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The federal sex-trafficking and racketeering trial against Sean "Diddy" Combs commenced on May 12 in Manhattan, quickly turning emotional and graphic as harrowing testimonies unfolded. The courtroom, packed with media and family members, became tense as the first witnesses took the stand.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson, in her opening remarks, declared to the jury, "This case is about power, manipulation, and criminal enterprise. What the world saw was a mogul. What the victims lived through was something far darker." She alleged that Combs operated an organized network that facilitated sex crimes, kidnapping, drug abuse, and intimidation, stretching over two decades.
Daniel Phillip, a male escort, delivered a disturbing testimony, stating he was paid several thousand dollars around 2012 or 2013 by Combs' ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, to engage in sexual acts while Combs watched and masturbated. "He sat in the corner. I rubbed baby oil on her," Phillip recounted. The discomfort grew so intense that Combs' daughters—Chance, D'Lila, and Jessie—left the courtroom twice during the explicit details.
Ventura's own testimony the following day corroborated elements of Phillip's account and added further claims. She described being assaulted in a Los Angeles hotel in 2016 after leaving a "freak off"—a term for sex parties allegedly organized by Combs. "He shoved me, kicked me, and dragged me," she testified, voice steady but strained. Security footage of the incident, played in court, showed Combs assaulting her. His daughters remained seated but averted their gaze, while his sons silently watched.
Further shocking details emerged when Ventura said Combs told her, "You're not leaving me. You can't." She described attending the premiere of her movie The Perfect Match days later with visible injuries masked by makeup. "I had a black eye, a fat lip, and bruises on my legs. I changed my outfit to hide the damage," she told the court.
Combs, appearing in court in khakis and a grey sweater, blew a kiss to his family before proceedings began. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges, which include sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and transporting individuals for prostitution.
As the trial progresses, the prosecution aims to prove that Combs' influence and wealth shielded a system of exploitation. Johnson noted, "This isn't about one night or one person—it's about decades of deliberate abuse disguised as stardom.
