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'Young coconuts, Alfred's iced vanilla lattes': Sean Diddy's secret Wild King Nights messages revealed
'Young coconuts, Alfred's iced vanilla lattes': Sean Diddy's secret Wild King Nights messages revealed

Economic Times

time08-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Economic Times

'Young coconuts, Alfred's iced vanilla lattes': Sean Diddy's secret Wild King Nights messages revealed

Former staff members have revealed unsettling details about working for Sean 'Diddy' Combs, alleging a volatile atmosphere and unusual requests. Despite being found not guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking, Combs was convicted of violating the Mann Act. Staffers described mind games, late-night errands, and preparations for events called 'Wild King Nights,' involving specific items like baby oil and lubricant. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Sean 'Diddy' Combs recently found not guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking of Cassie Ventura and an anonymous woman. However, he was found guilty violating the Mann Act by flying people across the country for sexual former Diddy staff members have spoken out about their experiences working for Combs. As per a report of BBC, summarized by the Mirror, the staffers alleged volatile atmosphere, mind games, and unusual instance, a voice note allegedly sent by Combs to an employee WhatsApp group in 2020, revealed his attitude towards transparency."I'm not about to be transparent with y'all. There's some dark places y'all [EXPLETIVE] don't want to go. Stay where you're at."Senior executive assistant Phil Pines, who worked for Combs from 2019 to 2021, described his onboarding experience. He claimed Combs didn't speak to him for 30 days when he took on the job and said it was "like an initiation".Another assistant offered a stark assessment of Combs' behavior. "He was a very ill man with different behaviours, sometimes very aggressive, sometimes very sweet."Staff members also shared accounts of Combs allegedly playing mind games. An assistant, known as 'Ethan', recounted an incident where Combs threw his ring into the Atlantic Ocean. He said Combs told him to go in the water and get it. Ethan said he did jump in to rescue it, despite being at a formal incident involved Pines allegedly being summoned to Combs' residence after midnight. He was asked to fetch a TV remote from under the bed while Combs was with a female allegedly told the woman, "See? He is loyal and now he can go back home."Text exchanges revealed preparations for events described as 'Wild King Night'. In a text exchange seen by the BBC, chief of staff Kristina Khorram allegedly told Pines a bag needed to be ready in two hours for a 'Wild King Night'. She allegedly asked for a "drop off" of seven bottles of baby oil and seven bottles of Astroglide lubricant alongside iced vanilla September 13, 2021 Khorram allegedly text Pines: "Wild king hotel night tonight. Prep bag - you will be going to set up a hotel in like next 2hrs."Another alleged text message, sent on December 28, 2019, reads: "PD said he's going to need emergency clean up at the hotel once they leave and come to house. "Also he is starving - there is set aside chicken and shrimp creole and rice in the fridge for him."In another alleged message, sent in November 2021, Khorram text Pines: "Hey! PD still in hotel, but when you get to mapleton he asked if you could bring him stain remover (for a chair and couch) and black trash bags. And baking soda too he said. And a hairdryer lol."Another message in November 2021 read, "Hey! PD needs a drop off the following please:-4 of those young coconuts-2 Alfred's iced vanilla lattes (whole milk, extra syrup)-7 bottles baby oil-7 bottles astroglide-his Apple TV."Staff members have also alleged that Combs' drugs would travel with him internationally. They were allegedly concealed in a safe onboard his £45m private claimed, "Even if it was for a day trip, if he was going on the yacht for four hours, take all that stuff with you because he may use it."He claimed mushrooms, ketamine and ecstasy were kept in a Gucci bag alongside baby oil, lubricant and red lights.

