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Jurors who will determine the fate of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs
in his sex trafficking trial will be selected from today in New York City. 

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty on all counts, insisting
that any sex acts were consensual – but prosecutors say for years he
coerced victims into drug-fueled sex parties using threats and violence.

Potential jurors were shown binders with names and places related to the
case on Monday; one of them said they recognized actor Michael B Jordan and comedian Mike Myers on the list.

The music mogul has been held at Brooklyn’s notorious Metropolitan Detention Center
since he was arrested by federal agents in New York in September last year.

Jury selection is expected to wrap up in about
a week, with opening statements tentatively scheduled for May 12.
The proceedings are estimated to last eight to 10 weeks.

Follow Dailymail.com’s live coverage below

Mike Myers and Michael B Jordan are first celebrities named in Diddy’s trial

The first two celebrities to be named at Diddy’s trial were Mike Myers and Michael B.
Jordan. Their names were read out to a potential juror from a list of people and places that may come up throughout the trial.

The juror, a man who works as a licensed massage therapist, said he only knew the two through their acting.

Judge Subramanian said that the list of people and places runs ‘several pages’
and felt like an ‘appendix from Lord of the Rings’.
To speed up the process, he ruled that jurors would be given the list to review before they are brought into court and
questioned one by one before they seat a final panel of
12 jurors and six alternates.

The comments allude to the scale of the case, which dates back to 2004 and covers multiple states.

Diddy struts into courtroom with hands in his pockets as court begins

Monday kicked off the highly anticipated sex trafficking trial against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs who strutted into court today with a preppy look,
shedding his usual drab tan prison-issued uniform.

21:00

Man says he went to one of Diddy’s parties at just six years old

A six-year-old child attended a Diddy White Party in the Hamptons in the 1990s and was shocked by the inappropriate scenes on full display.

Justin Litovsky, now 30, said he went with his mother to an ‘afternoon barbecue’ thrown by the rapper.

Maya Litovsky, his mother, said: ‘There were bottles everywhere and naked women. I wasn’t sure if this
was appropriate or normal. I wondered about
how kids were allowed into the party to begin with.’

I went to a Diddy White Party when I was just six years old

Justin Litovsky, now 30, said he unknowingly went to an ‘afternoon barbecue’ in the Hamptons with the hip hop mogul, who is
currently awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges

20:30

Diddy’s lawyers claimed video of Diddy ‘assaulting’ Cassie Ventura
was ‘edited’

Security video of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs violently assaulting his former
girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel hallway was
‘edited’, his defense attorneys have claimed.

The video – which was published by CNN in May – appears to Combs, wearing only
a white towel, punching, kicking, and throwing the R&B
singer to ground at a hotel in March 2016.

Federal prosecutors have cited the video as evidence that Combs
was sex trafficking Ventura, as well as the danger he could pose to other
women if released on bail.

Video of Diddy ‘assaulting’ Cassie Ventura was ‘edited’, defense says

Security video of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs violently assaulting his
former girlfriend Cassie Ventura at a Los Angeles hotel in March 2016 was ‘edited’,
his defense attorneys have claimed.

20:15

Why 50 Cent has been sounding the alarm about Diddy for years

Rapper 50 Cent has made no secret of how much he dislikes Diddy over the years.

Now, in the midst of Diddy’s monumental downfall as he’s charged with a
host of sex trafficking and racketeering offenses, 50 Cent has capitalized
on their public feud by revealing he’s working on a Netflix docuseries which promises to tell all.

Read all about their long standing feud

Diddy’s feud with 50 Cent explained

In the midst of Diddy’s monumental downfall
as he’s charged with a host of sex trafficking and racketeering offences, 50 Cent has capitalized on their public feud.

20:09

Diddy jury will not be sequestered

Diddy jurors will be able to leave court and go home
after each day of the trial, TMZ reported.

“There are no plans to sequester the jury, which means you will go home every day after court,” the jury questionnaire obtained by the outlet
read.

However, jurors were instructed to “avoid all media coverage and not to go on the Internet or social media with regard to this case for any purpose.”

They are advised to avoid discussing the case with family, friends and colleagues until after the trial is done.

20:00

Judge ruled jury could see video of disgraced mogul beating up Cassie Ventura

The damning evidence is a big blow for Diddy, even as his lawyers
have claimed that the security tape of him violently
assaulting Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel hallway was ‘edited’ and ‘manipulated’.

It was also revealed today that Diddy plans to argue  he was a ‘swinger’ and
did nothing wrong during his sex parties, his lawyer
said.

Diddy jury will see the video of him beating up Cassie

The judge has ruled that the jury will see be able to view the video of the disgraced rap mogul beating up Cassie, judge
rules.It’s a big blow for Diddy as it’s damning evidence.

