Hip-hop mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has pleaded not guilty to a new indictment alleging he ran a 20-year sex trafficking scheme, forcing employees to work long hours and threatening them. The trial is set for May 5. Combs, 55, faces accusations of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
Combs was previously charged with similar crimes but pleaded not guilty. He founded Bad Boy Records, which helped turn rappers and R&B singers into stars in the 1990s and 2000s. Prosecutors say Combs used his business empire to abuse women between 2004 and 2024, forcing them to participate in recorded sexual performances.
Combs’ defense claims that the activities were consensual, but prosecutors argue that he maintained control over employees through physical force, financial harm, and psychological manipulation. The case is expected to focus on a hotel surveillance video showing Combs striking his former girlfriend, which the defense argues is misleading and altered.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/legal/sean-diddy-combs-be-arraigned-new-indictment-trial-nears-2025-03-14