Diddy Denies Sex Trafficking Allegations in Expanded Federal Indictment
By, springnewsng media limited April 14,2025
Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has entered a not guilty plea in response to an expanded federal indictment that accuses him of sex trafficking, racketeering, and other criminal charges.
The 55-year-old appeared in a Manhattan federal court before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, where he formally denied five criminal counts. This marks an update from an earlier indictment, in which Combs had also pleaded not guilty to three initial charges.
Combs’ attorneys maintain the allegations stem from consensual relationships, noting that the claims are not new and involve individuals who were formerly in long-term relationships with him. “These are not new allegations or accusers,” his legal team emphasized earlier this month.
A trial is on the horizon, with jury selection scheduled for May 5 and opening statements expected by May 12. However, Combs’ defense team may seek a short delay to review critical emails tied to one of the alleged victims. Judge Subramanian has requested that any motion to postpone the trial be submitted within two days. “We are a freight train moving toward trial,” the judge asserted.
Federal prosecutors allege that from 2004 to 2024, Combs exploited his business empire to orchestrate the sexual abuse and trafficking of women. The indictment accuses him of organizing and filming sexual encounters—referred to as “freak offs”—with both women and male sex workers, some of whom were allegedly transported across state lines.
Combs is currently detained in a Brooklyn federal facility. In addition to the criminal case, he is facing multiple civil lawsuits from men and women accusing him of sexual misconduct.
His legal team has rejected the accusations, stating that all interactions were consensual. Lead defense attorney Marc Agnifilo emphasized that no one was ever coerced, and described the controversial “freak offs” as mutual encounters.
Combs, also known by stage names Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, is the founder of Bad Boy Records and helped launch the careers of stars like Usher, Mary J. Blige, and the Notorious B.I.G.
Despite his public acclaim, prosecutors allege that Combs led a hidden life of abuse. They referenced a 2016 hotel incident caught on security footage, which reportedly shows him kicking and assaulting a woman. In 2023, CNN released video evidence of Combs attacking singer Cassie Ventura—his former partner of 11 years. While Combs later issued a public apology, his lawyers contend that the footage does not prove criminal behavior or human trafficking, calling the relationship “toxic but loving.”
