P. Diddy remains in prison. A Manhattan federal court judge set Thursday for May 5, 2025, the start of the criminal trial of rapper and influential American hip-hop producer Sean “Diddy” Combs, accused of running a violent sex trafficking and of extortion.
“The accused will remain in detention,” judge Arun Subramanian also ordered, noting that no request for early release had been filed by his lawyers, after two rejections since the arrest of the 54-year-old artist in mid-September.
Prosecuted by 120 victims in civil proceedings
In a light wrinkled shirt and pants, Sean Combs, also called P. Diddy or Puff Daddy, greeted his mother and children with big smiles as he entered the courtroom, before listening to the judge set a procedural schedule with lawyers and prosecutors. In parallel with this criminal trial, the rapper is also being sued in civil court by more than 120 victims, including 25 minors at the time of the events, who accuse him of sexual assault, according to their American lawyers.
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An essential and bling-bling figure in American east coast hip-hop, P. Diddy had seen his star fade since the revelation of a series of complaints in the fall of 2023, including accusations of rape by singer Cassie, a procedure which was finally settled amicably.
A violent sexual predator
After searches by the federal police (FBI) in several of his luxurious residences in March 2024, he was arrested six months later in a Manhattan hotel. He is accused by prosecutors of having put his musical “empire” at the service of a violent system of trafficking for sexual exploitation. The rapper has pleaded not guilty and says he is innocent.
During the hearing, prosecutor Emily Johnson warned that the prosecution still had a lot of investigative evidence to exploit, pointing out that 96 electronic devices had been seized in March, and that new charges for the accused were possible. . P. Diddy is described by his alleged victims as a sexually violent predator, who used alcohol and drugs to obtain their submission. According to the prosecution, he allegedly set up a sex trafficking system, forcing his victims to have sex with sex workers, scenes which he recorded on video.