Sean “Diddy” Combs was indicted on federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges in a New York courthouse Tuesday morning.
The music mogul was charged with three counts of racketeering, conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
Combs pleaded not guilty on Tuesday afternoon. A judge ordered the 54-year-old to be jailed while awaiting trial.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said during a press conference that Combs used “threats of force and coercion” to get the victims to perform in extended sexual performances with commercial sex workers.
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“Combs allegedly planned and controlled the sex performances which he called ‘freak offs’ and he often electronically recorded them,” he said. “The freak-off sometimes lasted days at a time involved multiple commercial sex workers and often involved a variety of narcotics such as ketamine, ecstasy and GHB, which Combs distributed to the victims to keep them obedient and compliant.”
Williams added that Combs was violent when he didn’t get his way and would abuse victims emotionally, verbally, and physically to get them to do the “freak offs.”
“He used the embarrassing and sensitive recordings he made of the ‘freak offs’ as collateral against the victims,” he said.
Williams also said that Combs did not act on his own and that he used his business and his employees, such as supervisors, personal assistants, and members of his staff.
“They booked the hotel rooms and stocked them with the supplies including drugs, baby oil, personal lubricant, extra linens, and lighting,” he said. “When the hotel rooms got damaged, they helped clean it up. They arranged for victims and commercial sex workers to travel for the free offs and they delivered large quantities of cash to cones to pay for the commercial sex workers.”
Williams also said that during a search at Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami back in March, authorities seized evidence used in the “ freak offs,” including images, videos, and more than 1,000 bottles of personal lubricant and baby oil.
This comes after the three-time Grammy winner was arrested Monday in a Manhattan hotel.
Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, previously told reporters outside the courthouse Tuesday that Combs came to New York "to basically engage the court system and start the case," according to NBC News.
The 54-year-old has had a number of civil suits filed against him. One of those suits was filed by singer and Combs’ ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura in November 2023. Ventura accused Combs of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, as well as sex trafficking, according to ABC News.
The suit was settled just one day after it was filed.
In May security video obtained and aired by CNN showed Combs attacking Ventura in a Century City hotel.
If Diddy is convicted, he could be in jail for decades.
KNX News has reached out to one of the attorneys representing Combs. We are waiting to hear back.
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