P Diddy guilty of prostitution, acquitted in serious charges of sex trafficking, racketeering: Trial recap in PICS
Sean “Diddy” Combs was acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking on Wednesday (Jul 2). The jurors found him guilty of prostitution. He could have faced a life in prison if convicted of the other counts. Now, he might get up to 20 years in jail. Here is a trial recap:
Sean Combs and Cassie Ventura when they were dating.
Defence and prosecution lawyers have rested their cases in the federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial of disgraced hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs that ran from May 12 to Tuesday (June 25), with the closing arguments and final verdict expected in the coming weeks. He faces charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs has denied all charges. Here is the trial in short, told through testimonies and pictures from the courthouse.
Diddy and Cassie Ventura during better days
Cassie Ventura, Combs’ former girlfriend, was the key prosecution witness. Testifying for four days, she described her decade-long abusive relationship with Combs. She alleged physical assaults, rapes, and coercion into sex with male escorts at drug-fueled parties called ‘freak-outs’. On the specific incident that underpins the case, she recalled how in 2016, Combs hit her at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles. This was caught on security camera footage exhibited in the courtroom. Ventura also alleged Combs threatened to leak compromising videos of her.
Janice Combs, the mother of Sean Combs, at the courthouse.
Israel Florez, a security guard at the InterContinental Hotel in 2016, told the court that he saw Combs and Ventura in an elevator vestibule, and having noted Ventura’s "purple eye". Florez claimed Combs offered him a bribe that he rejected. Eddy Garcia, a former security officer at the InterContinental Hotel, told the court of having accepted $100,000 from Combs for the CCTV footage of the 2016 incident and signing a non-disclosure agreement.
Regina Ventura, the mother Cassie Ventura, at the Sean Combs trial
David James, a former staffer of Combs, described how Combs allegedly groomed Cassie Ventura when she was young. James shared stories about ecstasy pills shaped like a former president’s face, and alleged that celebs like Usher and Jimmy Iovine saw Combs abusing Ventura, but did nothing. George Kaplan, another ex-employee, said he had arranged for hotel rooms for Combs under different names, like Frank Black, and after parties, cleaned up liquor bottles, baby oil, and what he called ‘brown crystallised powder’ from the rooms, an allusion to drug use. He also claimed to have procured drugs like MDMA for Combs.
Kid Cudi, a rapper, at the Sean Combs hearing
Kid Cudi (Scott Mescudi), who had a brief affair with Ventura, claimed that Combs broke into his home and arranged a firebombing of his car, after learning about his relationship with Ventura. Mylah Morales, a makeup artist who met Ventura at a photoshoot when the latter was 16, gave an account of Combs’ abuse towards Ventura, which she had witnessed. Capricorn Clark, another ex-employee, recounted Combs allegedly kicking Ventura in 2011 as punishment for her relationship with Kid Cudi, and how Combs waved a gun during an argument. Mia (pseudonym), a friend of Ventura and Combs' former assistant, alleged physical, sexual, and emotional abuse by Combs, including an assault at his 40th birthday party. The defence challenged her credibility.
Sons and stepson of Sean Combs at his trial in New York
Bryana Bongolan, a friend of Ventura, recalled physical abuse and threats meted out to Ventura by Combs. Bongolan recalled how Combs allegedly held Ventura over a 17th-floor balcony in 2016, and threw a knife at her. Jane (pseudonym), another accuser of Combs, recollected their relationship from 2021 to 2024. She alleged Combs forced her into ‘hotel nights’ involving sex with other men, described as part of a cuckold lifestyle. She recounted how in 2024, Combs threw water at her and called her names for saying she was tired. Brendan Paul, another ex-aide, described having set up “wild king nights”. He claimed Jane was a willing participant in these events.
Sean Combs and Cassie Ventura, the key prosecution witness
Jonathan Perez, an ex-assistant of Combs from 2021 to 2024, described organising “king nights” for Combs with baby oil, alcohol, and drugs. He described Combs carrying a Gucci pouch containing ketamine, molly and Adderall. DeLeassa Penland, a US special agent, said Combs arranged travel for an escort in 2009, boosting the prostitution charge against him. Joseph Cerciello, a Homeland Security Investigations agent, provided a 20-minute “freak-off” video among other exhibits, thus concluding the prosecution’s case.
Sean Combs, Cassie Ventura and the judge Arun Subramanian hearing the case.
The prosecution rested after over 30 witnesses, while defence called no witness. Combs himself did not testify, but denied the charges. Closing arguments are scheduled for June 26–27, 2025, followed by jury deliberations. The final verdict by Indian-origin judge Arun Subramanian is expected before the 4th of July holiday weekend.
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