By Luc Cohen, Reuters
US producer-musician Sean "Diddy" Combs poses during a music awards ceremony on 12 September, 2023, in New Jersey, USA. Photo: Angela Weiss / AFP
- Combs faces five criminal counts, including racketeering and sex trafficking
- Prosecutors allege Combs used business empire for sexual abuse from 2004 to 2024
- Combs' legal team denies wrongdoing, says acts were consensual
Sean 'Diddy' Combs pleaded not guilty on Monday to an expanded federal indictment charging the hip-hop mogul with five criminal counts, including racketeering and sex trafficking.
Combs, 55, entered his plea to the new charges at a hearing before US District Judge Arun Subramanian in Manhattan. He had previously pleaded not guilty to an earlier three-count indictment.
In a statement earlier this month provided by Combs' media representatives, his lawyers said, "These are not new allegations or new accusers. These are the same individuals, former long-term girlfriends, who were involved in consensual relationships."
Jury selection for Combs' trial remains scheduled for 5 May, with opening statements due to begin on 12 May.
Prosecutors with the Manhattan US Attorney's office say Combs used his business empire to sexually abuse women between 2004 and 2024.
The alleged abuse included having women take part in recorded sexual performances called "freak offs" with male sex workers, who were sometimes transported across state lines.
Combs has been jailed in Brooklyn since September. He also faces dozens of civil lawsuits by women and men who accused him of sexual abuse.
Combs' legal team has forcefully denied that he did anything wrong.
Marc Agnifilo, one of Combs' lawyers, has said Combs never forced anyone to engage in sexual acts against their will, and that the freak offs were consensual sexual activity.
Also known during his career as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, Combs founded Bad Boy Records and is credited with helping turn rappers and R&B singers such as Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, Notorious B.I.G. and Usher into stars in the 1990s and 2000s.
But prosecutors have said his success concealed a dark side, citing incidents, including in March 2016 when Combs was captured on a surveillance video kicking, dragging, and throwing a vase at a woman trying to leave a Los Angeles hotel.
CNN last year broadcast a surveillance video showing Combs striking and dragging his former girlfriend Casandra Ventura, an R&B singer known as Cassie.
Combs apologised following the broadcast. Agnifilo has said the video was not evidence of sex trafficking, and that Combs and Ventura had "a toxic, loving 11-year relationship".
- Reuters
