Judge Greg Mathis Breaks Down Diddy's Sex Trafficking Trial And 'Gangster' Persona
As Diddy's trafficking trial rages on, legal and non-legal opinions continue to flood the internet. Judge Greg Mathis and his son, Amir, recently shared their perspectives on what the result could be and the 55-year-old artist's perception.
'The prosecution needs to show more evidence that deliberately shows that he was intentionally sex trafficking for them to be successful,' Amir said in one clip from The Mathis Verdict, summarizing his father's opinion on the trial so far. 'That's correct,' Judge Mathis answered, adding that they needed to prove that the controversial mogul understood the gravity of what he was doing and chose to do it anyway. Amir posed a thought-provoking question for viewers and the attorneys: 'Where is the line between a criminal act of intent and where's the line for someone's lifestyle?'
In another clip, Amir admitted he believed that the prosecution had yet to show that the Bad Boy co-founder was running a criminal enterprise because the 'freak-offs' had been presented as one-off incidents. Judge Mathis agreed, adding, 'I do believe, I trust that these prosecutors are astute enough to be able to lay a foundation, and I assume that's what they're doing. And they're gonna then connect everything that has come out thus far to demonstrate their charges of RICO. That's what I assume is going to happen, but it hasn't happened yet! And some of these things didn't require coordination.'
In another clip, Judge Greg Mathis and Amir shared a laugh over Diddy being shown to be a 'toxic person.' Mathis quickly added, 'He's much worse than a toxic person, he's a monster from what they've been showing and what we've been hearing […] He's a state crime monster.' Judge Mathis took a quick second to flex that he was the youngest district court judge in Michigan's 36th District's history in another clip. He and Amir also quoted Jay-Z's 'Dirt Off Your Shoulder' lyrics before realizing the 'pimp' line may not be appropriate, given the subject matter they were discussing.
They moved beyond the courtroom talk and began to talk about Puff trying to present himself as a gangster. 'He has a temper, and he's known for that, and people are in fear because of his temper,' Judge Mathis said. 'But street guys don't fear him cause they know he's never been in the street.' Mathis went on to remind viewers that he attended catholic school, was bullied, and attempted to join a gang that wasn't doing anything illegal; the real Diddy bravado came from the fact that his late father was a 'big gangster' connected to dangerous people and his mother had ran with some of those same individuals.
Finally, they spoke about the 'Last Night' artist portraying himself as a gangster to earn the respect of the late Notorious B.I.G. and how he began to genuinely believe that about himself. 'They wouldn't want [Diddy] to hang out with them,' Judge Mathis said. 'They don't want no square hanging out with them. [He was] the president of the record company, so you definitely don't need to be down here with us.' Amir added how he showed up in all of the music videos and featured on all of the albums to immerse himself in their lifestyle. 'When you fully start embodying that, with more time, you become that person,' he said. 'Just like a person who tells a lie so many times, they start believing that lie. And so I no doubt believe that he believes that he is a gangster.'
Judge Greg Mathis and son Amir's takes align with a lot of what has come up in the trafficking trial. Diddy took issue with his ex-girlfriend, Cassie, dating Kid Cudi and looked to strike fear into him by allegedly attempting to blow up his car. When Cudi asked him about it during a meeting, he pretended it never happened, much like a gangster sworn to discretion would do. He's also proven to have abused Cassie via footage from their stay at a hotel in Los Angeles in 2016; she claimed that it occurred several other times, including when they attended Drake's OVO Fest.
