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By Jenna Sundel and Gabe Whisnant
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Federal prosecutors have added two new charges to the indictment against Sean "Diddy" Combs, further expanding allegations that the jailed music mogul was involved in sex trafficking as recently as last year.
Why It Matters
The 55-year-old rapper and record executive is facing multiple federal charges and dozens of civil lawsuits accusing him of sex crimes. He allegedly hosted "freak off" parties where guests were forced to engage in sexual acts, according to court documents.
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Combs pleaded not guilty to his initial charges and has denied any wrongdoing.
What To Know
A superseding indictment filed on Friday accuses Combs of using force, fraud, or coercion to compel a woman, referred to as Victim-2, to engage in commercial sex acts between 2021 and 2024. It also claims that Combs facilitated the transport of Victim-2 and others, including commercial sex workers, for the purpose of prostitution during that same period.
These new charges come in addition to the original racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges Combs faced when he was arrested in September, raising the total number of charges from three to five.
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Combs' lawyers are trying to get a charge dismissed related to allegations he transported a male escort across state lines.
"The government has concocted a criminal case based primarily on allegations that Mr. Combs and two of his longtime girlfriends sometimes brought a third party — a male escort — into their sexual relationship," Combs' lawyer, Alexandra A.E. Shapiro, wrote in a February court document.
Combs' arraignment on the new charges has not been scheduled yet. He was arrested in New York City in September of last year. He was denied bail, a decision his legal team has tried to challenge multiple times.
The charges came several months after CNN published a 2016 video that appeared to show Combs assaulting his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, at a Los Angeles hotel.
Combs' lawyers said the footage was nothing more than a "glimpse into a complex but decade-long consensual relationship."
Ventura sued Combs in 2023, alleging he raped and physically abused her. Combs and Ventura agreed to settle the lawsuit the day after it was filed.
What People Are Saying
Defense attorneys Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos, in a letter filed last month: "The pretrial publicity in this case has been nothing short of extraordinary. It has been incredibly one-sided in favor of the government's view of the evidence (and often worse, in light of the many false and unfounded claims being filed by civil plaintiffs) and against Mr. Combs."
What Happens Next
Combs remains in federal custody at a jail in Brooklyn and is scheduled to go to trial on May 5. His representatives have not yet responded to requests for comment on the latest developments.
This article contains reporting by the Associated Press.
Update 4/4/25, 1:11 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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