Sean “Diddy” Combs, the well-known music mogul, appeared in a Manhattan federal court on Thursday, October 10, where a judge announced that his trial would begin on May 5, 2025. This was Combs’ first court appearance since being charged with federal sex crimes.
Dressed in tan prison attire, Combs showed little emotion as he sat quietly, facing forward. When leaving the holding area, he waved to his family members seated in the courtroom and briefly embraced his legal team.
The charges against Combs include sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for prostitution. Prosecutors indicated they would need about a month to retrieve information from his electronic devices, calling the volume of data “extraordinary.” They also mentioned the possibility of filing additional charges once the data is fully reviewed.
Combs was indicted on September 17 for allegedly organizing “freak offs,” events where women were coerced or forced to participate in sexual acts with male workers. His appearance in court followed an appeal from his lawyers to the U.S. Court of Appeals, requesting his release on bail before the trial. Two previous bail requests had been denied by judges, citing concerns that Combs might attempt to tamper with witnesses.
Combs, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, remains in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. He will stay there unless his appeal for bail is successful.
The indictment also includes surveillance footage showing an incident at a Los Angeles hotel. In the video, Combs is seen allegedly throwing an object at a woman and kicking her.
The woman in the footage, singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, had previously filed a civil lawsuit against Combs in November, accusing him of sexual misconduct.
The hotel video was first reported by CNN in May, and in a court filing dated October 9, Combs’ lawyers accused the federal government of leaking the footage, stating that it had led to damaging media coverage, affecting Combs’ family. However, prosecutors denied these allegations, saying they did not have access to the video before CNN aired it.
