The federal sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs commenced May 12 in Manhattan, spotlighting allegations of abuse and drug-fueled “freak-off” parties. Prosecutor Emily Johnson, during opening statements, detailed Combs’ alleged coercion of women, focusing on his ex-girlfriend, R&B singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura.
Johnson claimed Combs once forced a male escort to urinate in Ventura’s mouth during a freak-off, per People. She further described a 2016 incident where Combs, enraged over Ventura’s new suitor, “brutally” beat her, “kicking her in the back and flinging her around like a rag doll,” according to NBC News.
Daniel Phillip, a former male stripper, testified for the prosecution, claiming he was paid thousands in 2012 or 2013 to have sex with Ventura while Combs watched, per NBC News. Combs, 55, faces five felony charges, including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
Defense attorney Teny Geragos, in her opening statement, admitted Combs’ history of domestic violence but argued it does not equate to the federal charges. “We will not shy away from the things he did, but we will not own the things he did not do,” Geragos told jurors, per NBC News. She dismissed claims tied to Combs’ “love of baby oil” as non-criminal, urging jurors to focus on the charges.
The trial, expected to last eight weeks, continues to draw intense scrutiny, with Ventura’s testimony anticipated. Stay updated with ongoing coverage.