19:45

Top designer claims Diddy dangled her off 17th-story balcony

A fashion designer claims Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs
dangled her over a 17th floor balcony and she was only saved when Cassie Ventura intervened.

Bryana ‘Bana’ Bongolan sued the disgraced music mogul
for $10 million, claiming her also molested her and
detailed his frequent alleged abuse of his then-girlfriend Ventura.

The artist’s lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles, claimed the near-death experience was
on September 26, 2016, after one of Diddy’s notorious
‘freak offs’.

Designer claims Diddy dangled her off 17th-story
balcony

Fashion designer Bryana ‘Bana’ Bongolan claims Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs dangled
her over a 17th floor balcony and she was only saved when Cassie Ventura intervened.

19:29

More A-listers are dragged in court during Diddy trial

Other names mentioned on the list by a female juror who said she recognized
them were Michelle Williams from Destiny’s child, actress Lauren London – who was the girlfriend
of Nipsey Hussle who was fatally shot in 2019 – and rapper Kid Cudi.

Judge Subramanian said that the list of people and places runs ‘several pages’ and felt like an ‘appendix from Lord of the
Rings’. To speed up the process, he ruled that jurors would be given the list
to review before they are brought into court and questioned one by one before they seat a final panel of 12 jurors and six alternates.

Troubled A-Lister dragged into Diddy trial in dramatic jury
selection

He was one of several celebrities who came up in Manhattan federal court on Monday as juror selection began in Diddy’s sex-trafficking and racketeering case.

19:15

Inside brutal NYC jail where Diddy is being held

News of the allegations brought conditions at the jail
into the limelight, as it remains the only federal
prison in the five boroughs.

Reports of horrific conditions, rampant violence, and several deaths have since made themselves known, including those surrounding two inmates stabbed to death and another speared in the
spine with a makeshift icepick.

As such incidents occur, prison expert Larry Levine last week told
DailyMail.com Diddy is getting daily visits from a psych team for his mental health,
as he is stuck there for at least another seven months
– mostly in solitude.

Diddy’s New York jail is investigated by multiple
federal agencies

The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General
and the Federal Bureau of Prisons are among the
agencies involved in the ‘interagency operation’ at the Brooklyn jail.

18:55

Less than 10 jurors make it to next round of questioning in Diddy trial

Less than 10 jurors have made it onto the next round of questioning as most of them have replied that they are aware of the
claimsd against Diddy.

Four prospective jurors have been dismissed.

All of the jurors interviewed today by Judge
Subramanian were anonymous and only referred to by their juror number.

18:30

Cassie’s lawsuit started Diddy’s legal fall

Although dozens of men and women have alleged in lawsuits that Combs abused them, this
trial will highlight the claims of four women.

One of them is Cassie, who filed a lawsuit in late 2023 saying
Combs had subjected her to years of abuse, including beatings
and rape after they met in 2005.

Her lawsuit, which offered the first public account of
the Freak Offs described in the indictment, was settled in a day.
Four months later, though, federal investigators raided Combs homes
in Los Angeles and Miami and confronted him at a private airport
in Florida, seizing 96 electronic devices. They also found three AR-15-style rifles with defaced serial numbers.

The three-time Grammy winner was indicted last September.

He has since been held in a federal jail in Brooklyn after judges ruled
that he would be a threat to intimidate witnesses and victims if released.

Diddy SETTLES suit with singer Cassie a day after accusing him of rape

Sean Combs aka Diddy has settled a lawsuit brought by the singer Cassie just one day after she leveled explosive accusations
at the hip-hop mogul of rape and several physical abuse.

18:15

The FOUR key questions potential Diddy trial jurors must answer

Potential jurors in the trial of fallen hip hop mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs face a grilling by his legal
team and government prosecutors over their suitability to judge
his guilt or innocence.

And in revealing clues over upcoming testimony, DailyMail.com can disclose some of those bombshell questions that they
will be asked to determine if they make it to the 12-person panel.

Many revolve around attitudes to the sensational sex trafficking and
racketeering crimes 55-year-old Combs is accused of
– and their views on the hip hop industry in general.

These are the key questions potential Diddy jurors must answer

Potential jurors in the trial of fallen hip hop mogul Sean ‘Diddy’
Combs face a grilling by his legal team and government prosecutors over their suitability to judge his guilt or innocence.

18:00

Diddy warned a young Justin Bieber ‘to not talk about the
things he does’

A video resurfaced of Diddy, 54, and Justin, now 30, an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
together when the singer was only 16-years-old.

During the interview, the pair reflect on the friendship that they had
at the time, but one comment stood out to fans.

When Jimmy asked how they became friends, Diddy replied: ‘I think that we have become friends in a
strange way. It’s like Rob & Big,’ a reference to skateboarder Rob Dyrdek and his bodyguard Christopher ‘Big
Black’ Boykin.

