Sean Combs arrives at the Pre-Grammy Gala and Salute To Industry Icons

FILE - Sean Combs arrives at the Pre-Grammy Gala and Salute To Industry Icons at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 25, 2020, in Beverly Hills, California.

— On Friday, federal prosecutors announced the addition of two new charges to Sean "Diddy" Combs' indictment, revealing that four alleged victims are expected to testify against him as the case expands. The allegations assert that the hip-hop mogul, currently incarcerated, engaged in sex trafficking activities involving multiple women, some as recently as last year. The updated indictment claims that Combs used force, fraud, or coercion to compel a woman, referred to as "Victim-2," to participate in commercial sex acts from at least 2021 to 2024. Furthermore, it alleges that he was involved in transporting this woman and other individuals, including sex workers, for prostitution during the same timeframe. These new charges were filed in addition to the racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking allegations that led to Combs' arrest in September, raising the total number of charges from three to five. According to a recent court filing, the racketeering conspiracy charge pertains to allegations that Combs sex-trafficked three victims and coerced a fourth, identified as one of his employees, into sexual activities with him. At 55 years old, Combs maintains his innocence and is scheduled to go to trial on May 5. He is currently held without bail in a federal facility in Brooklyn. In response to the new allegations, Combs' legal team stated, "These are not new allegations or new accusers.

These are the same individuals, former long-term girlfriends, who were involved in consensual relationships. This was their private sex life, defined by consent, not coercion." Friday's updated indictment marks the third filed against Combs. The first was issued in January when federal prosecutors revealed their case involved at least three women whom they claimed Combs forced into commercial sex acts.

It also included allegations that Combs displayed a firearm during a kidnapping and once dangled a woman over a balcony. Though the January indictment did not introduce new charges, it revised certain details, including extending the time frame of the alleged racketeering conspiracy from 2008 to 2004.

A subsequent superseding indictment in March made minor adjustments. Combs has pleaded not guilty to the initial charges, which outline claims that he coerced and abused women over the years with the assistance of a network of associates, allegedly silencing victims through blackmail and various forms of violence, including kidnapping and physical assault. A schedule for his arraignment on the new charges has yet to be released.

Prosecutors have requested to hold it during his final pretrial conference set for April 25. In their filing, prosecutors noted that three of the four accusers who are likely to testify have requested anonymity from the press and public and will be identified by pseudonyms during the trial. However, one accuser referred to as "Victim-1" has indicated a willingness to testify under her real name. The federal prosecutors allege that the "I'll Be Missing You" artist and Bad Boy Records founder exploited his influence as a music celebrity to persuade female victims into engaging in drug-fueled, orchestrated sexual performances with male escorts at events labeled "Freak Offs." A key piece of evidence in the case is a March 2016 video that purportedly shows Combs assaulting his then-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, in a hotel hallway in Los Angeles, which prosecutors claim occurred during a "Freak Off." Combs' attorneys argue that the footage represents only a snapshot of a complex but consensual relationship that lasted a decade. Combs' legal team argues that the case should not have been pursued and is contesting a charge related to allegations involving the transportation of a male escort across state lines.

In a February court filing, Combs' lawyer, Alexandra A.E. Shapiro, stated, "The government has concocted a criminal case based primarily on allegations that Mr. Combs and two of his longtime girlfriends sometimes involved a third party — a male escort — in their sexual relationship." Shapiro further noted, "Each of the three charges in the case is based on the premise that this type of sexual activity constitutes a federal crime."
CityNEWS