More from VIBE.com
Sean "Diddy" Combs And Harvey Weinstein Accused Of Sexual Assault By Same Woman
50 Cent Shares Clips Of Diddy Insulting Donald Trump Amid Talk Of Potential Pardon
Diddy's Former Assistant Recalls Dream She Had About Diddy And R. Kelly While On The Stand
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
Teen behind US$245m Bitcoin theft to testify against Singaporean ringleader Malone Lam
WASHINGTON, June 21 — A 19-year-old man who pleaded guilty to one of the largest cryptocurrency thefts in US history has agreed to testify against Singaporean national Malone Lam, who is accused of masterminding a sprawling digital crime ring that stole over US$260 million. According to Channel News Asia, Veer Chetal admitted in a plea deal to conspiracy charges involving fraud and money laundering linked to the theft of 4,100 bitcoins from a Washington, DC, crypto holder in August 2024. The stolen coins were valued at around US$245 million (RM1 billion) at the time. Unsealed court documents revealed that Chetal agreed in November last year to cooperate with federal authorities and testify against his co-defendants, including 20-year-old Lam. Chetal, who was a Rutgers University student at the time, now faces up to 24 years in prison. According to prosecutors, Lam was not only involved in the US$245 million theft but allegedly spearheaded a 13-member criminal ring that operated globally, targeting crypto wallets using 'social engineering' attacks. Members posed as tech support staff from companies like Google and Yahoo to trick victims into handing over access credentials. The group is believed to have met on online gaming platforms, where they bonded before launching their sophisticated scheme. In May, Lam was charged under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations (RICO) Act in connection with the wider conspiracy. He pleaded not guilty. Federal prosecutors describe Lam as one of the ring's two leaders. Despite being arrested last September, he allegedly continued directing operations from jail — including instructing members to purchase and deliver luxury goods to his girlfriend in Miami. Authorities say Lam personally benefited from the crimes, reportedly spending up to US$500,000 in a single night at clubs and amassing at least 28 luxury cars, some valued at US$3.8 million. He also rented high-end properties in Los Angeles, Miami, and the Hamptons, and spent tens of thousands of dollars on designer clothing. Lam's lawyer, Scott Armstrong, has said the Singaporean 'looks forward to exercising his right to trial by jury,' with proceedings set to begin in October. Chetal's guilty plea has brought further revelations. Prosecutors now allege he was linked to about 50 other crypto thefts totalling US$3 million between November 2023 and September 2024. After the Bitcoin theft, Chetal's parents were kidnapped in a botched ransom plot in Connecticut by six men who believed he still controlled large amounts of cryptocurrency. The attack failed thanks to witnesses and an off-duty FBI agent nearby. The teen's assets, including over US$39 million in cryptocurrency, luxury watches, clothing, and US$500,000 in cash, have since been seized by federal agents. He is also facing possible deportation.


Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Los Angeles Times
Fat Joe accused of coercion, intimidation, sex with minors in ex-hype man's lawsuit
Terrance 'T.A.' Dixon, once a hype man to rapper Fat Joe, has sued his former employer for $20 million, making some allegations that might blend right in at Sean 'Diddy' Combs' RICO and sex-trafficking trial. The federal lawsuit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York and reviewed by The Times, alleges that the rapper underpaid Dixon, cut him out of promised pay for contributing to album tracks, defrauded authorities about his income, ditched Dixon in foreign countries without money or transportation home and is running a criminal organization built on intimidation and violence. The lawsuit alleges that Fat Joe forced the hype man — a sort of backing vocalist who pumps up the audience — into approximately 4,000 sex acts with women in front of him and his crew. The 54-year-old rapper, born Joseph Antonio Cartagena, is also accused of having sexual relationships with girls who were 15 and 16. The allegations go back to when the rapper was in his late 30s, the lawsuit says. Fat Joe's song 'She's My Mama,' which has graphically sexual lyrics, was based on what is alleged to have happened with him and one of the girls in real life, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit states that Dixon's role over about 16 years was more than that of the usual hype man. He 'consistently' had duties that included co-writing lyrics, structuring