When is Diddy's trial starting? What to know about his legal troubles

Diddy photographed in 2021. Getty Images

If convicted, Sean 'Diddy' Combs faces up to life in prison

Nadine Yousif
BBC News
Emma Vardy
Inside the courtroom

Sean "Diddy" Combs, one of the most successful rappers and music moguls in the US, will soon be on trial for sex trafficking and racketeering charges.

At a hearing attended by Mr Combs, a judge ruled his trial will begin on 5 May next year.

Mr Combs, wearing a creased beige prison uniform, sat next to his attorneys as the judge discussed imposing a gag order that would prevent attorneys or prosecutors from discussing the case publicly or with the media.

Members of Mr Combs' family lined seats in the courtroom. The rapper mouthed "I love you" to the group, which included his three daughters, three sons and his mother. He also repeatedly put his hand to his heart and made a prayer sign.

In addition to the criminal case, Mr Combs is being sued by more than two dozen people who have accused him of sexual assault, rape and sexual exploitation.

Mr Combs has pleaded not guilty in the criminal trial and lawyers for the rapper have repeatedly maintained his innocence, calling allegations against him “false and defamatory”.

Here is a breakdown of his legal troubles.

When will Diddy's trial happen?

On Thursday 10 October, US District Judge Arun Subramanian set the trial for next May, and it will take place in Manhattan.

10 October was the rapper's third time appearing in court since his arrest.

Prosecutor Emily Johnson told the judge that the government will need three weeks to present its case.

Defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo said the rapper's team will need a week for theirs.

As the hearing ended, some of Mr Combs' supporters lingered at the door, on their tiptoes hoping to catch a sight of the rapper as he was escorted away.

What has Diddy been accused of?

The rapper faces criminal charges in federal court. He also faces dozens of lawsuits from individuals who have accused him of harming and exploiting them.

In the federal criminal case, Mr Combs has been accused of kidnapping, drugging and coercing women into sexual activities, sometimes by using a firearm or threatening them with violence.

In a raid on his Los Angeles mansion, police found supplies that they say were intended for use in orgies known as “freak offs”, including drugs and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil.

Separately, Mr Combs faces a number of lawsuits accusing him of rape and assault.

Tony Buzbee, a Texas lawyer handling some of these cases, has said that more than 100 women and men from across the US have either filed lawsuits or will soon against the rap mogul.

Some have alleged that the assaults happened when they were minors, including as young as nine years old, Mr Buzbee has said.

On 14 October, Mr Buzbee filed six lawsuits on behalf of four men and two women who accused the rapper of rape, sexual assault and sexual exploitation.

Read more on the allegations against Diddy:

One of the accusers is a man who was 16 at the time of an alleged sexual assault in 1998. He said in his lawsuit that Mr Combs allegedly forced him to undress while at one of the rapper's notorious annual New York parties, which were frequented by A-list celebrities.

The next day, another lawsuit was filed by a woman in California who claims that Mr Combs raped her as "payback" for a comment she made suggesting that he was responsible for the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur.

Mr Combs' legal team has dismissed the flurry of lawsuits as "clear attempts to garner publicity."

"Mr Combs and his legal team have full confidence in the facts, their legal defences, and the integrity of the judicial process," his attorneys said in a statement, adding "Mr Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone - adult or minor, man or woman.”

Mr Combs current legal troubles began when he was sued by his ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura, also known as Cassie, in late 2023. She accused him of violently abusing and raping her.

That lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount a day after it was filed, with Mr Combs maintaining his innocence.

In the following weeks, multiple women filed lawsuits accusing Mr Combs of sexual assaults, with accusations dating back to 1991. One of them alleged that she was “sex trafficked” and “gang raped” by the rapper and two others when she was 17.

Mr Combs responded to the flurry of lawsuits in a statement on his Instagram page in December, writing: "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.”

“I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth,” he said.

Nine months later, he was arrested and arraigned.

Where is Diddy now?

Mr Combs has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York since his 16 September arrest.

His lawyers have argued for his release pending trial, citing the jail’s “horrific” conditions.

A New York federal judge denied their request for bail, arguing that Mr Combs was a “serious flight risk”.

What’s next in Diddy’s criminal case?

On Wednesday 9 October, his lawyers petitioned the court to throw out a video from 2016, which shows Mr Combs kicking his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura as she lay on a hotel hallway floor.

They argued that the government was responsible for leaking the video to CNN, and that it has "led to damaging, highly prejudicial pretrial publicity that can only taint the jury pool and deprive Mr Combs of his right to a fair trial".

Lawyers for the government deny leaking the video to the media, saying that the government did not have possession of it before it was broadcast in May.

When the video first emerged, Mr Combs posted an apology, saying: “I was disgusted when I did it.”

His lawyers are still fighting to get the rapper out on bail. On Tuesday 8 October, they filed an appeal arguing that Mr Combs had agreed to “restrictive conditions” on a possible release from jail that would prevent him from fleeing.

“Mr Combs is presumed innocent. He traveled to New York to surrender because he knew he was going to be indicted,” his lawyers said in a court filing.

“He took extraordinary steps to demonstrate that he intended to face and contest the charges, not flee.”

The lawyers have also argued that everyone involved in the so-called “freak offs” were consenting adults.

If guilty, could Diddy see prison time?

Yes.

Mr Combs faces up to life in prison if convicted on the racketeering charge. He faces another statutory minimum of 15 years for the sex trafficking charge.

Will Diddy's trial be public?

All federal cases in the US are open to the public, except in rare circumstances when trials include sensitive information pertaining to national security.

So far, all of Mr Combs' court proceedings have been open to the media and the public.

None of his appearances, however, have been livestreamed. Most federal courts do not allow cameras or electronics in the courtroom.

Sketch artists will typically attend these hearings to draw moments from court for the media and the public.

Could Diddy face more charges?

It is unclear whether Mr Combs will face further criminal charges.

Prosecutors, however, have said that the investigation remains “active and ongoing” and have encouraged potential victims to reach out to the authorities.

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