Deliberations have officially begun in the high-profile sex trafficking and racketeering trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs after he spent six weeks under scrutiny in the Southern District of New York. Combs, who pleaded not guilty, faces five charges including two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, two counts of sex trafficking, and one count of racketeering—alleged to involve kidnapping, arson, bribery and witness tampering.
Testimony revealed details of Combs’ alleged involvement in so-called “freak offs”—drug-fuelled, multi-day sexual encounters involving hired escorts and staff.
Former partner Casandra Ventura (Cassie) testified about enduring repeated violence and becoming dependent on drugs to dissociate during these events. Prosecutors presented a 2016 hotel security video in which Combs allegedly assaulted Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel corridor, then sought to secure and suppress the footage with a $100,000 payment to hotel staff.
Federal prosecutors called 34 witnesses, including ex-employees and partners. In contrast, the defence called no witnesses, resting its case after delivering cross-examinations which aimed to cast doubt on the prosecution’s narrative.
A notable moment for the defence was contesting an alibi where Combs allegedly dangled a woman from a balcony—evidence showed he was in another state.
Judge Arun Subramanian spent approximately two hours reviewing legal instructions with jurors on Monday, focusing on elements such as reasonable doubt, credibility, and defining racketeering. The jury, led by a Manhattan nursing home aide, now faces the task of determining whether Combs orchestrated a criminal enterprise and committed multiple federal offences.
Conviction on the most serious charges could result in life imprisonment, while lesser charges carry up to 10 years behind bars.
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