P Diddy's hidden world of Wild King Nights and staff requests uncovered in texts
P Diddy's hidden world of Wild King Nights and staff requests uncovered in texts

Daily Mirror

time03-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Daily Mirror

P Diddy's hidden world of Wild King Nights and staff requests uncovered in texts

Sean 'Diddy' Combs was found guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution relating to ex partners Cassie Ventura and an anonymous woman known as Jane after a New York trial Staff have spoken out about what it was really like to work for Sean 'Diddy' Combs after he was found guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution. The music mogul has been denied bail and his sentencing will take place in October. This week, he was found not guilty of racketeering and of sex trafficking former girlfriend Cassie Ventura and an anonymous woman referred to as 'Jane.' As the verdict, decided by eight men and four women, acquitted him of the most serious counts, he dropped to the floor. ‌ During the two-month trial, the court heard how Combs flew 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. ‌ Former staff members appeared as witnesses during the trial as they detailed what they saw and how they would prepare for drug-fuelled sex encounters, which had been known as 'Freak -Offs.' The BBC has spoken to ex staff about their time working for Combs, as the Mirror rounds up the bombshells... Staff pressures Combs allegedly kept a tight control of his inner circle at his £36m Miami mansion, with staff claiming he was intense, demanding and volatile. He had a high turnover of staff, with more than 20 different house managers joining and leaving in just two years, a former estate manager told the BBC. In voice note sent to an employee WhatsApp group in 2020, Combs allegedly said: "I'm not about to be transparent with y'all. There's some dark places y'all [EXPLETIVE] don't want to go. Stay where you're at." Senior executive assistant Phil Pines claimed Combs didn't speak to him for 30 days when he took on the job. He worked for the music mogul from 2019 to 2021 and said it was "like an initiation". Another assistant claimed: "He was a very ill man with different behaviours, sometimes very aggressive, sometimes very sweet." Staff have shared how Combs would often play mind games with his staff. ‌ The assistant known as 'Ethan', which is not his real name, said one time Combs threw his ring into the Atlantic Ocean and told him to go in the water and get it. He said he did jump in to rescue it, despite being at a formal event. Another incident saw Pines allegedly called to Combs' residence after midnight to fetch a TV remote from under the bed while he was with a female guest. "See? He is loyal and now he can go back home," Combs allegedly told the woman. Wild King Nights demands ‌ In a text exchange seen by the BBC, chief of staff Kristina Khorram told Pines a bag needed to be ready in two hours for a 'Wild King Night'. She asked for a "drop off" of seven bottles of baby oil and seven bottles of Astroglide lubricant alongside iced vanilla lattes. On September 13, 2021 Khorram allegedly text Pines: "Wild king hotel night tonight. Prep bag - you will be going to set up a hotel in like next 2hrs." ‌ And another alleged text message, sent on December 28, 2019, reads: "PD said he's going to need emergency clean up at the hotel once they leave and come to house. "Also he is starving - there is set aside chicken and shrimp creole and rice in the fridge for him." ‌ In another alleged message, sent in November 2021, Khorram text Pines: "Hey! PD still in hotel, but when you get to mapleton he asked if you could bring him stain remover (for a chair and couch) and black trash bags. And baking soda too he said. And a hairdryer lol." Gucci Bag with drugs and lubricant Staff have claimed Combs' drugs would travel with him when they went internationally. They were allegedly concealed in a safe onboard his £45m private jet. "Even if it was for a day trip, if he was going on the yacht for four hours, take all that stuff with you because he may use it," Pines told the publication. He claimed mushrooms, ketamine and ecstasy were kept in a Gucci bag alongside baby oil, lubricant and red lights. The Mirror has contacted Combs' representatives for comment.