He added: ‘He’s, to a lot of us, he’s like a little brother.
He’s not afraid to call and ask for advice. He’s somebody that industry
wise, the record industry is a strong family.

‘He’s somebody that we definitely have our arms around and
we wanna protect him because he’s genuinely such a nice person besides his talents.

‘He’s one of the greatest kids you could ever know.’

Jimmy then asked Justin: ‘You know, Diddy bought his
son a Bentley, maybe he could buy you one also while you’re at it.’

Justin responded: ‘He got me a Lamborghini. I haven’t
gotten it yet, though,’

Jimmy said: ‘When is that coming? That Lamborghini. We talked about this last time.’

In remarks which have not aged well, Diddy explained: ‘The Lamborghini for a day or two and he had access to the house.

‘And he knows better than to be talking about the things that he does with big
brother Puff on national television. Everything ain’t for everybody.’

Diddy warns Bieber to not ‘talk about the things’ they do
together

Diddy has been charged with a host of sex trafficking and racketeering offenses with upwards of 120 victims
already coming forward.

17:45

‘Freak Offs’ are at the center of claims against Diddy

Combs has been accused of arranging ‘Freak Offs,’ described
as ‘elaborate and produced sex performances’ arranged and directed by Combs while
he masturbated and often recorded them.

His indictment stated that some ‘Freak Offs’ would last for days, requiring Combs and victims to receive
IV fluids to recover from the exertion and drug use.

He has pleaded not guilty to charges of  sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution.

Combs’ lawyer claims the rapper was found with so many bottles of baby oil in his home because the star likes to buy in bulk like any other American.

Diddy lawyer’s explanation for why he had so many bottles of baby oil

Marc Agnifilio also disputed that there were as many as 1,000 bottles of baby oil seized from his
client Sean Combs’ home during the federal raid on his homes.

17:30

Timeline of Diddy’s allegations from baby oil ‘freak offs’ to the Cassie video

Heralded for decades as rap royalty, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs now lives alone
in an isolation cell in a notorious New York City jail – deemed too
much of a ‘threat to the community’ by authorities to be let out even after offering a $50 million bond.

It’s a stunning fall for the ‘It’s All About the Benjamins’ rapper, who was once hip-hop’s
wealthiest and most influential mogul.

But if the feds’ allegations are true it may be just be all the unlimited
cash, unchecked power and the Hollywood privilege that goes along with it that landed Diddy where he now sits:
facing a slew of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges that accuse him of presiding over a sordid empire
of sexual crimes and physical abuse.

Full Diddy timeline from ‘freak offs’ to Cassie to NYC
jail

Sean ‘ Diddy ‘ Combs now sits alone in an isolation cell in a NYC jail.
It’s a stunning fall. So how did we get here? Here is a look at the key events over the past year.

17:15

Inside Diddy’s debauched star-studded White Parties

In footage obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com, Diddy, 54, stands,
champagne glass in hand, like a dictator on his balcony as he calls in the quid pro quo for the hospitality so far
extended.

‘We fed you all, we gave you drinks, now it’s time to enjoy
life,’ he says. ‘This is a celebration of life. This is the real White Party.

Inside Diddy’s debauched White Parties with drugs snorted
off bodies

In footage obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com, Diddy,
54, stands, champagne glass in hand, like a dictator on his balcony as he
calls in the quid pro quo for the hospitality so far extended.

17:00

Diddy allegedly blew up Kid Cudi’s car

Combs allegedly blew up the car of fellow rapper Kid Cudi after he found out he
was in a relationship with his ex-girlfriend Cassie.

R&B singer Cassie filed a lawsuit in Manhattan’s Federal District Court
in 2023 in which she accused the rapper, who goes by P Diddy,
of rape and repeated physical abuse.

She claimed Diddy, 54, controlled and abused her for over
a decade, as well as plying her with drugs, beating her, and forcing her to have sex with multiple male prostitutes while he watched, masturbated and recorded.

The lawsuit was the beginning of Combs’ legal demise.

Music mogul Diddy allegedly blew up fellow rapper Kid Cudi’s car

Music mogul Sean ‘ Diddy ‘ Combs allegedly blew up the car of fellow rapper Kid Cudi after he found
out he was in a relationship with his ex-girlfriend Cassie.

16:46

Potential juror is dismissed over work at major book publisher

A potential juror was dismissed on Monday because they work as
a marketing officer with a major publishing company.

They said they are working with another hip-hop figure, Al B
sure, who was close friends with Diddy’s ex and mother of his children KimPorter.

