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The sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs got underway in a Manhattan courtroom today.
And as expected, the wild allegations began flying immediately.
In today’s opening argument, prosecutors outlined their case against the disgraced music mogul, highlighting some of the most shocking accusations from his alleged victims.
Prosecutors discuss Diddy’s relationship with Cassie in opening arguments
Not surprisingly, many of the worst accounts stemmed from Diddy’s decade-long relationship with model and R&B singer Cassie Ventura.
What started as a professional partnership between the musicians quickly evolved into a romantic relationship in 2007. Prosecutors stated that Cassie “loved” Combs and “wanted to make him happy” by participating in his infamous sex parties known as “Freak-Offs.”
But in time, prosecutors claim, Combs began demanding more and more of Ventura, assaulting her if she took too long in the bathroom or tried to leave the parties early.
At one point, Diddy allegedly instructed a male prostitute to “urinate in” Cassie’s mouth, an act that made her feel as though she were “choking.”
Cassie is currently eight months pregnant with her third child. She’s one of more than 20 witnesses prosecutors intend to call to the stand, and she’s expected to testify as early as Tuesday.
Cassie’s 2023 lawsuit against Diddy opened the door for more accusers to come forward, eventually leading to his arrest and imprisonment.
Footage that shows Diddy assaulting Cassie in a hotel corridor has been admitted into evidence, but Diddy is not being tried for the attack.
Diddy lawyers say he’s guilty of domestic abuse, but not sex trafficking
Lawyers for the defendant concede that Diddy is undeniably guilty of domestic violence, but they insist that he has never engaged in any sort of activity that could be construed as sex trafficking.
“Domestic violence is not sex trafficking,” attorney Teny Geragos told the jury.
At a pretrial hearing last month, Diddy lawyer Marc Agnifilo asserted that all of Diddy’s sexual encounters were consensual. Agnifilo argued that his client was a “swinger,” not a sex criminal.
“There’s a lifestyle, call it swingers or whatever you will, that he thought was appropriate because it was common,” the attorney said.
“Many people think it’s appropriate because it’s common.”
Legal experts expect Diddy’s lawyers to insist that his actions — while morally reprehensible — were not illegal.
They’re also expected to argue that Diddy was so incapacitated by drugs and alcohol that he could not have committed the crimes of which he is accused.
We’ll have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.