Diddy former assistant Brendan Paul testifies on FBI arrest and other allegations in ongoing trial
Diddy former assistant Brendan Paul testifies on FBI arrest and other allegations in ongoing trial

Express Tribune

time21-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Express Tribune

Diddy former assistant Brendan Paul testifies on FBI arrest and other allegations in ongoing trial

Sean 'Diddy' Combs' former assistant, Brendan Paul, took the witness stand on Friday in the ongoing federal trial against the music mogul. Paul, a 26-year-old former Syracuse University basketball player, worked for Combs for approximately 18 months beginning in late 2022. His testimony provided detailed insight into Combs' alleged lifestyle, including regular drug use and monthly sex parties known as 'Wild King Nights.' Paul was arrested on March 24, 2024, at a Miami airport during coordinated federal raids on Combs' properties in Miami and Los Angeles. Although Combs was released, Paul was taken into custody after authorities discovered 0.7 grams of cocaine in one of his bags. He told the court that the drugs belonged to Combs but said he initially didn't tell federal agents due to "loyalty." Paul was released the following day on a $2,500 bond, and the charges were later dropped. He has not spoken to Combs since. Paul testified that his responsibilities included setting up and cleaning hotel rooms used for Combs' monthly sex parties. These events, he said, required him to purchase supplies such as towels, lube, alcohol, sheets, and toiletries. He also reported once seeing white powder residue in a hotel room. Paul said he spent between $500 on drugs for Combs—such as cocaine, ketamine, ecstasy, and marijuana—on five to ten occasions, though he denied being a 'drug mule.' Paul's name has been mentioned in three pending civil lawsuits filed against Combs, including one by music producer Rodney 'Lil Rod' Jones, who accused Combs of coercion and alleged Paul helped procure guns and drugs. Paul rejected the criminal characterization and insisted he would 'absolutely not' work for a criminal. He described Combs as demanding, noting that staff were instructed to 'move like SEAL Team Six' and ensure Combs' satisfaction at all costs. The trial resumed Friday after a brief delay due to a juror's illness and the Juneteenth holiday. Federal prosecutors are expected to conclude their case on Monday, with the defense set to begin presenting witnesses Tuesday. Combs faces charges including sex trafficking, transportation for prostitution, and racketeering. He has pleaded not guilty and faces a potential life sentence if convicted.

Sean Combs' Ex-Assistant Testifies on Drug Buys, ‘Wild King Nights'
Sean Combs' Ex-Assistant Testifies on Drug Buys, ‘Wild King Nights'

Yahoo

time20-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Yahoo

Sean Combs' Ex-Assistant Testifies on Drug Buys, ‘Wild King Nights'

