A trial date for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ sex trafficking and abuse case has been set for 2025.
Yesterday (October 9), Diddy returned to court in New York for his latest hearing session, where a judge announced that the disgraced rapper’s trial date has been set for May 5, 2025 – the same date as the 2025 Met Gala event.
Per CNN, prosecutor Emily Johnson suggested that the case could last three weeks, but added that a superseding indictment may affect the duration of the trial – this means that additional charges and defendants can still be added to the case. On the other hand, Diddy’s attorney Marc Agnifilo said that the rapper’s defence team will likely need a week to make their case.
According to a Rolling Stone report, Diddy could face up to 15 years in prison if found guilty. He is next expected to appear in court on December 18.
Last month, the rap mogul was arrested in New York and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transporting for prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Diddy was then denied bail despite offering a US$50million bond and was reportedly placed on suicide watch as he awaits trial, though his attorney Marc Agnifilo told TMZ that the directive was issued as a routine measure for “new, high-profile inmates”. Other reports suggested that he was not eating in prison out of fear of being poisoned. The bail denial meant that the rapper has been ordered to remain in jail while awaiting trial.
Earlier this month, Diddy’s attorney Agnifilo shared that an appeal against the bail denial has been filed, with the musician promising that he won’t be meeting any women apart from his family members, and that he would partake in weekly drug tests if released from prison.
Diddy Combs (Photo by Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images for Sean “Diddy” Combs)
Last month, more claims came to light in a separate lawsuit in which a woman alleged that Diddy and his bodyguard drugged, raped her and filmed the incident in 2001 – the bodyguard has not addressed these claims. Diddy has denied criminal wrongdoing, according to BBC. New information about Diddy’s alleged arson attack on Kid Cudi’s car was also recently revealed in a newly unearthed Los Angeles City Fire Department report – Diddy has yet to comment on the arson allegations.
Last week, news emerged that Diddy is now also potentially facing new lawsuits from around 120 people accusing him of sexual abuse and assault, including 25 minors.
Texan lawyer Tony Buzbee held a virtual press conference last week where he shared that of the 120 alleged victims, 60 were men and 60 were women. Among these 120 people, 25 were minors at the time of the alleged abuse, with the youngest alleged victim aged nine-years-old.
According to Buzbee, the nine-year-old alleged victim had met with Diddy at his Bad Boy office in Manhattan for an audition and was “trying to land a record deal” in a competitive process that included “other boys” when he was allegedly sexually abused by Diddy and “several other people at the studio”.
Buzbee has reportedly acknowledged the statute of limitations, but has also said that New York and California will likely recognise the “majority” of the 120 cases. He added that all 120 alleged victims “intend to bring civil claims in civil court” against Diddy and potential co-defendants including alleged accomplices, silent bystanders and “corporate entities”.
In a statement to Rolling Stone, Diddy’s lawyer Erica Wolff said the musician “emphatically and categorically denies” the allegations. “As Mr. Combs’ legal team has emphasised, he cannot address every meritless allegation in what has become a reckless media circus,” she said.
“That said, Mr. Combs emphatically and categorically denies as false and defamatory any claim that he sexually abused anyone, including minors. He looks forward to proving his innocence and vindicating himself in court if and when claims are filed and served, where the truth will be established based on evidence, not speculation.”
Before last week’s wave of accusations and lawsuits against the rapper came to light, singer Cassie filed a lawsuit alleging that Combs had raped her and subjected her to countless acts of sexual, physical, emotional and mental abuse. Diddy denied the claims before the pair settled the lawsuit “to mutual satisfaction” a day after it was filed.
Footage of Combs attacking Cassie was later released to the public, and Diddy issued an apology for his actions at the time.
In a new TMZ documentary titled The Downfall of Diddy: The Indictment, the rap mogul’s attorney said he was “actually remarkably positive” while in prison and has “come to terms with the fact that this is where he is for now”, and that he’s “focused on his defence”.
For more help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
