Diddy Trial Underway with Serious Allegations and Celebrity Witnesses
Content Warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual assault, abuse, and graphic sexual content. If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual violence, help is available. Contact the National…
Content Warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual assault, abuse, and graphic sexual content. If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual violence, help is available. Contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit RAINN.org for support.
The federal criminal trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs has officially started, and the courtroom is already hearing disturbing testimony. On Monday (May 12), a jury was finalized — 12 jurors and 6 alternates — and prosecutors immediately laid out their case with shocking claims.
According to federal prosecutors, Diddy forced his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura and another woman to take part in sex parties he called “freak offs,” involving male sex workers. One of the most disturbing accusations is that Diddy made a sex worker urinate in Cassie's mouth during one of these events.
They also claim Diddy was violent toward the women and sexually assaulted a former assistant.
Diddy’s defense team told jurors that everything that happened was consensual and said the women involved chose to be in those relationships. “Don’t judge him for his sexual preferences,” they said.
The trial's first witness was a security guard from a Los Angeles hotel where surveillance video reportedly shows Diddy beating Cassie. The guard testified that Diddy tried to bribe him to stay silent. Diddy’s lawyers responded by saying he only offered money because a vase was broken during the incident.
Next on the stand was a male sex worker, who described how Diddy supposedly directed the “freak offs,” watched the acts while masturbating, and got upset once because not enough baby oil was used. He also testified that Diddy told him to pee in Cassie's mouth — and that Cassie was the one who paid for his services.
The testimony was so graphic that Diddy’s three daughters left the courtroom during this part. They were later seen chatting with Diddy’s mother, Janice Combs, and eating chips during a break.
Diddy, the founder of Bad Boy Records, is facing five serious federal charges: two counts of sex trafficking, two for transporting people to engage in prostitution, and one count of racketeering conspiracy. He has pled not guilty. His legal team insists Diddy is “a swinger, not a criminal.”
More celebrity witnesses could appear soon. Aubrey O'Day — a former member of the girl group Danity Kane, formed by Diddy on MTV’s Making the Band — has been subpoenaed to testify. A source familiar with the situation confirmed this to USA TODAY, though they were not authorized to speak publicly.
O’Day hinted at her arrival in New York by posting on Instagram Stories: “Hey New York!!! Where y’all think I should head first?” with a scales of justice emoji.
Another Danity Kane member, Dawn Richard, is also expected to testify once questioning of Cassie concludes. Richard has filed her own lawsuit against Diddy, accusing him of groping, assaulting, and imprisoning her.
