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Summary
Sean “Diddy” Combs' trial on federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges has begun in New York. Prosecutors report that he ran a violent criminal enterprise for decades, which could lead to life imprisonment if convicted.
The federal sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial of hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs opened on May 5, 2025, in Manhattan with jury selection, marking the beginning of what is expected to be an intense and high-profile legal battle that could span up to 10 weeks.
Sean Combs faces five federal charges, including racketeering conspiracy, multiple counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and transportation for prostitution. Prosecutors claim that Sean led a criminal enterprise dating back to at least 2004, orchestrating a pattern of abuse involving threats, violence, forced sex acts, and manipulation.
During the proceedings, jury selection was briefly paused when Combs, appearing in court in a white collared shirt under a sweater and grey slacks, told the judge he was feeling “a little nervous” and requested a bathroom break. He has been held without bail at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Centre since his arrest in September 2024.
Judge Arun Subramanian questioned around three dozen potential jurors, assessing their impartiality and their ability to handle disturbing content, including graphic and violent video evidence. By the end of the day, the jury pool had been halved, with exclusions for financial hardship and personal biases. Another group of prospective jurors is set to be questioned, with the final panel expected no earlier than May 7. Opening statements are tentatively scheduled for May 12.
The charges stem from a sweeping federal investigation that paints a harrowing portrait of abuse. According to the indictment, Sean Combs reportedly ran a decades-long criminal enterprise that engaged in sex trafficking, forced labour, kidnapping, bribery, and obstruction of justice. The indictment accuses Sean Combs of coercing women and male sex workers into drug-fueled sex parties referred to as “Freak Offs,” which were often filmed with or without participants’ consent.
Four accusers are expected to testify. Prosecutors claimed that Combs used drugs, money, threats, and blackmail to maintain control over his victims. The indictment also describes violent assaults, including one incident where Sean Combs reportedly dangled a woman over a balcony, and an environment of fear extended to his employees and witnesses.
Sean Combs, through his legal team, pleaded not guilty to all charges, claiming that the relationships were “consensual.” His attorney, Marc Agnifilo, previewed the defence strategy by describing Combs’ lifestyle as that of a “swinger,” suggesting that the events in question were part of consensual adult encounters.
However, a key piece of evidence in the trial is expected to be surveillance footage from a 2016 incident at a Los Angeles hotel, where Sean Combs is seen violently attacking his then-girlfriend, singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura. The footage, published by CNN in 2024, shows Combs throwing, kicking, and dragging Ventura. She later filed a lawsuit in 2023 calling him out for rape and physical abuse, which Sean Diddy settled the day after it was filled.
If convicted on all counts, Combs could face a maximum sentence of life in prison. The RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations) statute under which he is being prosecuted has increasingly been used in sexual abuse cases, including the successful conviction of R. Kelly.
As jury selection continues, all eyes remain on Manhattan federal court, where a once-celebrated mogul now faces the possibility of life behind bars.