Follow all of our Sean Combs trial coverage Sean Combs' former personal assistant, Brendan Paul, took the witness stand Friday as prosecutors' penultimate witness at the music mogul's sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial in New York. More from Rolling Stone Wife of Weezer Bassist Appears in Court, Wins Delay in LAPD Shooting Case Kneecap's Mo Chara Granted Unconditional Bail at First Hearing on Terror Charge Tyler Perry Sued for Alleged Sexual Assault, Battery by 'The Oval' Actor The ex-staffer, described in multiple civil lawsuits as Combs' drug 'mule,' worked for the Bad Boy Records founder from 2022 until he was separated from Combs on the tarmac of Miami-Opa Locka Airport and arrested on drug former Syracuse University basketball player, 26, had came to court Tuesday morning to invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian said he would sign an immunity order, compelling Paul's testimony. Combs was not in the courtroom for the exchange. Upon taking the stand, Paul said was he tipped to the job by one of Combs' former assistant, Elie Maroun, who gave him a blunt assessment of the job. 'He told me to get in, to get out; if you have a girlfriend, break up with her; and you're never going to see your family.' Paul added, that he took this to mean that working for Combs would 'require all of my attention.' Some of Paul's key duties, he testified later, involved buying thousands of dollars worth of drugs for Combs, as well as setting up for 'Wild King Nights,' the highly choreographed sexual encounters also known as 'freak-offs.' When it came to buying drugs for Combs, Paul said he purchased marijuana, cocaine, Tusi, ecstasy, and ketamine from dealers named Guido, One Stop, Baby Girl, and Ovi. He said he bought marijuana for Combs every two months, paying $4,200 for 16 ounces. He added that he bought hard drugs for Combs less than 10 times. He said he would pay between $300 and $500 for one to two grams of substances, while other times he would pick up packages without having to pay himself. Occasionally, one dealer delivered the drugs to Combs' home. Paul said that after procuring the drugs, he would give them directly to Combs, or put them in a Gucci pouch where the drugs were stored. Once, Paul testified, Combs had had him try some of his tusi. Paul said he did it 'to prove my loyalty,' adding, 'I felt euphoric but did not feel the full effect. He asked if it was good … I said yes and then I kept working.' During his cross-examination, Combs' attorney Brian Steel asked Paul outright if he was some kind of drug mule, to which Paul replied, 'Absolutely not.' He acknowledged handling small amounts of drugs for Combs, but said he believed they were for the mogul's personal use. As for the 'wild king nights,' Paul said he helped with set up and clean up on a few occasions, though testified that Combs' former chief of staff Kristina Khorram 'didn't really want [him] involved.' He said he only knew of Combs' ex-girlfriend Jane (the pseudonym used by one accuser, identified as Victim-2 in the indictment) participating in the freak-offs. Paul said that he understood wild king nights involved 'partying, alcohol, sex, drugs.' While these encounters first took place at hotels, Paul testified, that Combs started doing them elsewhere after Casandra 'Cassie' Venture sued Combs in 2023. (That suit was quickly settled, though Ventura was one of the prosecution's key witnesses during the trial.) On the occasions he helped set up for these encounters, Paul said the necessary supplies were listed in a shared Notes app document. He said the items he packed for Combs included everything from candles and incense to condoms and soup, as well as Astroglide, liquor, and the Gucci pouch with drugs. He also testified to once packing $5,000 in cash for Combs. (The male escorts hired to participate in the freak-offs were often paid in cash.) After the freak-offs, Paul said the rooms were in 'disarray.' He said he would pile up towels and sheets, throw out empty bottles of liquor and baby oil, all while wearing rubber gloves 'for sanitary reasons.' The jury was also shown a photo Paul had taken of one of these rooms. It showed towels and sheets laid out over the furniture and the floor, with one towel sporting a clear brown-ish stain. Paul said he took the photo to give Combs' travel manager a heads up that there might be charges for damages. When asked about the wild king nights by Combs' attorneys, Paul said he considered them to be an 'like an escape' for Combs during his personal time. Paul said that he typically worked 80 to 100 hours a week for Combs on a starting salary of just $75,000 a year (which was later bumped up to $100,000). During one stretch, he recalled, he stayed up for the better part of three straight days while Combs worked on his 2023 album, The Love Album: Off the Grid. Paul said he took prescription Adderall, and sometimes cocaine, to stay up during the long days. 