one of hip-hop's celebrated figures behind bars for life. The rapper was convicted of lesser prostitution-related offenses and still faces prison time but is seeking to be freed from jail to await sentencing. The mixed result capped a sordid legal odyssey that shattered Combs' affable 'Puff Daddy' image and derailed his career as a Grammy-winning artist and music executive, fashion entrepreneur, brand ambassador and reality TV star. As the jury foreman spoke and the 'not guilty' verdicts piled up, Combs pumped his fist. Each juror affirmed agreement with the verdict as Combs looked toward them, holding his hands up in a prayer motion. Then he hugged defense lawyer Teny Geragos. Combs' relatives and supporters in the audience could barely contain their relief, despite the judge's admonition to avoid outbursts: When the first 'not guilty' was read aloud, someone shouted, 'Yeah!' Combs, 55, later continued to pump his right fist subtly and nodded, seemingly satisfied that he was acquitted on the most serious charges. Combs was convicted of flying people around the country, including his girlfriends and male sex workers, to engage in sexual encounters, a felony violation of the federal Mann Act. The charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, but Combs' lawyers said that under federal sentencing guidelines he'd likely face about two years in prison. Prosecutors, citing Combs' violence and other factors, said the guidelines would call for at least four to five years. Jailed since his September arrest, he's already served nine months behind bars. In a triumph for Combs, the jury of eight men and four women acquitted him of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges related to allegations that he used his money, power and frightening physical force to manipulate his girlfriends into hundreds of drug-fueled sex marathons with the men. Combs' defense team argued that the women were willing participants and that none of his violence justified the severity of the charges. Marc Agnifilo, a lawyer for Combs, asked that his client be immediately released because the federal Mann Act crimes were of a 'vastly different nature' than sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. Assistant US Attorney Maurene Comey said he should remain incarcerated as a danger to the community and a threat to flee. She cited evidence of physical abuse and 'prolific use and distribution of drugs' that emerged during the trial. 'I do believe we'll be seeking a substantial period of incarceration,' Comey said. Both sides filed written submissions expanding on their arguments. Judge Arun Subramanian was expected to rule at 5 p.m. on whether to release Combs on bail. Combs appeared overwhelmed as court adjourned for a few hours. He wiped his face, turning and kneeling at his chair, his head bowed in prayer. 'I'll be home soon,' he said as he faced his relatives. 'I love you, Mom,' he added. His relatives applauded him and his lawyers, some of whom had tears in their eyes, as he was led out of court. There's no date yet for sentencing, when the judge will decide on Combs' punishment for the prostitution conviction. Verdict follows weeks of harrowing testimony Federal officials involved in the case responded to the outcome by noting that sex crimes 'are all too present in many aspects of our society.' 'New Yorkers and all Americans want this scourge stopped and perpetrators brought to justice,' Manhattan-based US Attorney Jay Clayton and Ricky J. Patel, who heads federal Homeland Security Investigations' New York office, said in a statement. Jurors deliberated for about 13 hours over three days before announcing their verdict. It came after they said late Tuesday that they had decided on four counts but were stuck on the racketeering one. At that point, the judge told them to keep deliberating and keep the partial verdict under wraps. Combs did not testify at his trial, which featured 34 witnesses as well as video of the rapper attacking his former girlfriend Cassie, the R&B singer born Casandra Ventura. Her lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, said in a statement after the verdict that 'by coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice.' Later, he asked the judge in a letter to deny Combs bail, saying 'Ms. Ventura believes that Mr. Combs is likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case, including herself, as well as to the community.' Cassie testified for four days about her turbulent 11-year relationship with Combs, which began after she signed with his Bad Boy record label. Cassie said Combs became obsessed with voyeuristic encounters, arranged with the help of his staff, that involved sex workers and copious amounts of baby oil. During the sex events, called 'freak-offs' or 'hotel nights,' Combs would order Cassie to do things with other men that she found humiliating, she testified. When things didn't go Combs' way, he would beat her, she said. 'I'm not a rag doll. I'm somebody's child,' Cassie told Combs after he dragged her down a hotel hallway in 2016. Another ex-girlfriend, testifying under the pseudonym 'Jane,' told the jury she repeatedly told Combs she didn't want to have sex with the men hired for their trysts. 