Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs is back in the headlines—and not for his music. The 55-year-old hip-hop star has pleaded not guilty to new charges in a growing legal case that’s catching the attention of fans and the media everywhere.
On Monday, April 14, Diddy stood in a Manhattan courtroom and told the judge he’s not guilty of new sex trafficking and prostitution-related charges. These new claims involve a second woman, known in court as Victim-2. The updated charges add to three earlier ones from September 2024, making a total of five serious counts against the star.
He’s accused of things like:
- Sex trafficking
- Transporting someone for prostitution
- Racketeering (which usually involves organized illegal activity)
Judge Arun Subramanian made it clear during the hearing that things are moving fast:
“We are a freight train moving toward trial,” he said.
Diddy’s lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, said they might ask for a short, two-week delay. Why? He says prosecutors didn’t ask one of the witnesses to turn in all her emails—200,000 of them! Instead, she handed over only the ones she thought were important.
Right now, the jury selection is still scheduled to start on May 5, unless the judge grants a delay.
Questions for the Jury?
A big part of getting ready for the trial is picking the jury—the group of regular people who will decide if Diddy is guilty or not.
Diddy’s lawyers want to ask jurors some very personal questions. They believe it’s necessary because of the sensitive nature of the case. These questions might cover:
- Past experiences with drugs or alcohol
- Exposure to violence or abuse
- Feelings about people who have multiple sexual partners
- Comfort with watching explicit videos
His lawyer said people might be more open and honest if they answer in a private questionnaire instead of out loud in court.
But the prosecutors disagree. They say the questions should be simple and only ask what’s necessary to find fair jurors—not dig into people’s private lives.
What Diddy’s Lawyers Are Saying
Diddy’s legal team insists he’s innocent and that the relationships being talked about were consensual—meaning everyone involved agreed to them. In a past statement, they said:
“These are not new allegations or new accusers… This was their private sex life, defined by consent, not coercion.”
What Are the New Charges About?
The new charges say Diddy was involved in making Victim-2 engage in sex acts for money—and that she was forced or tricked into doing it. The legal papers use serious words like:
- Recruited
- Enticed
- Harbored
- Coerced
The prosecutors believe Diddy helped or encouraged this to happen—and knew it was wrong.
Even though these charges involve a second person, the older charges still stand. And the case is only getting bigger.
Who Else Is Involved?
There’s also news that Diddy’s ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura will be testifying. She’s not staying anonymous—she’s using her real name in court.
Earlier, Cassie filed a separate lawsuit accusing Diddy of assault and abuse, which was settled. But now, her name is coming up again in this much larger investigation.
What’s Next?
A pretrial conference—which is a meeting between lawyers and the judge to talk about how the case is going—will happen on Friday, April 18.
For now, Diddy is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn while he waits for trial. He has denied all charges.
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