Trial against Sean "Diddy" Combs doesn't begin until next year

Many know him under the name "P. Diddy" or "Puff Daddy". The musician Sean Combs is currently in custody and is expected to appear in court in May 2025. He is accused of organized extortion, coercion, and violent sex trafficking, among other things. If found guilty, he faces a life sentence.

At a hearing in New York, the judge set the start of the trial against "Diddy" for May 5, 2025. Combs will remain in custody until then, with bail of $50 million rejected.

Sean Combs founded Bad Boy Records in 1994 and continued his rise with hits by Craig Mack and Notorious B.I.G., which led to hit singles as a solo artist and with subsequent Bad Boy artists such as Faith Evans, 112 and Mase.  Combs and his Hitmen production team launched a chart-topping assault, producing half of the songs that topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1997, from Combs' own "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" to "I'Il Be Missing You," his Grammy-winning tribute to the recently murdered Notorious B.I.G. Over the years, he built his business empire with his own clothing chain and developed into an influential rap mogul.

On September 16, 2024, Sean Combs was arrested in his mansion in New York. Prosecutors accuse him of sexually abusing women, sometimes with the use of drugs, and of running an organized crime operation.  According to the indictment, the rap mogul "abused, threatened and forced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his actions" for decades. Combs himself denies all allegations, and his mother and several of his children were also present in the courtroom. The accusations against the rapper began after his ex-girlfriend and singer Casandra "Cassie" Ventura sued him for years of sexual abuse and rape. A video of evidence was found by American media, showing him knocking and beating her in a hotel corridor. In the end, both parties agreed to a settlement.

But the incident was not without consequences for "Diddy." Since then, more and more people have come forward with serious allegations against him. "Cassie's" action has encouraged many to share their stories. At the beginning of this month, 120 people, including 25 minors, announced through lawyer Tony Buzbee that they wanted to file civil lawsuits against the rapper.  According to Buzbee, more than 3,000 people have come forward with accusations against Combs. In most cases, the victims say they were under the influence of drugs before the abuse. Combs and other business partners lured the victims with promises of great music careers.

The Ratgeber will keep you up to date, so share the website with friends and family and subscribe.