Kim Porter’s ex says her secret diary is real in bombshell new claims

Kim Porter’s ex Al B. Sure! reveals in an explosive
documentary set to come out next week that Porter thought Diddy’s ‘soul had gone completely dark’ before her untimely death at age 47

16:36

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs childhood trauma exposed by best friend ahead of trial

Nestled in the sprawling suburbia of New York, a home with well-kept hedgerows and blooming spring flowers is the quintessential model of an American residence.

But this mid-century split-level home in Mount Vernon holds dark secrets that could explain the lead-up to the gut-churning accusations that disgraced rap mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces as
he waits behind bars for his sex trafficking trial to kick off on Monday.

This is Diddy’s childhood home, where neighbors told DailyMail.com that they
witnessed ‘wild’ parties there thrown by his mother, Janice Combs, that could have
been the inspiration for his later life of debauchery.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs childhood traumas revealed

Diddy’s neighbors from his time living in Mount Vernon, New
York claim his mom Janice Combs threw ‘wild’ parties that may have been the catalyst
for his ‘freak off’ romps later in life.

16:27

The rise and fall of Sean Combs

Sean Combs made a $1billion fortune by the time he turned 50 – but the rap mogul was
already making $1,000-a-week from his paper
round aged 12.

The former altar boy – aka P. Diddy, Puff Daddy, Diddy or just Sean – had a tough start in life where his
drug dealer father was shot dead when he was a toddler.

Rap impresario, singer, songwriter and seller of vodka and
clothing, Sean Combs is also a noted ladies man, never marrying but dating famous faces including Cameron Diaz and Naomi Campbell.

How billionaire Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs made $1,000-a-week as a paper boy

Former altar boy Combs – aka P. Diddy , Puff Daddy, Diddy or just Sean –
had a tough start in life where his drug dealer father was shot dead when he was a toddler.

16:17

Several potential jurors say they have seen news of Diddy’s case

Several prospective jurors questioned in court indicated that they had seen news reports featuring a key piece of evidence in the case:
a video of the hip-hop mogul hitting and kicking one of his accusers,
Cassie, in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016.

One prospective juror described a still image she saw from the video as ‘damning evidence.’ That woman was rejected from consideration.

16:08

Diddy tells judge he’s ‘nervous’

Midway through the process Monday, Diddy’s legal team requested a bathroom break.

When the judge asked if they could carry on, Diddy put up his
hand and said: ‘I’m sorry your honor, I’m a little nervous
today.’

15:44

Potential jurors did not show reaction to Diddy

Hundreds of prospective jurors have reportedly already filled out questionnaires designed
to elicit any bias they may have about the case.

None of the first group, consisting of more than 50 jurors, reacted when told that
Diddy would be the defendant.

They were led into court and as they did so, Diddy turned to face them and eyeballed them slowly.

None of them appeared to recognize him and they didn’t react when the
judge explained the charges and read out a number of Diddy’s names.

There was no reaction when the judge said that among the questions the jury would have to answer was
whether hearing evidence about sexual assault including
rape, hiring sex workers and having multiple sexual partners would make them unable
to serve.

Diddy stands with his attorneys before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian to observe the pool of potential jurors entering for his sex trafficking trial in New York City, New York, U.S., May
5.

15:40

Diddy faces life in prison if convicted

Diddy faces five serious federal charges: racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of transporting individuals for prostitution.

If convicted, the one-time rap producer and global superstar, who is often credited for his role
in ushering hip-hop into the mainstream, could spend the rest of his life in prison.

15:09

Judge compares case binder to Lords of the Rings appendix

Judge Subramanian said at the start of the jury selection process
that the a binder containing names and places related to the case was akin to an appendix to The
Lord of the Rings.

‘I have composed a list of prospective jurors who, based in their questionnaire answers, I don’t proposed to do individual Q&A with,’ he said on Monday.

‘The list of people and place is so long, I though it was an appendix to Lord of the Rings.’

14:57

Some of the questions posed to potential jurors

Have you read about the case?

Have you ever been involved in a lawsuit?

Have you worked in law enforcement?

Have you ever been accused of a crime?

Have you ever been a victim of a crime?

Do you have views of artists in the hip-hop community?

Have you been impacted by allegations of rape or intimate partner violence?

14:44

Diddy’s family not seen at court Monday

The rapper’s children and mother do not appear to have shown up for the beginning of Diddy’s trial.

Several of Diddy’s children, as well as his mother,
have attended pre-trial hearings but were not seen entering court Monday.
His sons Christian Combs and Justin Combs have spoken out
in support of their father.

Combs’s children Chance Combs (L) and Christian (R) and his mother Janice Combs depart a pre-trial hearing for at the Southern District of
New York Federal Court in New York on March 14, 2025.

Janice Combs, right, mother of Sean ‘Diddy Combs, arrives at Manhattan federal court to the
jeers of the crowd last October.

