Sean 'Diddy' Combs lived a 'double life running a criminal enterprise' as sex trafficking trial begins

Federal prosecutors opened their case against Sean “Diddy” Combs on Monday by telling jurors that the hip-hop mogul led a double life.

“This is Sean Combs,” said federal prosecutor Emily Johnson, pointing at the defendant. “To the public he was Puff Daddy or Diddy. A cultural icon. A businessman. Larger than life. But there was another side to him. A side that ran a criminal enterprise.”

Johnson said the jury would hear testimony spanning 20 years of alleged crimes, including kidnapping, arson, sex crimes, drugging, bribery, and obstruction.

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“During this trial you are going to hear about 20 years of the defendant’s crimes,” she said. “But he didn’t do it alone. He had an inner circle of bodyguards and high-ranking employees who helped him commit crimes and cover them up.”

The proceedings in New York began with the final selection of 12 jurors and six alternates. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian approved the panel after both sides used their allotted challenges — the defence dismissing 10 potential jurors and prosecutors striking six. The judge rejected defence claims of racial bias, saying prosecutors gave “race-neutral reasons” for dismissing seven Black candidates.

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to a five-count federal indictment, which carries a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison if convicted. He has been held at a federal jail in Brooklyn since his arrest in September 2023.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs faces sex trafficking and racketeering charges at his federal trial in New York, which kicked off this week with jury selection. Sean 'Diddy' Combs faces sex trafficking and racketeering charges at his federal trial in New York, which kicked off this week with jury selection.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs faces sex trafficking and racketeering charges at his federal trial in New York, which kicked off this week with jury selection. | AFP via Getty Images

Defence lawyer Teny Geragos began her remarks by describing the trial not as a complicated criminal case but one rooted in personal conflict. “Sean Combs is a complicated man. But this is not a complicated case. This case is about love, jealousy, infidelity and money,” she told the jury.

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She argued that prosecutors were attempting to criminalise consensual relationships and private behaviour. “There has been a tremendous amount of noise around this case over the past year,” Geragos added. “It is time to cancel that noise.”

She also told jurors that while Combs may be publicly known as Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, or Diddy, in court: “He’s going by the same name he was born with — Sean Combs.”

The defence has said Combs’ lavish lifestyle, while controversial, was not illegal, and that any group sexual activity was consensual. They acknowledged that the Bad Boy Records founder had been undergoing therapy for drug use prior to his arrest, but rejected the broader criminal accusations.

Brian Steel, attorney for Sean "Diddy" Combs, arrives for the start of trial at Manhattan Federal Court on May 05, 2025 in New York City. Jury selection begins in Combs' trial, who has been charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transporting to engage in prostitution. Combs has been in custody since his arrest last September and has pleaded not guilty on all charges. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)Brian Steel, attorney for Sean "Diddy" Combs, arrives for the start of trial at Manhattan Federal Court on May 05, 2025 in New York City. Jury selection begins in Combs' trial, who has been charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transporting to engage in prostitution. Combs has been in custody since his arrest last September and has pleaded not guilty on all charges. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Brian Steel, attorney for Sean "Diddy" Combs, arrives for the start of trial at Manhattan Federal Court on May 05, 2025 in New York City. Jury selection begins in Combs' trial, who has been charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transporting to engage in prostitution. Combs has been in custody since his arrest last September and has pleaded not guilty on all charges. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) | Getty Images

A key witness in the case will be Cassie, the R&B singer and former girlfriend of Combs. She sued him in 2023 alleging years of abuse, including rape and beatings. The lawsuit was settled within hours, but it sparked a wider criminal investigation and was followed by multiple lawsuits from others making similar claims.

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Prosecutors are expected to show jurors security footage of Combs beating Cassie in the hallway of a Los Angeles hotel in 2016. Combs later apologised, saying: “I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now.”

They also plan to present recordings from alleged events known as “Freak Offs,” in which women were reportedly filmed having sex with male sex workers. Prosecutors say the parties sometimes lasted for days and participants were left needing IV-drips to recover.

Combs entered court shortly before 9am wearing a white sweater, hugging his lawyers and giving a thumbs-up to supporters. His mother and children were escorted into the building ahead of the crowd. He stood silently with hands clasped as his legal team addressed the jury.

Jurors will remain anonymous for the duration of the trial, a standard procedure in sensitive, high-profile federal cases. The trial is expected to last at least eight weeks.

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