Diddy’s Sex Trafficking and Racketeering Trial Scheduled for May 2025

Sean “Diddy” Combs, the iconic hip-hop mogul, is set to face trial on federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges starting on May 5, 2025, according to a ruling by a U.S. judge on Thursday, October 10, 2024.

The 54-year-old artist, known for his influence in the music industry, pleaded not guilty to a three-count indictment accusing him of using his business operations, including Bad Boy Entertainment, to transport women and male sex workers across state lines for recorded sexual performances, referred to as “Freak Offs.

The court proceedings took place before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian in Manhattan, where Combs’ legal team, led by Marc Agnifilo, raised concerns about what they called improper leaks from federal agents regarding the case.

Prosecutor Emily Johnson dismissed these claims as baseless. Agnifilo also requested a gag order to prevent federal agents and prosecutors from disclosing evidence to the media, citing a leaked video from 2016 showing Combs allegedly striking and dragging a woman. The judge has yet to decide on the gag order request.

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During the hearing, Combs, dressed in tan prison attire, blew kisses to his family members, including his mother and children, who were present in the courtroom. Following the hearing, he was led out by U.S. Marshals.

Combs has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his arrest in September. His request for bail was denied, and an appeals court is expected to hear his plea for release at a later date.

If convicted, Combs faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and could potentially spend the rest of his life in prison. The charges against him include racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors allege that Combs lured women by offering drugs, financial assistance, career opportunities, or promises of romantic relationships. He is accused of using recordings of the sexual encounters to blackmail the women into silence, sometimes resorting to intimidation tactics, including the display of weapons.

While Combs is not directly accused of engaging in non-consensual sexual acts, prosecutors have claimed that he physically assaulted women. His defense, however, maintains that the sexual activity described was consensual.

The trial is expected to last at least three weeks for the prosecution, with the defense case to take about one week. As the legal battle continues, Combs faces the most serious challenge of his career, one that could have lasting ramifications for his legacy in the entertainment world.