Attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs argued on Friday that money motivated the state’s witnesses to exaggerate their claims against Combs.
The defense team argued that the individuals involved in the sexual encounters with Combs were willing participants, often called “freak offs.” Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, specifically mentioned Cassie Ventura, Combs’ former girlfriend, implying that she benefitted from the relationship despite trying to paint a one-sided picture. Agnifilo cited a $20 million settlement paid by Combs to Ventura as part of their agreement, as reported by The New York Times.
Ventura was also paid $10 million by the owner of the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles, where Combs was filmed beating her in 2016.
“She is sitting somewhere in the world with $30 million dollars,” Agnifilio commented.
In addition, Agnifilo likened the relationship between Combs and Ventura to that of “swingers,” claiming that the challenges they faced were not directly related to Ventura’s interactions with male escorts. According to Agnifilo, conflicts arose when Combs began seeing other women.
“No one’s forcing her to do this,” he said. “She’s a woman who actually likes sex — good for her.”
According to The New York Times, Agnifilo depicted Ventura as deceitful when she started a relationship with rapper Kid Cudi in 2012. Kid Cudi and Ventura testified that his Porsche was attacked in 2011, shortly after Combs discovered their relationship and allegedly made threats regarding the vehicle. While the vandalism incident occurred after Combs reportedly trespassed Kid Cudi’s residence, prosecutors did not establish a direct link between Combs and the crime.
“He obviously didn’t put it in himself, but he said he was going to blow up the car and — lo and behold — it blew up.” prosecutor Maurene Comey said.
Three women took the stand to accuse Combs of physical or sexual abuse. Ventura, who dated Combs from 2007 to 2018, testified that Combs “stifled” her music career while forcing her to participate in “freak offs,” which often entailed her having sex with other men in Combs’ presence. Ventura said the drug-fueled ordeals left her sleep-deprived and dehydrated, as they would last for days on end.
Another victim, who used the alias “Mia,” worked as Combs’ assistant for eight years. She accused Combs of forcing her to perform oral sex and sneaking into her bed to penetrate her without her consent. She also claimed Combs hurled objects at her and threw her against a wall.
A third woman, who used the pseudonym “Jane,” dated Combs from 2021 to 2024. She testified about “hotel nights,” which allegedly were sexual rendezvous arranged by Combs. Combs reportedly watched these encounters, which Jane said she had to be under the influence of drugs to participate.
Combs was arrested on September 16, 2024, outside a Manhattan hotel on federal charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs has been denied bail three times, as Judge Andrew L. Carter determined there was a “serious risk” of witness tampering in this case.
Federal authorities raided Combs’ homes in Holmby Hills, California, and Miami in March 2024. Reports indicated that the raids were connected to an ongoing sex trafficking investigation that resulted in his arrest months later.
The raids also occurred four months after Ventura accused him of sex trafficking and abuse. In a multimillion-dollar lawsuit, she alleged that Combs drugged her and forced her to have sex with other men. The pair settled the lawsuit a day after its filing.
However, in May 2024, CNN publicized hotel surveillance footage allegedly showing Combs assaulting Ventura. Two days later, Combs released a video expressing remorse for his behavior.
“I went and I sought out professional help. I got into going to therapy, going to rehab. I had to ask God for his mercy and grace. I’m so sorry. But I’m committed to be a better man each and every day. I’m not asking for forgiveness. I’m truly sorry,” he said.
Two more accusers came forward a week after Ventura’s lawsuit. One of the women claimed Combs drugged and raped her at Syracuse University in New York in 1991. Combs denied those allegations before a third accuser, Liza Gardner, levied similar allegations against him.
Days after footage of the Ventura assault was publicized, two more women filed lawsuits against Combs. One of those women was April Lampros, a New York Fashion Institute of Technology student who reportedly met Combs in 1994. Lampros accused Combs of sexually assaulting her on four occasions between the mid-1990s and the early 2000s.
Combs has been accused of committing or facilitating sexual abuse in at least 30 other lawsuits — including one, filed in October, which alleges he and Jay-Z raped a 13-year-old girl in New York in 2000. The accuser in that case had her lawsuit dismissed in February.
Combs turned down a plea deal days before jury selection began.
[Feature Photo: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP]
