This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jun/27/diddy-trial-closing-arguments

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ lawyer delivers closing arguments at sex-trafficking trial Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ lawyer delivers closing arguments at sex-trafficking trial
(16 days later)
The music mogul could face life in prison for racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitutionThe music mogul could face life in prison for racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution
A lawyer representing Sean “Diddy” Combs began delivering the defense’s closing arguments on Friday morning in the music mogul’s federal sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial, marking the final chapter in a case that has drawn global attention over the last seven weeks. A lawyer representing Sean “Diddy” Combs delivered the defense’s closing arguments on Friday morning in the music mogul’s federal sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial, telling jurors that the government’s case against Combs was “false” and “exaggerated”.
Marc Agnifilo, a defense attorney, is expected to push back against the government’s allegations that Combs coerced women into participating in drug-fueled sex marathons with male sex workers and that he ran a criminal enterprise that engaged in crimes such as sex trafficking, drug distribution, kidnapping, forced labor, arson and bribery. The defense’s closing argument presented by Marc Agnifilo, the lead lawyer of Combs’s defense team, marked the final phase of a seven-week trial that has drawn global attention.
On Friday, Agnifilo urged the jury to reject the prosecution’s case against Combs and pushed back against the government’s accusations that Combs used violence, threats, money, drugs and power to coerce women into participating in drug-fueled sex marathons with male sex workers and disputed the claims that he ran a criminal enterprise that engaged in crimes such as sex trafficking, drug distribution, kidnapping, forced labor, arson and bribery.
Combs, who was arrested in September, faces one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.Combs, who was arrested in September, faces one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
If convicted on all counts, Combs could face up to life in prison. If convicted on all counts, he could face up to life in prison.
Throughout the seven-week trial, Combs’s legal team has acknowledged past incidents of domestic violence, but has maintained that all sexual activity was consensual and part of what it described as a “swingers lifestyle”. The defense has also denied that any criminal conspiracy existed. Throughout the trial and again in closing arguments, Combs’s legal team acknowledged past incidents of domestic violence, but maintained that all sexual encounters were consensual and part of what they described as a “swingers lifestyle” . The defense has denied that Combs committed sex trafficking and have said that no criminal conspiracy existed.
The defense has sought to portray two women at the heart of the case, singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and a woman testifying under the pseudonym “Jane”, as willing and consenting participants in the sex parties, which were often referred to as “freak-offs”. “We own the domestic violence, I hope you guys know that,” Agnifilo told the jury on Friday. “It happened. That’s not charged. He did not do the things he is charged with.”
Agnifilo is expected to take roughly four hours to make the defense’s closing argument on Friday. Afterward, prosecutors will deliver a one-hour rebuttal before the case goes to the 12-member jury to decide Combs’s fate. Framing Combs as a successful businessman, Agnifilo described his client as a “self-made, successful, Black entrepreneur” who built “wonderful, sophisticated, real businesses that have stood the test of time”.
The government presented its own closing argument on Thursday, with Christy Slavik spending nearly five hours outlining the government’s case against the music mogul. Throughout the trial, the defense has sought to portray two women at the heart of the case – singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and a woman testifying under the pseudonym “Jane” – as willing and consenting participants in the sex parties, which were often referred to as “freak-offs”.
Both Ventura and Jane testified during the trial that they were coerced by Combs to participate in the drug-fueled “freak-offs” that they said Combs directed, watched, masturbated to and sometimes filmed.
They also described instances of physical abuse, and alleged that Combs would threaten to release explicit videos of them or cut off financial support if they defied him.
In his closing, Agnifilo challenged witness accounts, pushed back on the government’s allegations, and disputed the prosecution’s portrayal of Ventura and Jane as sex-trafficking victims.
Agnifilo cast Ventura, the government’s star witness, as a woman with agency, rather than a victim.
He pointed to the $20m settlement she received from Combs in 2023 after filing a civil lawsuit accusing him of abuse, which triggered the federal investigation. He also pointed to the $10m Ventura is expected to receive from the owner of a hotel in Los Angeles where she was assaulted by Combs in 2016.
“If you had to pick a winner in this whole thing, it’s hard not to pick Cassie,” Agnifilo said. “This isn’t about a crime, this is about money.”
At one point during closing, Agnifilo seemed to mock the government’s 2024 raids on Combs’s homes, during which investigators reportedly seized more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant.
“Boxes of Astroglide, taken off the streets, whoo! I feel better already,” Agnifilo said sarcastically. “Way to go, fellas.”
Agnifilo also criticized the racketeering charge, saying no one else was charged alongside Combs and that no witness testified to being part of a criminal enterprise.
He closed his argument by urging the jury to acquit Combs.
“He is not a racketeer. He is none of these things. He is innocent,” Agnifilo said. “Return him to his family who have been waiting for him.”
Combs’s six adult children were present in court on Friday, as was his mother.
Agnifilo’s closing argument lasted about four hours.
The government then gave a one-hour rebuttal, which is the final step before the case goes to the 12-member jury to decide Combs’s fate.
In their rebuttal, prosecutors claimed that the defense spent a “whole lot of energy” during the closing argument trying to blame Combs’s “victims and the US government” for Combs’s “lies, his threats and for his inexcusable behavior”.
The judge said on Friday that the jury will begin deliberations on Monday.
Outside the courthouse in lower Manhattan on Friday, some demonstrators gathered in support of sexual assault survivors.
The protest was organized by gender justice group UltraViolet.
In a statement, Elisa Batista, the campaign director at UltraViolet said: “We are here for the brave men and women who testified in the Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial, sharing harrowing stories of systemic and violent abuse, as well as those who weren’t able to.”
“No matter the verdict in this trial, survivors still have power,” she said. “And when we stand together, accountability is achievable.”
On Thursday, the government presented its own closing argument, with Christy Slavik spending nearly five hours outlining the government’s case against the music mogul.
The US attorney described Combs as “the leader of a criminal enterprise” who refused to “take no for an answer” and as someone who wielded “power, violence and fear to get what he wanted”.The US attorney described Combs as “the leader of a criminal enterprise” who refused to “take no for an answer” and as someone who wielded “power, violence and fear to get what he wanted”.
“The defendant was a very powerful man,” she said. “But he became more powerful and more dangerous because of the support of his inner circle and his businesses – the enterprise.”“The defendant was a very powerful man,” she said. “But he became more powerful and more dangerous because of the support of his inner circle and his businesses – the enterprise.”
Slavik walked the jury through the weeks of testimony and evidence the government presented over the course of seven weeks.Slavik walked the jury through the weeks of testimony and evidence the government presented over the course of seven weeks.
“Up until today, the defendant was able to get away with these crimes because of his money, his power, his influence,” she said. “That stops now. It’s time to hold him accountable. It’s time for justice. It’s time to find the defendant guilty.”“Up until today, the defendant was able to get away with these crimes because of his money, his power, his influence,” she said. “That stops now. It’s time to hold him accountable. It’s time for justice. It’s time to find the defendant guilty.”
Jurors also heard for the first time on Thursday about allegations that Combs engaged in witness tampering and obstruction – part of the broader racketeering charge – with regards to “Jane” and another woman, who testified under the pseudonym “Mia”. Jurors also heard for the first time on Thursday about allegations that Combs engaged in witness tampering and obstruction – part of the broader racketeering charge – with regards to “Jane” and another woman, who testified under the pseudonym “Mia”.
Several members of Combs’s family were in attendance in court on Thursday.