Latest news with #TheLoveAlbum:OffTheGrid
Daily Mirror
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Diddy found guilty on two counts as he reacts to bombshell verdict
Hip hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been found not guilty of sex-trafficking and racketeering. The 55-year-old prayed in court today before a jury of eight men and four women acquitted him of the two most serious counts against him. Diddy was accused of two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, as well as the single count of racketeering. Today jurors found him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution. Diddy 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 Combs was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges, relating to allegations that he used he forced his former girlfriends into drug-fuelled sex encounters with other women. Combs was found not guilty on count one, racketeering conspiracy and not guilty of count two, the sex trafficking of Casandra Ventura. He was found guilty on count three, the Mann Act Transportation of Casandra Ventura and guilty of Count 5, the Mann Act transportation of former girlfriend "Jane Doe." Transportation for prostitution carries a top sentence of 20 years in prison. Before the verdict was read Diddy asked the courtroom to pray for his family, and received applause. The mixed result came on the third day of deliberations. Mr Combs, 55, had pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him. The trial marks a stunning fall from grace for a man who once ruled the music world with Bad Boy Records and built an empire that spanned fashion, television, alcohol, and even political activism. As well as a money-spinning artist, he founded his successful Sean John clothing line and starred in various reality TV shows. Most recently, in 2023, he released his fifth record The Love Album: Off The Grid and earned his first solo nomination at the Grammy awards. The same year he was also named a Global Icon at the MTV Awards. The verdict is expected to have wide-ranging repercussions for the music industry, where Combs has long been a dominant figure. He discovered The Notorious B.I.G., launched multi-platinum careers, and amassed a personal fortune through brand deals and entertainment ventures. Numerous artists signed to his label - some of whom were present at various points in the courtroom - have remained silent as the trial unfolded. On Tuesday, the 12-strong jury had come back saying they had agreed on four of the five counts. But jurors were unable to decide on the racketeering charge, which carries a possible life prison term. Judge Arun Subramanian heard arguments from both the prosecution and the rapper's defence attorneys on how to proceed, before urging the jurors to keep trying to come to a unanimous decision. The prosecution urged the judge to use an Allen charge, which is a set of instructions given to a hung jury to press its members to reach a unanimous decision. Over the course of the seven-week trial, the star had been accused of forcing women into days-long 'Freak off' sex parties. It claimed he led a sordid double life and used violence, fear and drugs against women. Throughout the trial, prosecutors painted a chilling portrait of Combs. "You've learned a lot about Sean Combs," Assistant US Attorney Christy Slavik told jurors during closing arguments. This included the testimonies of Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura, Combs' longtime partner, and another victim referred to only as 'Jane.' Both women described being coerced into so-called 'Freak Offs' - forced sex acts with male escorts arranged by Combs while he watched and recorded them. 'The rapper's abuse of Ms Ventura was 'constant and controlling,' Slavik said. During the trial, Ventura described to jurors how her then-boyfriend 'would smash me in my head, drag me, kick me, stomp me in the head if I was down'. Describing their time together, the 38-year-old said her former boyfriend subjected her to repeated physical violence. 'He would smash me in my head, knock me over, drag me, kick me, stomp me in the head if I was down,' she testified. When asked how often the abuse occurred, she replied, 'Too frequently.' Ventura recounted injuries, including welts on her forehead, bruises, and busted lips. She was also asked to explain the context of a still image taken from widely circulated surveillance footage of the InterContinental Hotel in 2016. Earlier, prosecutor Emily Johnson had told the jury that Combs paid a $100,000 bribe to ensure the video footage of the assault would never surface. Despite the hush money, the clip was eventually obtained and published by CNN in 2023. Ventura said the incident followed what Combs termed a 'Freak Off' - a voyeuristic sexual encounter arranged at his request. 