'I was young, so I was able to handle it,' he said. At one point during his testimony, the jury saw a screenshot of an iPhone note detailing Combs' schedule in February 2023. Paul said Khorram created the schedule, which largely revolved around the women in Combs' life — who was flying in, who was flying out, who had a hotel room, who was going on vacation with Combs — with other work sprinkled in between. Paul said that his primary job was to 'make sure' Combs was happy. He recalled Combs saying he did not 'take no for an answer,' and told his staff to 'move like Seal Team Six.' Combs once fired him, Paul said, after he forgot to bring his Lululemon fanny pack when they went on a walk. 'I don't want to see your face anymore,' Combs allegedly told him. (Paul said Khorram told him to lay low until the incident blew over.) Paul was traveling with Combs and the mogul's twin daughters when federal officials surrounded the group as they were about to jet off to the Caribbean for spring break on March 25, 2024. Unbeknownst to Combs, federal agents had swarmed his homes in Los Angeles and Miami to carry out search warrants in connection to the Southern District of New York's sex trafficking and racketeering investigation into Combs. While seizing Combs' electronics, investigators also searched Paul's baggage, finding cocaine and marijuana candy, according to an arrest report obtained by Rolling Stone. Led away in handcuffs, Paul was the only person arrested as part of the raids. While on the stand, Paul recalled his initial encounter with law enforcement about the drugs, saying he declined to say who the drugs belonged to out of 'loyalty.' Later, during his cross, Paul said that his 'heart dropped' when the agent pulled the drugs from his bag, because he hadn't meant to travel with it. 'I was sweeping [Combs'] room and put it in my bag and forgot it while I was packing,' Paul said confirming that it was a mistake to pack it. Last May, Paul struck a deal with Miami prosecutors that sent him to pre-trial drug diversion as an alternative to prosecution. His charges were dropped in December after he completed the program. 'Mr. Paul is pleased to close this chapter of his life,' his defense lawyer, Brian H. Bieber, told Rolling Stone at the time. (The deal was offered because the substance amount allegedly found was not of a 'trafficking' level, a spokesperson for the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office told Rolling Stone at the time.) Bieber issued another statement to coincide with Paul's testimony today, saying, 'He was subpoenaed to come to court and tell the truth, which he did — word for word. Now that Brendan has finally had the opportunity to tell the full story about his employment, we are hopeful that the last 15 months of defamatory statements about him will cease.' After Paul's testimony ended, and before the next witness took the stand, the prosecution returned to Combs' relationship with Ventura. They entered several text message conversations into the record, which showed how Combs responded to Ventura when she pushed back against him, the freak-offs, and his alleged abuse. One exchange was from May 2, 2017 after Combs and Ventura allegedly got into a fight after appearing together at the Met Gala. Ventura texted Combs, 'You hurt me so bad. You took all your anger out on me per usual. You dragged me down the hallway by my hair.' She added, 'I felt like I was dead last night,' and, 'I was scared of your rage.' She then reminded Combs that one of his staff members 'had to tackle' during the altercation, before stating, 'That's not love that's possession… Your love me shouldn't equate to what you 'do for me.'' In response, Combs said, 'You were negative all night. You don't treat me like the king.' In another exchange a few months prior, in March, Combs texted Ventura about hiring someone for a freak-off. The next day, Ventura sent Combs several messages that appeared to allude to another altercation: 'WTF really?… You threw out all of my shit … You beat my head in. Combs responded, 'I need to figure out how to nut out this dick,' and alleged that Ventura had 'started all of this.' She replied, 'I guess I'm not down with abuse. You hit me in my head a good few times.' As Ventura described what allegedly happened to her during the freak-off, Combs accused her in turn of not giving him the chance to finish. 