Federal prosecutors have added two new charges to the sex trafficking case against Sean "Diddy" Combs, just a month before his trial is set to begin. The updated indictment accuses the music mogul of using force, fraud, or coercion to compel a woman to participate in commercial sex acts between 2021 and 2024.
The new charges are in addition to the original charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking that were filed after Combs' arrest in September. This brings the total number of charges against him from three to five. The federal grand jury in Manhattan also claims Combs was involved in transporting this woman, known only as Victim-2, and other individuals, including sex workers, to engage in prostitution during the same period.
Combs, 55, is set to stand trial on May 5. He is currently being held at a federal detention center in Brooklyn. Despite the new charges, Combs continues to deny all allegations of criminal activity and has pleaded not guilty to the original charges. These earlier charges allege that he coerced and abused women over several years, using a network of associates and employees to intimidate victims through blackmail, violence, and even kidnapping and arson.
Combs' legal team maintains that the case should not have been brought to court. They argue that the accusations stem from consensual activities with his long-term partners, including the transportation of a male escort across state lines, which they assert is not a federal crime.
A central part of the case involves a 2016 video showing Combs allegedly hitting and kicking his then-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, in a Los Angeles hotel hallway. Prosecutors argue that the assault occurred during one of the "Freak Offs," where Combs allegedly coerced women into drug-induced sexual performances. Combs' lawyers, however, claim that the video only shows a brief moment from a complex, long-term relationship.
The superseding indictment, filed on Friday, is the second such filing in Combs' case. In January, prosecutors revealed they were investigating at least three women whom they claim Combs forced into commercial sex in exchange for money and other benefits, such as career opportunities and housing assistance.
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