'I'm not an animal. I need a break,' she told him. Nevertheless, she said she felt 'obligated' to comply with his demands, in part because he paid her rent. The AP does not typically name people who say they have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly, as Cassie has. Defense calls case an invasion of privacy The trial's most famous witness, rapper Kid Cudi, said Combs broke into his home in late 2011 after learning he and Cassie were dating. After his car was firebombed a few weeks later, Cudi — whose real name is Scott Mescudi — said he knew Combs 'had something to do' with it. Combs denied it. Combs' defense team acknowledged that he could be violent but argued that prosecutors were intruding in his personal life. In his closing remarks to the jury, Agnifilo said it wasn't illegal for Combs to make 'homemade porn' with his girlfriends. Rapper, entrepreneur and criminal defendant Combs was at the center of the East Coast-West Coast hip-hop battles of the 1990s and became one of the most influential hip-hop producers and executives of the past three decades, diversifying his interests with the Sean John fashion label, Ciroc vodka, a cable TV channel and a film and TV studio. In 2001, Combs was at the center of one of the biggest hip-hop trials of its era, stemming from a Manhattan nightclub shooting that injured three people in 1999. Combs was acquitted of charges that he took an illegal gun into the club and tried to bribe his driver to take the fall. His career recovered quickly that time. Combs' reputation may have suffered irreparable damage, though, after Cassie sued him in November 2023, alleging years of sexual and physical abuse. He settled the next day for $20 million, but more lawsuits by other women and men followed. Most are still pending.
Leader Live
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges
The mixed result came on the third day of deliberations. It could still send Combs, 55, to prison, for as long as a decade, and is likely to end his career as a hitmaking music executive, fashion entrepreneur, brand ambassador and reality TV star. Combs was convicted of flying people around the country, including his girlfriends, and paid male sex workers to engage in sexual encounters, a felony violation of the federal Mann Act. But the jury of eight men and four women acquitted Combs of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges, related to allegations that he used his money, power and frightening physical force to manipulate his girlfriends into hundreds of drug-fuelled sex marathons with the men. Combs and his defence team argued that the women were willing participants and that none of his violence justified the severity of the charges. The jury foreperson confirmed the verdict reached was unanimous. After they read the verdict, Combs held his hands up in a prayer motion, looking at the jury, and hugged his defence lawyer Teny Geragos. After the verdict was read, the judge gave the jury guidance on speaking about the case to the media, to the public and more. Combs continuing to pump his right fist subtly, seemingly satisfied that he was acquitted on the most serious charges. Combs seemed buoyant arriving in the courtroom earlier Wednesday, a contrast to his mood a day earlier after he learned that the jury had reached a yet-to-be-disclosed verdict on all but one of the five charges he faced. Combs smiled and clasped his hands together in the air toward his family and supporters before hugging several of his lawyers and sitting down to await the outcome of the jury's third day of deliberations. A short while later, Combs, his head bowed, stood several feet from his family for less than a minute as they sat with their heads bowed in prayer. As they did on Monday, Combs and family members then applauded before he was led from the courtroom. The family later got in a van and left the court. On Tuesday, US district judge Arun Subramanian had ordered the jury to continue its closed-door discussions for a third day after they said they were unable to reach consensus on the top count: racketeering conspiracy. Mr Subramanian adjourned the court while he considered whether to grant Combs bail. Combs, 55, has been behind bars since his arrest in September. His lawyers argued that the acquittal on the most serious counts changed the legal landscape enough that he should get bail. Combs appeared overwhelmed as the court adjourned for at least a few hours. He wiped his face, turning and kneeling at his chair, his head bowed in prayer. In the audience, his relatives stood and applauded as he faced them. 'I'll be home soon,' he said, and 'I love you, baby.' 'I love you, mum,' he added. Combs did not give evidence at his trial, which featured 34 witnesses as well as video of the rapper attacking his former girlfriend, the R&B singer Cassie. Her lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, said in a statement after the verdict that 'by coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice'. Cassie gave evidence for four days about her turbulent 11-year relationship with Combs, which began after she signed with his Bad Boy record label. Cassie said Combs became obsessed with voyeuristic encounters, arranged with the help of his staff, that involved sex workers and copious amounts of baby oil. During the sex events, called 'freak-offs' or 'hotel nights,' Combs would order Cassie to do things with other men that she found humiliating, she said. When things did not go Combs' way, he would beat her, she said.
