The 24th Rapper Judgment Day Sean “Diddy” Combs He started on Monday (16) and has heard more than witnesses.
Although the prosecution has summoned more than 30 witnesses, the case against the tycoon was based mainly on some people who accused him of sexual trafficking, prostitution, kidnapping, criminal fire, forced labor and much more.
Combs, 55, declared innocent of an accusation of conspiracy for extortion, two accusations of sex trafficking, and two shipping charges to engage in prostitution.
Check out who are the main witnesses of P. Diddy’s trial so far:
Ex-girlfriends, former employees, a hotel security guard and a rapper are among the main witnesses so far and the trial should initially last around eight weeks.
Cassie Ventura
Who she is: Cassie Ventura, a pop singer hired by Combs, had intermittent meetings with 2007 to 2018 Combs.
What she said: Ventura that the rapper used physical violence, threats and blackmail to coerce her to participate in sexual meetings with male, drug-watered, known as. These meetings took place in hotels in the United States and even abroad, she witnessed.
“It came to a point where I just didn’t feel I had a lot of choice, I didn’t really know what a ‘no’ could be or what a ‘no’ could transform,” she witnessed.
In a remarkable incident, Combs assaulted and kicked Ventura at the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles in March 2016, which was Ventura witnessed that the aggression occurred after she left a “Freak Off” before “ending”. The jury watched the assault video several times. In his statement, Ventura also accused Combs of raping it in 2018.
Why does that matter: Their allegations are essential for Contagem 1, conspiracy for extortion; Counting 2, sexual traffic; and Count 3, transport to get involved in prostitution; of the substitute prosecution of Combs.
Defense position: In its initial statement, the defense acknowledged that Combs used violence against romantic partners and had a “different” sex life. But they argued that these acts were committed due to their jealousy and drug and alcohol use – not to coercive Ventura to participate in “freak offs”. They said Ventura consented to these sexual encounters.
In the interrogation, the defense contested the accusation of Ventura rape and highlighted the $ 20 million financial agreement she received from Combs, as well as the $ 10 million she expected to receive from the Intercontinental Hotel. They also questioned Ventura about the role of jealousy and drugs in their relationship.
“Jane”
Who she is: A woman who witnessed under the pseudonym “jane”-identified as “victim-2” in the Comb prosecution-who had an intimate relationship with the 2021 to 2024 Magnata.
What she said: Jane witnessed that Combs pressed her and, to which she referred to “hotel nights.” She said she was frustrated over time with these “hotel nights”, but she felt “thank you” to keep participating because he threatened to cut her financially and because she wanted to spend time with him.
“That was the only option given to me and I wanted to see my lover,” she witnessed.
She said these meetings took place across the country and on Turks and Caicos, and that men were taken by plane to participate. She also witnessed that Combs gave her drugs during the “nights at the hotel” and that he called his advisers to bring more drugs when he was without.
Last year, as they fought over another woman, Jane pushed Combs head against a marble counter and threw candles on her, according to her statement. Combs then kicked several doors to get to her, strangled her and assaulted her, according to her statement. Jane said Combs insisted that she would participate in a “hotel night” with another man, although she said “I don’t want”.
Why does that matter: Their allegations are essential for Contagem 1, conspiracy for extortion; Count 4, Sexual Trafficking; and Count 5, transportation to get involved in prostitution; of the substitute prosecution of Combs.
Defense position: As in Ventura’s case, the defense, in his opening statement, said Jane was a “voluntary participant” of these sexual encounters, which they described as “as a threesome to consensual.”
“The tests will show that she is a capable and strong woman who was voluntarily involved in their sex life so that they could spend time together,” said Defense Lawyer Teny Geragos in his initial statement about Jane. “This is just not sexual trafficking.”
At this point, Jane witnessed that there were aspects of the “hotel nights” she enjoyed, especially when she could spend time alone with Combs before and after. She also witnessed that Combs still pays her $ 10,000 monthly rent and still pays her lawyer. She testified that Combs transferred her about $ 150,000 in the relationship.