Janice Combs, right, mother of Sean ‘Diddy Combs, arrives at Manhattan federal court
to the jeers of the crowd last October.

Jessie James and D’Lila Star kept silent last October as they were
asked if they had ‘any comment’ over their father’s trial.

14:37

Diddy’s secret trial weapon revealed… as he prepares for the fight of his life

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has hired a secret weapon for his sex trafficking trial.

Diddy’s secret trial weapon revealed as blockbuster case begins

The long-awaited trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs begins in New York today with jury selection – and the
rap mogul has a secret weapon up his sleeve in the hopes of swaying the jury.

14:20

Juror privacy discussed as trial Diddy begins

Judge Arun Subramanian, the prosecution and defense
have been conferring on the best way to question the jurors to mantain their anonimity,
as reported by Inner City Press.

Potential jurors will be allowed to answer certain questions privately if they ask to do so.

They are expected to be questioned on how much they know about the case, as well as any experiences with sexual abuse.

14:15

Over 100 potential jurors will be considered

As many as 150 people will be brought to Manhattan federal court
to be questioned as a potential juror in Diddy’s criminal trial.

The potential jurors will be querstioned by Judge Arun Subramanian as well as by the prosecution and defense.

The jury selection process is expected to only last
three days, with 12 jurors and six alternates chosen.

Opening statements by the lawyers and the start of testimony are expected next week.

Diddy stands as he is arraigned on superseding charges in front of Judge Arun Subramanian.

14:00

Who are the prosecutors in Diddy’s case?

The the lead prosecutors in the Sean Diddy Combs case are Emily Anne Johnson,
Madison Reddick Smyser, Mary Christine Slavik, Meredith Foster, and Mitzi Steiner.

13:45

Diddy’s legal team asked for gag orders on victims’ attorneys
on eve of trial

In a letter filed Tuesday, Combs’ attorneys said despite their prior request for a
gag order, several attorneys who represent alleged victims and
witnesses continue to muddy the jury pool with ‘negative publicity’ towards their client.

Combs’ team specifically named Douglas Wigdor, who
represents Comb’s ex Cassie Ventura, for speaking to the media.

‘Absent a Court order, we expect the publicity to not only continue, but escalate as trial commences,’
they wrote in the letter to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian.

‘Indeed in recent weeks, lawyers for government witnesses have commented on pretrial litigation and continued
to broadcast prejudicial statements.’

They pointed to Wigdor’s comments concerning Combs’ request to keep the surveillance video of the rapper pulling and dragging Ventura by the
hair inside a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016 as she tried to escape.

Diddy’s asks judge to silence victims’ attorneys on eve of trial

The Bad Boy rapper’s federal sex trafficking trial is set to begin with jury selection next week.

13:36

Diddy’s supporters show up at court

A Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’s supporter wears a ‘Free Puff’ sweatshirt as he arrives at
the Southern District of New York Federal Court on Monday.

13:31

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs arrives in court

The disgraced rapper has arrived in Manhattan court for the beginning of jury selection on Monday.

He is wearing a sweater and a dress shirt with no tie, and wearing reading glasses.

Despite the levity of the crimes against him, Diddy remained composed and calm, hugging his lawyers
as he came in and nodding his head slightly when he faced the jurors
with his hands in his pockets.

For over two decades, prosecutors allege, the Bad Boy Records founder used the power and prestige he’d gained
in building a hip-hop empire to destroy young lives.

He faces an indictment that includes descriptions of ‘Freak
Offs,’ drugged-up orgies in which women were forced to have sex with male sex workers while Combs filmed
them.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs sits at the defense table before the start of jury selection at Manhattan federal court, Monday, May 5.

13:25

Will the Diddy trial be televised?

Unlike other high-profile cases, the rapper’s trial will not be televised as it is
in federal court.

Electronic media, including cameras, are banned in the
Manhattan court room.

13:20

Diddy’s bold new ‘mental condition’ strategy revealed before trial

The 55-year-old disgraced rap mogul will have a defense built
around his mental capacity to commit the crimes as his representatives are arguing that he was not of clear mind during the alleged crimes according to court documents.

According to court documents obtained by DailyMail.com, Diddy wants to have a doctor and Columbia professor Dr.
Elie Aoun testify on his behalf that he had a ‘mental condition bearing on the issue of guilt.’

The details of his alleged condition had been redacted in the documents but there are a few clues of what it could be but federal prosecutors do
not believe in its relevance.

According to the docs, prosecutors have stated that legal precedent requires the defense to give
proper notice before offering any ‘evidence of the effects of drugs and alcohol on a defendant’s memory or cognitive function.’

Another clue would be that prosecutors are describing the doctor’s potential testimony as evidence of the ‘defendant’s inability to control behavior.’