'He would watch me have intercourse with another man,' she said, adding that Combs first introduced the idea within the first year of their relationship. 'Eventually it became a job for me,' Ventura told the jury. 'Sean set it up in the beginning. He was in charge.' She reminded the jury of the viral hotel surveillance footage from 2016, shown multiple times during the trial, in which Combs is seen chasing and assaulting Ventura in a Los Angeles corridor. 'This is what happened when Cassie said no,' she told jurors. Ms Slavik described the video as 'the moment the theoretical becomes real,' adding, 'The cloud of abuse was hanging over Cassie's head—always hovering.' Grim-faced jurors watched the footage once more as the video played in the courtroom. Combs kept his head bowed. His daughters shifted uneasily in their seats. They further argued that Combs used financial manipulation to exert control. In Jane's case, he allegedly threatened to stop paying her rent if she refused to participate in sex acts. 'He plied them with drugs. He recorded them. He used money, violence and humiliation,' Slavik said. 'Cassie and Jane did not want to have sex with escorts while the defendant watched.' She read aloud text messages from Jane to Combs, one of which said: 'I'm in fear of losing the roof over my head.' Another, sent ahead of a planned freak-off, read simply: 'I don't want to do this.' Combs's legal team called no witnesses and rested its case in just 20 minutes. Their primary strategy was to argue that the relationships were consensual, portraying the encounters as part of a 'swingers' lifestyle. The defence attempted to introduce text messages showing affection between Combs and his alleged victims, arguing that they undermined claims of coercion.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Justin Bieber Finally Addresses Rumors He Was 1 of Diddy's Victims: ‘There Are Individuals…'
Amid Diddy's ongoing trial for sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution, Justin Bieber is speaking out on rumors that he was involved with the disgraced music industry mogul. A spokesperson for Justin Bieber confirmed to People that the singer was not a victim of Diddy. 'Although Justin is not among Sean Combs' victims, there are individuals who were genuinely harmed by him,' the rep said in a statement. 'Shifting focus away from this reality detracts from the justice these victims rightfully deserve.' More from StyleCaster Hailey Bieber Finally Responds to Justin Divorce Rumors After Reports They're 'Living Apart': It's 'Very Difficult...' Will Trump Pardon Diddy? His Rival Is Convinced the President Owes Him 'Some Favors' When Sean 'Diddy' Combs was arrested in September 2024, a source close to Bieber said at the time, 'He's aware of Diddy's arrest and all the allegations. It's not anything that he wants to focus on, though.' At the time, his wife Hailey Bieber had just given birth to their son, Jack Blues. The source said that he wanted to devote all his focus on his growing he shot to fame, the 'Let Me Love You' singer cited Diddy as one of his biggest inspirations. He even called out to the record executive mogul for a collaboration in 2009 when he was 15. Though a collab didn't happen then, the two bonded after they were connected through Justin's mentor Usher (Diddy used to be Usher's mentor as well). The two hung out several times for over a decade and appeared to be close. Bieber was one of the artists featured on Diddy's album The Love Album: Off The Grid. He praised the Canadian singer, saying he 'has become one of the biggest superstars in the world! I met him when he was playing his guitar outside on the street. I'm honored to call him a dear friend and a brother. I never had the chance to work with him until now! God is the greatest!!' Justin gushed over the collaboration with Diddy saying that it was 'full circle moment' for him. 'I remember going to my brother Diddy's office to pitch him a song I wrote for him when I was like 14, sadly the song was trash haha,' he wrote on his Instagram Story. 'Fast forward to a few years ago Puff asked if I would freestyle something for his upcoming love album. Wild full circle moment, love you @diddy.' Diddy is currently going on trial in Lower Manhattan, which began on May 12. He pleaded not guilty. Diddy's ex-partner Cassie gave an emotional testimony on what happened during 'freak-offs' which were drug-fueled sex sessions. Best of StyleCaster The 26 Best Romantic Comedies to Watch if You Want to Know What Love Feels Like These 'Bachelor' Secrets & Rules Prove What Happens Behind the Scenes Is So Much Juicier BTS's 7 Members Were Discovered in the Most Unconventional Ways
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
When is Sean 'Diddy' Combs' trial and what is he charged with?
The trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs, one of the most successful rappers and music moguls in the US, starts in New York with jury selection on Monday. The charges against him include racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. If convicted, he could face life in prison. The rapper also faces dozens of civil lawsuits from individuals who accuse him of using his power to drug, assault, rape, intimidate and silence people. Mr Combs has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges and rejected the individual lawsuits as attempts "for a quick payday". Mr Combs - who has also gone by the names Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love - emerged into the hip-hop scene in the 1990s. His early music career success included helping launch the careers of Mary J Blige and Christopher Wallace - aka Biggie Smalls, or The Notorious B.I.G. His music label Bad Boy Records became one of the most important labels in rap and expanded to include Faith Evans, Ma$e, 112, Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez. Mr Combs also had a prolific business career outside of music, including a deal with British drinks company Diageo to promote the French vodka brand Cîroc. In 2023, he released his fifth record The Love Album: Off The Grid and earned his first solo nomination at the Grammy awards. He also was named a Global Icon at the MTV Awards. In the federal criminal case, Mr Combs is charged with racketeering conspiracy, two charges of sex trafficking and two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. Many of the most severe allegations relate to the racketeering conspiracy charge. It includes accusations of kidnapping, drugging, and coercing women into sexual activities, sometimes using firearms or threats of violence. In a raid on his Los Angeles mansion, police found supplies that they said were intended for use in orgies known as 'freak offs', including drugs and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil. Separately, Mr Combs faces a number of lawsuits accusing him of rape and assault. Tony Buzbee, a Texas lawyer handling some of these cases, said that more than 100 women and men from across the US have either filed lawsuits against the rap mogul or will do so. In December 2023, a woman known in court papers as Jane Doe alleged that she was "gang raped" by Mr Combs and others in 2003, when she was 17. She said she was given "copious amounts of drugs and alcohol" before the attack. Mr Combs' legal team dismissed the flurry of lawsuits as "clear attempts to garner publicity." 'He thought of himself as a king': The parties that led to Diddy's downfall Sean 'Diddy' Combs: Who is the US rapper accused of sex trafficking? His current legal issues began when he was sued by his ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura, also known as Cassie, in late 2023. She accused him of violently abusing and raping her. That lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount a day after it was filed, with Mr Combs maintaining his innocence. Since then, dozens of people have filed lawsuits accusing Mr Combs of sexual assault, with accusations dating back to 1991. He denies all claims. His controversial history with Ms Ventura resurfaced in 2024, when CCTV footage leaked by CNN showed Mr Combs kicking his former girlfriend as she lay on a hotel hallway floor in 2016. He apologised for his behaviour, saying: "I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I was disgusted then when I did it. I'm disgusted now." Diddy's violence left me broken, says Cassie 'Studio sex' and 'hitman threats': Insiders speak out about Diddy's 90s music empire Mr Combs has consistently denied the allegations made against him in the civil lawsuits, describing them as "sickening" and suggesting they were made by "individuals looking for a quick payday". In a statement to the BBC about the federal criminal charges, his lawyer said: "Mr Combs and his legal team have full confidence in the facts and the integrity of the judicial process. "In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr Combs never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone - man or woman, adult or minor." Diddy's lawyers later filed a motion to dismiss one part of the federal indictment in which he is accused of transportation to engage in prostitution. His team argued he was being unfairly targeted due to his race. In a hearing in New York a week before the trial, his attorneys told the court that the rapper led the "lifestyle" of a "swinger" and was not a criminal. They said he thought it was "appropriate" to have multiple sex partners, including sex workers. At the same hearing, prosecutors revealed that Mr Combs had rejected a plea deal. Mr Combs has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, since his arrest on 16 September 2024. His lawyers have argued for his release, citing the jail's 'horrific' conditions. Critics describe the prison as overcrowded and understaffed, with a culture of violence. A New York federal judge denied the bail request, describing Mr Combs as a 'serious flight risk'. Prosecutors have alleged that Mr Combs has been breaking prison rules by contacting potential witnesses. They accuse him of "relentless efforts" to "corruptly influence witness testimony". 'Chaos reigns' - the notorious jail holding Sean 'Diddy' Combs The trial is scheduled to begin on Monday. The first days of the trial will consist of jury selection, with the trial starting in earnest after the panel of 12 jurors and six alternates is selected. Prosecutor Emily Johnson told the judge that the government will need three weeks to present its case. Defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo said the rapper's team will need a week for theirs. Mr Combs' trial will take place in front of US District Judge Arun Subramanian at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan courthouse in lower Manhattan. The trial is expected to be open to the public, but won't be streamed online. Cameras, phones and electronic devices are normally not allowed in US federal courtrooms. Mr Combs faces up to life in prison if convicted on the racketeering charge. He faces another statutory minimum sentence of 15 years if he is found guilty of sex trafficking. Transportation for purposes of prostitution carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