'You had me rub my dick for 10 hours and not let me finish,' he 55, was arrested in September and has pleaded not guilty to five felony charges of sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution, and racketeering conspiracy. Prosecutors alleged that under the racketeering count, Combs possessed and distributed narcotics, including ecstasy, cocaine, oxycodone, and ketamine. If convicted as charged, Combs could spend the rest of his life in arrest came just weeks after music producer Rodney 'Lil Rod' Jones, who worked closely with Combs on 2023's The Love Album: Off the Grid, sued Combs for sexual harassment and abuse in February 2024. In the lengthy filing, Jones accused Paul of being Combs' drug 'mule,' allegedly 'acquir[ing] and distribut[ing]' drugs to Combs and his associates. (Combs has denied the accusations in Jones' lawsuit, and the case is ongoing.) Paul's name has popped up a few times in the criminal trial. On Monday, a compilation of text messages between Paul and Combs' longtime chief of staff Kristina Khorram, as well as other personal assistants for Combs, showed how the lower-ranking employees were expected to set up 'King Nights' at a moment's notice and deliver drugs and cash to Combs whenever he beckoned. Another former assistant, Jonathan Perez, told jurors last Friday that his tenure with Combs overlapped with Paul. One of the assistants' main jobs, Perez said, was to make sure a black 'Gucci pouch' that was packed with 'cocaine, ketamine, molly, Adderall, [and] Xanax' traveled everywhere with Combs. One of the mogul's recent ex-girlfriends, a woman who testified under the pseudonym Jane, also mentioned Paul in her testimony. She told jurors that shortly before she endured her first so-called 'hotel night' without the aid of any drugs in mid-October 2023, Paul allegedly whispered words of comfort to her. Jane said Combs had been growing impatient while she and Perez were out picking up lingerie costumes for the looming freak-off. 'He said, 'I'm just here waiting for you. What the fuck is taking so long,'' Jane said. Combs barked at her over the phone. '[He] called me a bitch from there.' When Jane arrived at the L'Ermitage hotel suite, Paul 'looked really upset,' she said. 'I remember that assistant was shaking his head and just saying to me, 'You don't deserve to be called a bitch,'' she recalled. Earlier in the week, SDNY special agent DeLeassa Penland testified Tuesday about the accuracy of evidence compiled in a chart presented by prosecutors. The chart contained 71 alleged instances of Combs booking hotel rooms for freak-offs with Ventura between August 2009 and June 2017. The chart contained the names of the male escorts and corresponding travel information if they were flown in from out of state. Penland said the data was compiled through bank statements, hotel and flight records, text messages, and videotapes. During cross-examination, Combs' defense attorney Teny Geragos asked Penland why certain alleged freak-offs weren't included in the chart — like the December 2011 freak-off that Ventura said ended with Combs allegedly lunging at her with a wine bottle opener because he discovered her romance with musician Kid Cudi. Geragos also questioned why Combs' name wasn't always listed on certain dates when alleged freak-offs occurred. Although prosecutors showed a few brief clips of freak-off videos to jurors for the first time Monday, Geragos went more in depth, playing 10 different clips taken from multiple freak-offs between 2012 and 2014 for nearly 20 minutes straight Tuesday morning. Jurors awkwardly fiddled with their headphones, tapped their pens, and held their chins as they watched the videos. Combs largely seemed unfazed, taking glances at the jury. At one point, Combs seemed to bob his head as if he were listening to music. Paul is one of the government's last witnesses, and prosecutors are expected to rest after their last summary witness as soon as Monday. The jury has already heard from several former assistants, who, like Paul, testified that they were expected to act as drug and cash couriers for Combs. They detailed his jet-setting, 'can't stop, won't stop' work ethic, which they were also expected to adopt. Two former assistants, Capricorn Clark and a woman using the pseudonym 'Mia,' stated that they would often go days without sleeping and were on call nearly 24/7. George Kaplan, who also testified under immunity, seemed proud to have learned from Combs during his two years as Combs' assistant but admitted his breaking point came after seeing two alleged violent episodes involving Combs and two different women. 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Diddy sex trafficking trial begins: Opening statements made, 1st witnesses called
Diddy sex trafficking trial begins: Opening statements made, 1st witnesses called

