Diddy allegedly forced 3 women into 'commercial sex acts,' revised indictment claims
Sean "Diddy" Combs is facing additional allegations of sexual abuse and racketeering, according to an amended indictment in the music mogul's ongoing criminal case.
Combs, who was charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution following his September 2024 arrest, was accused of victimizing a trio of women as part of his alleged sex trafficking enterprise in a revised indictment filed in the Southern District of New York on Thursday.
"Combs and other members and associates of the Combs enterprise wielded the power and prestige of Combs' role at the Combs business to intimidate, threaten, and lure female victims into Combs' orbit, often under the pretense of a romantic relationship," the indictment reads, according to court documents obtained by Paste BN.
In the original indictment against Combs, filed on Sept. 12, 2024, federal prosecutors claimed Combs turned his "multi-faceted business empire" into a "criminal enterprise," in which he and his associates engaged in kidnapping, arson and physical violence, sex trafficking and forced labor, among other crimes.
Thursday's revised indictment alleges Combs used "force, threats of force, and coercion" to compel his alleged victims, which include three unnamed women, to "engage in commercial sex acts." In exchange for their participation, Combs reportedly compensated these individuals with "monetary payments, career opportunities, and payment of rent and housing expenses."
Combs, who remains in custody at the Special Housing Unit in Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center, has denied all accusations against him. His upcoming trial is scheduled to begin May 5.
Diddy's attorney blasts 'ridiculous' indictment
In a statement provided to Paste BN, Combs' attorney Marc Agnifilo blasted prosecutors' amended indictment, noting it "contains no new offenses" in the Grammy-winning rapper's case.
"The prosecution's theory remains flawed," Agnifilo said. "The government has added the ridiculous theory that two of Mr. Combs' former girlfriends were not girlfriends at all but were prostitutes. Mr. Combs is as committed as ever to fighting these charges and winning at trial."
Diddy allegedly paid hotel $100K for footage of Cassie assault
Prosecutors claim in their amended indictment that Combs allegedly attempted to cover up his 2016 assault of former girlfriend Cassie Ventura with bribery.
The embattled hip-hop mogul, who dated the "Me & U" singer on and off from 2007 to 2018, was seen kicking, hitting and dragging Ventura through the hallway of a Los Angeles hotel in leaked surveillance footage of the incident.
Following the assault, Combs and his associates allegedly paid the hotel's security staff $100,000 for possession of the footage, the indictment states.
"When Combs' authority or reputation was threatened by the possibility of negative publicity or legal or law enforcement action against him," the filing reads, he and his associates "pressured witnesses and victims, including through attempted bribery, to stay silent and not report what they experienced or knew to law enforcement."
Although Combs apologized for his assault of Ventura in a May 2024 video, the rapper's defense attorneys argued in November that an "edited, manipulated version" of the clip was presented in court to derail Combs' bail efforts.
Prosecutors: Diddy engaged in alleged kidnappings, drug racketeering
The revised indictment alleges Combs' "criminal organization," which prosecutors now claim operated from around 2004 through 2024, employed kidnapping and drug sale in its purported racketeering efforts.
Combs and his associates reportedly partook in "multiple acts involving kidnapping," according to the indictment, which are chargeable offenses under numerous penal codes in both New York and California.
Prosecutors also claim Combs' alleged enterprise committed multiple offenses "involving the possession with intent to distribute, or, distribution of narcotics and controlled substances." Some of these alleged substances include cocaine, oxycodone, ketamine, the psychedelic psilocin and methamphetamine.
In a separate letter to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian on Thursday, prosecutors noted their investigation of Combs "remains active and ongoing."
Contributing: Naledi Ushe, Taijuan Moorman, Brendan Morrow and KiMi Robinson, Paste BN