Diddy’s bold strategy revealed before sex trafficking trial

The 55-year-old disgraced rap mogul  will have a defense built around
his mental capacity to commit the crimes as his representatives are arguing
that he was not of clear mind.

13:10

Diddy wanted trial delayed but was denied

Judge Arun Subramanian ruled last month that Diddy’s trial would proceed as planned despite his lawyer’s
claims that they needed an extra two months to prepare.

Lawyers for the entertainer had requested a two-month delay, citing a need for more time to
gather information about trial witnesses and to cope with late additions to the indictment against their client.

But the judge, noting that Combs has at least four attorneys, said the defense has sufficient
time to be ready for trial next month. He said he
would not grant a delay and allow a ‘fishing expedition’ to seek more evidence.

Judge Arun Subramanian presides during a conference for Diddyahead of
his trial next month on sex trafficking charges, in New York, U.S., April 18.

12:53

Diddy’s lawyers arrive at court

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’s attorney Brian Steel has arrived at the Southern District of New
York Federal Court.

Jury selection begins Monday in New York in the blockbuster federal sex trafficking trial of the music mogul,
who stands accused of years of harrowing abuse.

12:45

Who are Diddy’s lawyers?

Diddy’s defense team is led by powerhouse lawyer Marc Agnifilo.

The defense also includes Teny Geragos, a partner in Agnifilo’s law firm,
as well as Alexandra Shapiro, Jason Driscoll and Brian Steel.

Attorney Anthony Ricco was on the defense team initially but has since withdrawn from the case.

Ricco, one of six attorneys representing Combs, did not offer any details about the decision.

Diddy sits with members of his defense team Marc Agnifilo, Teny Geragos, Alexandra Shapiro and Jason Driscoll for a conference ahead of his
trial next month on sex trafficking charges on April 18.

12:35

Huge lines outside court for Diddy’s trial

Dozens of people lined up outside the Southern District of New
York Federal Court in Manhattan as jury selection begins on Monday.

The hip-hop entrepreneur whose wildly successful career has been dotted
by allegations of violence will be brought to a New York courthouse Monday to be
tried on charges that he used the influence and resources of
his business empire to sexually abuse women.

12:30

Humiliated Diddy is forced to use ‘macks’ instead of money in jail

The rapper is roughing it inside prison as an insider revealed he’s been forced to use packets of mackerel, or ‘macks,’ instead
of money.

The disgraced 55-year-old mogul was well-known for
bragging about his cash and jewels…but is now forced to trade packets of the oily fish inside Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center as he awaits trial for sex trafficking
charges.

Diddy had an extraordinary fall from grace since calling prison his new home,
as the embattled music mogul has traded in his lavish lifestyle for lasagna,
snickers, Cheez-Its, bunk beds and monitored computer time without
WIFI.

Humiliating item Diddy is forced to use as currency behind bars

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has been roughing it inside Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center,
as an insider revealed the bizarre item he has to use as prison currency.

Who is expected to testify in Diddy’s trial?

At least four alleged victims are expected to take the stand during Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ trial this month.

The central witness in the trial is his ex-girlfriend Cassie, whose lawsuit against the rapper began his downfall.

Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, said at a bail hearing that Combs wrote ‘a very large check’ to
Cassie after she filed her lawsuit. The lawyer
said the payout motivated others to come forward with false claims.

Several of Diddy’s former sexual partners,
a business associate and a male sex worker are also among those
who will testify at the rapper’s sex trafficking trial in New York City.

Read the full list of charges against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

Rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces a slew of charges related to his alleged sexual
and physical abuse of women. 

12:15

Diddy’s lawyers claimed prosecutors were ‘polluting’
his trial

Sean ‘Diddy’Comb’s lawyers claimed federal prosecutors
were ‘polluting’ the Bad Boy mogul’s trial even before it begins and asked the court to block other witnesses
from testifying earlier this month.

The rapper’s attorney asked the judge to exclude ‘prior bad act’ witnesses from taking the stand in court, according to court documents obtained by DailyMail.com.

Combs’ attorney argued allowing potentially dozens of witnesses outside of the four victims tied to the rapper’s
criminal indictment would be the ‘worst abuses of the character
evidence rule in the history of American law.’

They also claimed prosecutors did not plan to divulge the growing witness
list until April 18 — just two weeks before jury selection for the high-profile case.

‘The allegations implicate dozens of unidentified witnesses and
alleged co-conspirators around the world — and some of the key witnesses
to the supposed incidents are dead,’ the defense attorneys wrote.

‘Collectively, these new allegations require many months if not years to investigate, and if admitted,
would require a series of mini-trials certain to double the length of a trial
the government originally said would last ‘three weeks’.