Yahoo

time13-05-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Yahoo

Diddy sex trafficking trial begins: Opening statements made, 1st witnesses called

The Brief Sean "Diddy" Combs is on trial for sex trafficking and racketeering after a federal indictment and months of investigation. Prosecutors allege Combs ran a criminal enterprise involving abuse, drugs, and violent sex parties for over two decades. His lawyers say the case is about jealousy and money, arguing his actions don't amount to trafficking or organized crime. NEW YORK - Opening statements started Monday in the trial of music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs. Combs was arrested in September 2024 in New York after being indicted by a federal grand jury on federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges. The backstory His arrest followed a monthslong investigation and after a flurry of women came forward with allegations of sexual and other abuse. RELATED: Diddy trial begins: Cassie video shown, male escort testifies Combs has been held in a federal jail in Brooklyn while awaiting his trial. He has pleaded not guilty. Combs has acknowledged one episode of violence — the caught-on-camera beating of his former girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie — his lawyers say other allegations are false. What they're saying Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson pointed at Combs as she stood before the jury. "During this trial you are going to hear about 20 years of the defendant's crimes. But he didn't do it alone. He had an inner circle of bodyguards and high-ranking employees who helped him commit crimes and cover them up." RELATED: Al B. Sure! on Diddy allegations, Kim Porter's death: 'She was in the best of health' Those crimes, she said, included: Kidnapping, arson, drugs, sex crimes, bribery and obstruction. Johnson described a moment when he suspected that his longtime girlfriend Cassie, a key witness in the trial, was cheating on him. He said he kidnapped one of his employees to help him find her. And when he found her, she said, he "beat her brutally, kicking her in the back and flinging her around like a rag doll." Central to Combs' sexual abuse, prosecutors say, were highly orchestrated, drug-fueled sex parties he called "Freak Offs," "Wild King Nights" or "Hotel Nights." The other side "Sean Combs is a complicated man. But this is not a complicated case. This case is about love, jealousy, infidelity and money," his attorney, Teny Geragos, began in her opening statement. "There has been a tremendous amount of noise around this case over the past year," Geragos told jurors, noting immense news media coverage and social media chatter. "It is time to cancel that noise." RELATED: Diddy's sex trafficking trial to begin with jury selection: What to know Geragos conceded Combs is extremely jealous and "has a bad temper," telling jurors that he sometimes got angry when he drank alcohol or "did the wrong drugs." But "domestic violence is not sex trafficking," she said, and being mean is not running a racketeering enterprise. Combs' sexual habits were part of a swinger lifestyle involving consenting adults, Geragos said. She acknowledged that some jurors might not condone "his kinky sex and his preferences for sex" but she urged them to judge the case with an open mind. Those sexual predilections, she said, do not equate to sex trafficking. What they're saying Prosecutors were using the trial's first witness, Israel Florez, a former security officer at a Los Angeles hotel, to introduce recordings of Combs beating his then-girlfriend, the singer Cassie, at the hotel in March 2016. Florez said that when he responded to a call of woman in distress on the sixth floor of a Los Angeles hotel in March 2016, he came across Combs, wearing only a towel and sitting on a chair "slouched down, like with a blank stare ... like a devilish stare, just looking at me." After Cassie left, Florez said, he was getting ready to leave their room when Combs called him back. Florez said he was holding a stack of money with a $100 on top, telling him: "Don't tell nobody." RELATED: Cassie breaks silence on Diddy assault video: 'Open your heart to believing victims the 1st time' Florez said he considered it a bribe and told him: "I don't want your money. Just go back into your room." After Florez got straight to the allegations of violence by Combs, the second prosecution witness, Daniel Phillip, took the trial to the allegations of sex parties. Phillip said he was a male stripper for women when he was called by Cassie to meet her and Combs at the Gramercy Park Hotel in New York in 2012. Phillip said he was paid a few thousand dollars for the encounter in which Combs was wearing a white robe and watching as Phillip had sex with Cassie. Cassie is expected to testify again on Tuesday, according to FOX News sources. Court is scheduled to resume at 9 a.m. ET. What's next The trial is expected to last two months. Dig deeper If convicted on all charges — which also include transporting people across state lines to engage in prostitution — Combs faces a possible sentence of decades in prison. Combs is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in hip-hop, but his indictment further clouds his legacy. For some, it may change their relationship to his music. Some experts believe the severity of the alleged crimes may tarnish his career moving forward. "The chance to just be looked at strictly in musical terms, and that being the defining part of his legacy, is pretty much gone," says Peter A. Berry, a music journalist with work in XXL and Complex. "You can't look at Diddy's music in a vacuum the same way you did before," he says. The Source The Associated Press contributed to this report. The information in this story comes from opening statements and witness testimony in federal court, including remarks from Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson and defense attorney Teny Geragos, as well as accounts from witnesses like hotel security officer Israel Florez and former stripper Daniel Phillip; it also includes background on the federal investigation, Combs' indictment and arrest, and commentary from music journalist Peter A. Berry. This story was reported from Los Angeles.

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