Johnson claimed the videos, allegedly recorded at drug-fueled sex parties Combs referred to as “freak-offs,” were used to manipulate and control women. “This is just the tip of the iceberg in 20 years of Combs using his inner circle to cover up crime after crime,” she said.
Sean “Diddy” Combs sat silently in court on Monday as federal prosecutors launched a blistering opening statement in his high-profile trial, detailing graphic allegations of sex trafficking, abuse, and coercion that spanned two decades. The 55-year-old music mogul faces five federal criminal charges, including racketeering, sex trafficking, and prostitution, in a trial unfolding at the US District Court in Manhattan.
A jury of eight men and four women was sworn in shortly before the dramatic opening remarks. Prosecutor Emily Johnson painted Combs as a powerful figure who used his celebrity and inner circle to conceal violent and criminal behavior under the guise of his Bad Boy Records empire.
Describing the music mogul as a “larger-than-life celebrity,” Johnson alleged that Combs reacted with rage when he discovered his ex-girlfriend, Casandra Ventura, was seeing someone new. “He threatened her and said if she defies him again, he will release video of her having sex with male escorts,” she said, calling the footage “souvenirs of the most humiliating nights of her life.”
Johnson claimed the videos, allegedly recorded at drug-fueled sex parties Combs referred to as “freak-offs,” were used to manipulate and control women. “This is just the tip of the iceberg in 20 years of Combs using his inner circle to cover up crime after crime,” she said.
Another alleged victim, introduced as Jane Doe, reportedly met Combs in 2020. The prosecutor told the court that Doe, a single mother, quickly became ensnared in his coercive world. “She wanted the escorts to wear condoms, but he wouldn’t let them,” Johnson stated. “Then he made her take drugs — she broke down and took ecstasy.” She added that at one point, Doe vomited during an encounter, only for Combs to tell her to “hurry up and get back in the room.”
The prosecution also revealed that Mia, a former assistant to Combs, will testify that he sexually assaulted her. “She wanted to keep the secret to her grave,” Johnson said.Combs appeared in court wearing a beige sweater and khaki trousers. He acknowledged his family in the gallery, including his 84-year-old mother and six of his children, blowing them a kiss before proceedings began.
Combs, who initially faced three charges, now confronts five. He has pleaded not guilty to all counts. His legal team insists the relationships were consensual and that “nothing illegal” occurred.
