The federal trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs began Monday in Manhattan, drawing national attention to what defense attorneys describe as a private sex case, and prosecutors label a decades-long pattern of abuse and criminal conduct.
In opening statements, Diddy’s lead attorney, Teny Geragos, told the jury that the case against the 55-year-old music mogul centers on “voluntary adult choices,” not sex trafficking or racketeering. “Sean Combs is a complicated man,” Geragos said, “but this is not a complicated case. This is about love, jealousy, infidelity — and Sean Combs’ private, personal sex life.”
Combs, who is currently jailed pending trial, faces a five-count federal indictment including charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transporting women for prostitution. The Diddy abuse case is expected to last approximately two months before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian.
Prosecutor Emily Johnson, representing the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, countered that Combs ran a 20-year criminal enterprise involving “kidnapping, drugs, sex crimes, and bribery.” She said jurors would hear graphic and emotional testimony from several women, including singer and former girlfriend Cassie Ventura, who alleges Combs physically assaulted and exploited her.
Johnson also previewed evidence of a broader pattern of Diddy abuse, including video footage of an alleged assault on Ventura and testimony from other women under pseudonyms.
Geragos acknowledged jurors would see troubling images and hear about Combs’ volatile behavior but maintained that these are not crimes under federal trafficking laws. “The evidence will show a flawed individual,” she said, “but it will not show a racketeer.”
Prosecutors allege Combs used his influence, employees, and financial resources to cover up abusive behavior, coordinate drug deliveries, and organize coerced sexual encounters — referred to as “freak offs.” Combs allegedly paid $100,000 to obtain surveillance footage tied to the Ventura incident.
The courtroom was filled with media, spectators, and legal observers as the trial commenced. Combs, dressed in a gray sweater and collared shirt, appeared composed as he acknowledged family members and friends.
The case is being prosecuted by a team from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Emily Johnson and several others. Combs’ defense team includes attorneys from Agnifilo Intrater LLP, Shapiro Arato Bach LLP, and others.