Diddy’s lawyers’ bold move stop more witnesses from ‘polluting’ trial

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ team of high-profile attorneys blasted federal prosecutors for attempting
to ‘pollute’ the disgraced rappers’ upcoming criminal trial.

12:00

Diddy has faced past criminal accusations

In 1999 he was charged with bursting into the offices of an Interscope Records executive with his bodyguards and beating him with a champagne bottle and a chair.
The executive, Steve Stoute, later asked prosecutors to go
easy on Combs, who pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and took an anger management class.

Later that same year, Combs was stopped by police after he and
his then-girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, fled a nightclub where three people were wounded
by gunfire.

Combs was acquitted of all charges related to the incident at a 2001 trial, but a rapper in his entourage, Jamal ‘Shyne’
Barrow, was convicted in the shooting and served nearly nine years in prison.

Then in 2015, Combs was charged with assaulting someone with a weight-room
kettlebell at the University of California, Los Angeles,
where one of his sons played football. Combs said he was defending himself
and prosecutors dropped the case.

Rap artist Sean Combs and Jennifer Lopez arrive for the MTV
Video Music Awards at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center in New
York on 09 September, 1999.

11:45

Video of Diddy beating Cassie will be at the center of his trial

Combs, 55, has acknoledged one episode of violence that is likely to be featured in the
trial.

In 2016, a security camera recorded him beating up his former girlfriend,
the R&B singer Cassie, in the hallway of a Los Angeles
hotel.

Cassie, real name Cassandra Ventura, filed a lawsuit in late
2023 saying Combs had subjected her to years of abuse, including beatings and
rape.

Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo has said Combs
was ‘not a perfect person’ and that there had been drug
use and toxic relationships, but said that all sexual activity between Combs, Cassie and other people
was consensual.

11:33

How Diddy’s appearance has changed behind bars

The rapper’s appearance has changed now that he has no access to
the luxurious of the outside like hair dye.

Since being locked up at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center following his arrest in September,
Combs has grown noticeably grayer and scruffier, and on Thursday
appeared in court wearing eyeglasses.

He was holding a black folder filled with documents and hugged
his lawyers, fist bumping with one female attorney,
Teny Geragos, and exchanging smiles with her.

He waved to a man in the public gallery but nobody from his family was present, unlike previous hearings.

11:22

When does jury selection begin?

Jury selection is scheduled to begin in the morning and potentially take several days.
Opening statements by the lawyers and the start of testimony is expected next week.

The 17-page indictment against Combs reads like a charging
document filed against a Mafia leader or the head of a drug gang, accusing him of en engaging in sex trafficking and
presising over a racketeering conspiracy.

The indictment says that with the help of people in his entourage
and employees from his network of businesses, Combs engaged in a
two-decade pattern of abusive behavior against women and others.

11:14

Diddy declined last-minute plea deal

The disgraced hip hop mogul confirmed that he did not accept the offer during his pretrial
hearing in New York on Thursday.

The specific terms of the deal were not disclosed,
but prosecutors said the Bad Boy founder would have faced less prison time if he had accepted it and been found
guilty.

His lawyer Marc Agnifilo told the court that the two had discussed the agreement last week and ‘came to a decision’ together.

Bespectacled Diddy was asked to stand by Judge Arun Subramanian who asked him if he had read the plea deal offer.

‘I have, your honor’, he said.

When the judge asked if he had ‘rejected the plea offer’.
Diddy replied: ‘Yes I did, your honor’.

Read the full story here.

11:07

Will Diddy have to wear prison clothes?

Diddy has been granted permission to wear his own clothes at his upcoming sex trafficking trial following a judge’s ruling.

The disgraced hip hop mogul can ditch the prison issue, tan colored top and pants when jury selection begins and for the remainder of the
case.

But certain conditions on Diddy, who has designed his
own clothing range and once won a prestigious fashion industry award.

Diddy’s lawyers made the application for him to wear clothes other
than those from the grim Metropolitan Detention Center, where
he is being held, to Judge Arun Subramanian.

In his ruling, the judge said:

The defendant Sean Combs, Inmate # 37452-054, will be permitted to receive
non-prison clothing at the MDC to wear for his trial scheduled to begin on May 5, 2025.

He is permitted to have up to five button down shirts, up to five pairs of pants, up to five sweaters, up to five pairs of socks, and up to two pairs of shoes without laces to wear to
court.

Before his fall from grace Diddy was considered one of the most fashionable men on the planet with his own fashion line winning the Council
of Fashion Designers of America award in 2004.

Read the full story here

10:55

Jaw-dropping questions Diddy’s jurors will be asked

The jurors selected to decide Diddy’s fate in his high-profile sex trafficking trial will be asked a
series of unusual questions – including about their views on sex with
multiple partners, drugs and hip-hop.