“Mia”
Who she is: A woman who witnessed under the pseudonym “Mia” and who worked for Combs, including her personal assistant, from 2009 to 2017.
What she said: For three days at the Witness Bank, Mia witnessed that Combs assaulted her physically and sexually several times during her employment and used her business empire to silence her.
Mia detailed several cases in which he said that Combs physically assaulted her, threw objects, or shouted with her. She described a “chaotic” and “toxic” work environment, where she was forced to work long hours with a few hours of sleep and was not allowed to leave the Comb House without his permission.
She said she “froze” and didn’t react and didn’t say “no” because she was afraid that Combs would fire her, ruin her future, or physically hurt her. “I couldn’t say ‘no’, like, about a sandwich, I couldn’t say ‘no’ to nothing. I couldn’t tell him ‘no’, Mia said.
Why does that matter: His allegations are essential to the forced labor element of the accusation of conspiracy for extortion.
Defense position: In interrogation, the defense highlighted affectionate text messages and support that Mia sent Combs in the years following the end of employment. In addition, defense lawyer Brian Steel asked Mia if she hired a lawyer to “join the #Metoo campaign to raise funds against Mr. Combs.” The judge kept the objection to the question.
Mia also said in interrogation that she had no contemporary text or conversation documenting the alleged aggressions.
Kid Cudi
Who he is: Scott Mescudi, known as Kid Cudi, dated Ventura briefly in late 2011.
What he said: Mescudi witnessed that his house was broken into and his Porsche was set on fire with a Molotov cocktail after Combs found that Mescudi and Ventura were dating. Porsche was irreparably damaged, he said.
Mescudi said he suspected that Combs was responsible. In a face -to -face meeting, Combs denied hearing the incidents, but Mescudi said he thought he was lying. Years later, Combs apologized to Mescudi for “all that bullshit,” Mescudi said.
Why does that matter: Mescudi’s allegations are for the criminal fire element of conspiracy accusation for extortion.
Defense position: No one was arrested either for the invasion or the criminal fire at the time. Mescudi also witnessed that Ventura had “deceived” him by saying that he was no longer with Combs.
Capricorn Clark
Who she is: Capricorn Clark worked for Combs and his companies from 2004 to 2018.
What she said: which Combs kidnapped her in December 2011. She said he appeared at her house carrying a gun and demanded that she go with him to “kill” Mescudi.
Clark said they then drove to Mescudi’s house, and Combs and a security guard entered the house. Clark said she remained in the car and called Ventura and Mescudi to tell what was going on. Then Clark said Combs threatened her violently if she told the incident.
In addition, Clark witnessed that she worked extension hours under the command of Combs, bought drugs for him, prepared his hotel rooms and witnessed him to assault Ventura. Clark also said that he physically assaulted her at a time when she expressed her discontent with the work.
Why does that matter: His allegations are essential for the sequestration element of the conspiracy accusation for extortion.
Defense position: Despite the supposed kidnapping, Clark continued to work with Combs for years. In interrogation, she said she met Comb lawyers last year and discussed the possibility of working for him again.
Eddy Garcia
Who he is: Eddy Garcia worked as security at the Intercontinental Hotel in March 2016.
What he said: Garcia witnessed that Combs gave him $ 100,000 in cash in exchange for surveillance video showing Ventura’s aggression at the hotel. Garcia said he signed the paperwork, including a confidentiality agreement and a statement stating that it was the only existing copy of the video, on the letterhead of the Comb company. Garcia said she shared cash payment with two other colleagues.
Garcia, who witnessed under an order of immunity, said he was initially not honest about the payment when he spoke to police in June 2024.
Why does that matter: Their allegations are essential to the elements of bribe and obstruction of the accusation of conspiracy for extortion.
Defense position: In interrogation, defense lawyer Brian Steel highlighted a section of the Confidentiality Agreement that included provisions about when Garcia could discuss the information with the police authorities. The document also said that he should notify the Comb company if he did.
*With information from Lauren Del Valle and Nicki Brown, from CNN Internacional
