Sean “Diddy” Combs will face trial on federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges starting May 5, as determined by U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian during a hearing on Thursday. After the decision, the imprisoned hip-hop mogul blew kisses to his family present in the courtroom.
During the Manhattan federal court hearing, Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, raised concerns about alleged improper leaks by federal agents. Prosecutor Emily Johnson dismissed these claims as baseless.
Combs, 54, pleaded not guilty on September 17 to a three-count indictment, accusing him of using his business empire, including Bad Boy Entertainment, to transport women and male sex workers across state lines for recorded sexual performances known as “Freak Offs.”
Thursday’s hearing marked Combs’ third court appearance since his September arrest. Wearing tan prison attire, Combs stood and blew kisses towards his family members seated in the courtroom after the hearing concluded. Defense lawyer Anthony Ricco noted that Combs’ mother and children were in attendance. Combs was then escorted out by U.S. Marshals.
Prosecutor Johnson stated that the prosecution’s case would last at least three weeks, while Agnifilo estimated the defense case would take around one week.
Combs has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his arrest. The Manhattan-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied his request for immediate release while he appeals another judge’s decision to deny him bail. A three-judge 2nd Circuit panel will hear the appeal at a later date.
If convicted of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution, Combs faces a sentence of up to life in prison with a minimum of 15 years.
Prosecutors allege that Combs enticed women by providing drugs like ketamine and ecstasy, financial support, or promises of career advancement or romantic relationships. They claim Combs used recordings of the sex acts as “collateral” to ensure silence and sometimes displayed weapons to intimidate abuse victims and witnesses. The indictment does not allege that Combs directly engaged in unwanted sexual contact, although he is accused of physical assault. Agnifilo has argued that the sexual activity described by prosecutors was consensual.
In a court filing on Wednesday, Agnifilo requested a “gag order” to prohibit prosecutors and federal agents from leaking evidence to the media, citing unlawful leaks, including a videotape showing Combs striking and dragging a woman in 2016. At the hearing, Johnson described this defense request as an attempt to “exclude a damning piece of evidence.”
Johnson expressed concerns over Agnifilo’s statement in a September TMZ interview, calling the case a “takedown of a successful Black man,” which she argued could be seen as accusing the government of racist prosecution. “Statements of this sort seriously risk a fair trial in this case,” Johnson said.
Judge Subramanian asked Agnifilo to draft an order governing public statements by both sides.