Rapper Sean Combs, 55, is facing myriad civil lawsuits
alleging he sexually abused several anonymous complainants between 1990 and 2023
at star-studded events including VMA’s afterparties and his notorious ‘White Party’ functions in New York.

The sordid accusations range from gang-raping minors as young as
13 alongside celebrities including Jay-Z, to drugging women in order to sexually assault them.

Read the full story by Laura Parnaby here:

Jaw-dropping questions Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ jurors will be asked

Rapper Sean Combs, 55, is facing myriad civil lawsuits alleging he sexually abused several anonymous
complainants between 1990 and 2023. The voir dire
process in his case begins next week.

10:41

Will Diddy appear in court and what happens during jury selection?

Diddy will be driven across the East River by U.S. Marshals to the federal courthouse in Lower Manhattan, where
he is due to arrive at 8:30am EST.

Once there, District Judge Arun Subramanian is expected to begin questioning prospective
jurors one-by-one in a bid to seat a panel
of 12 jurors and six alternates.

Hundreds of prospective jurors have already filled out questionnaires designed to elicit
any bias they may have about the case.

Combs’ defense lawyers and prosecutors with the Manhattan U.S.

Attorney’s office agreed on about 150 who could proceed to
in-person questioning by the judge, known as voir dire.

Subramanian said in a May 1 hearing that the
goal will be to choose 45 potential jurors
who are qualified to serve, and lawyers for both sides will then have the opportunity to dismiss jurors without stating a reason, known as peremptory strikes.

The jury will be anonymous, which is frequently
the case in high-profile trials in which jurors could face threats or harassment if their identities
are known

10:28

Diddy was star of Met Gala two years ago..
now he’s behind bars

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs attends The 2023 Met Gala

Two years ago, Diddy was one of the stars of New York’s Met Gala, one of the world’s most
glamorous fashion events.

Speaking to reporters outside the Gala, which traditionally takes place on the first Monday in May, two years ago wearing his own Sean John fashion label, he told reporters:

This is Sean John’s [Met Gala] debut, as you can see. First time I designed in 10 years, and we’re feeling good.

But since then he’s swapped The Metropolitan Museum of
Art for Brooklyn’s notorious Metropolitan Detention Center.

Once a mainstay at the Met Gala, the 55-year-old’s downfall is particularly apparent today as jurors are selected for his sex trafficking
trial.

10:17

How case against Diddy came to court

Diddy and Cassie pictured together in Los Angeles
in 2017

Core to the case against Diddy is his relationship with his
former girlfriend, the singer Casandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura,
who is expected to be a key trial witness.

A disturbing surveillance video from 2016, which was aired
by CNN last year, shows Combs physically assaulting Ventura at a hotel.

Prosecutors say the encounter occurred following one of the
‘freak-offs’ they argue were a feature of his pattern of abuse.

The so-called ‘freak-offs’ were coercive, drug-fueled sexual
marathons including sex workers that were sometimes filmed, according to the indictment.

The floodgates opened after Ventura filed a civil suit alleging Combs subjected her to more than a decade of coercion by physical force and drugs as well
as a 2018 rape.

That 2023 suit was quickly settled out of court, but a
string of similarly lurid sexual assault claims against the Grammy winner from both women and men followed.

10:05

Charges facing Diddy as he awaits trial

Diddy is facing five felony charges, namely:

Racketeering conspiracy

Two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion

Two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution

The charge of racketeering conspiracy, the federal statute known by its acronym
RICO that was once primarily used to target the mafia but in recent
years has been wielded in cases of sexual abuse, including against the fallen R&B star R.
Kelly.

It allows government attorneys to project a long view of criminal
activity rather than prosecuting isolated sex crimes.

If convicted, the one-time rap producer and global superstar,
who is often credited for his role in ushering hip-hop into the
mainstream, could spend the rest of his life in prison.

09:52

Jury selection begins in Diddy sex crimes
trial

Hello and welcome to Dailymail.com’s live coverage as jury selection gets under way in the blockbuster federal
sex trafficking trial of music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs,
who stands accused of years of harrowing abuse.

Combs, 55, has been held in detention in New York since September last year and is facing five felony charges

Prosecutors allege the influential hip-hop producer drugged and coerced women into sexual activities with male prostitutes.

Investigators said they found drugs and more than 1,000 bottles of baby
oil that were intended to be used for orgies known as ‘freak offs’.

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty on all
counts, insisting that any sex acts were consensual.

Jury selection is expected to wrap up in about a week,
with the trial’s opening statements scheduled for May 12.
The proceedings are estimated to last eight to 10 weeks.

Stick with us for the latest updates throughout the day and to listen to our The Trial of Diddy podcast click
here.

CrimeNew York

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