Sean “Diddy” Combs arrived in a Manhattan courtroom Monday (May 5) in a tailored suit and reading glasses as jury selection kicked off in his high-stakes federal sex trafficking trial, where he faces the possibility of life in prison.
Twelve jurors and six alternates are being screened to determine whether they can remain impartial despite widespread media attention surrounding the case.
Prospective jurors were first given questionnaires to assess their knowledge of the allegations and returned today for in-person questioning.
The Hip-Hop mogul has pleaded not guilty to five federal charges, including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking.
Prosecutors allege Diddy used his music empire to facilitate a pattern of abuse, while his legal team maintains the relationships were consensual.
At the center of the charges is a surveillance video showing Combs brutally attacking his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, inside a California hotel.
Prosecutors say the footage captures him grabbing, kicking, and attempting to drag her back into a room against her will—behavior that supports allegations of attempted kidnapping and coercive control.
The indictment further outlines an arson count against Diddy, over threats against rapper Kid Cudi, who was dating Cassie. Diddy allegedly told an associate he wanted to blow up Cudi’s car—and shortly after, the car exploded in front of Cudi’s home.
Though Cudi has confirmed the incident happened, the criminal case now frames it as an alleged act of retaliation tied to the enterprise’s pattern of intimidation.
Federal authorities also cite a separate incident where Diddy is accused of dangling her over a balcony and another incident where he supposedly burglarized a Los Angeles home, armed with a gun.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams confirmed that the government has collected hours of surveillance footage, detailed flight data, financial records, and statements from over 50 witnesses to support the charges.
Prosecutors allege that Combs used his companies—including Love Records and Combs Global—as shells to launder money, arrange sex trafficking across state lines, and fund violent parties where drugs were freely distributed.
Several of his close associates have been identified as co-conspirators, including aides tasked with recruiting women, transporting narcotics, and enforcing silence through force or payoffs.
Diddy’s defense has argued that the sexual encounters described by prosecutors were part of a consensual “swingers” lifestyle involving Combs and his long-term partners.
They’ve also pushed back against the criminal framing of those relationships.
Diddy, 55, turned down a plea deal ahead of trial, opting to fight the charges in court. If convicted on all counts, he could spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Opening arguments are scheduled to begin on May 12. Court will run from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the first week, then shift to 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. thereafter.—
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