hooks, recording background vocals, performing at more than 200 live shows as Fat Joe's primary onstage counterpart and managing travel logistics, including equipment transport, security and emergency arrangements. The complaint alleges that Dixon also acted as Joe's bodyguard and handler during tours. According to the filing, Dixon wrote or co-wrote tracks including 'Congratulations,' 'Money Over Bitches,' 'Ice Cream,' 'Cupcake,' 'Blackout,' 'Dirty Diana,' 'Porn Star,' 'Okay Okay,''No Problems,' a version of 'All the Way Up,' '300 Brolic,' 'All I Do Is Win (Remix verse),' 'Red Café (Remix),' 'Winding on Me,' 'Cocababy' and 'Get It for Life.' The complaint alleges that Dixon was not properly paid for his efforts, even though he says he was promised certain ownership percentages and documented credit on songs that Fat Joe released commercially. Dixon, who left Fat Joe's team in 2020, was unable to obtain certain evidence of wrongdoing until a person named as 'Accountant Doe' came forward last year with information, the lawsuit says. Fat Joe 'exercised sole control over contracts, budgets, tour management, licensing, and credit attribution and intentionally omitted Plaintiff's name from liner notes, publishing registrations, and royalty structures, despite Plaintiff's direct contributions to these works' creative and commercial success,' the complaint says. Joe Tacopina, an attorney for Fat Joe, called the lawsuit 'a blatant attack of retaliation' and labeled the allegations 'complete fabrications' that his client denies in a statement to Variety. Retaliation referred to the slander lawsuit that the rapper filed against Dixon in April after the former hype man accused him on social media of flying a 16-year-old across state lines for sex. Dixon's attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, is also representing producer Lil Rod (Rodney Jones) in his $30-million federal lawsuit filed last year against Sean 'Diddy' Combs and others in Combs' orbit, in which Lil Rod alleged sexual harassment and sexual assault. A judge tossed out a majority of Lil Rod's allegations against Combs in late March. Both lawsuits include trigger warnings in bright red type ahead of the allegations — something not often seen in such documents. 'Fat Joe is Sean Combs minus the Tusi [pink cocaine],' Blackburn said in a statement to the Independent. 'He learned nothing from his 2013 federal conviction,' the attorney added, referencing Fat Joe's four-month sentence and $15,000 fine in a plea deal for failure to file a tax return in multiple years on more than $3.3 million in income. In addition to Fat Joe, defendants in the new lawsuit include Peter 'Pistol Pete' Torres, Richard 'Rich Player' Jospitre, Erica Juliana Moreira and several companies —including Roc Nation — that are affiliated with the rapper. Dixon is asking for a jury trial.


USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Fat Joe faces explosive sex trafficking lawsuit from former hype man
Another famous rapper has been his with a RICO charge, this time in civil court. Fat Joe is being sued by his former hype man, Terrance "T.A." Dixon, for over a decade of alleged abuse and demanding up to $20 million in damages. In a lengthy complaint filed in federal court Thursday, June 19, lawyers for Dixon accused the Bronx-based rapper, whose legal name is Joseph Cartagena, of a "deliberate and sustained campaign of exploitation." So graphic was the 157-page filing detailing Cartagena's alleged campaign of abuse and criminality that it contains a "trigger warning" in bright red text at the top alerting of the depictions of sex trafficking and assault that follow. Discover WITNESS: Access our exclusive collection of true crime stories, podcasts, videos and more "Fat Joe is Sean Combs minus the Tusi," Tyrone Blackburn, Dixon's lawyer, wrote in a statement to USA TODAY June 20, referencing Sean "Diddy" Combs' ongoing criminal RICO case in which the music mogul is accused of sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. "Tusi" is a variety of cocaine. "We have three additional pages of predicated acts which we are itching to disclose if the defendants call our bluff," Blackburn wrote. He is also representing rapper Lil Rodney in a separate case against Combs. Joe Tacopina, Cartagena's lawyer, called the lawsuit "a blatant act of retaliation," in a statement to USA TODAY June 20. Referencing Cartagena's own civil suit against Dixon, in which he accused his former employee of extortion, Tacopina wrote: "We didn't just sue a disgruntled former employee trying to revive a false claim from 15 years ago — we sued the lawyer behind it all. Tyrone Blackburn has a well-documented pattern of abusing the courts to harass defendants and generate media attention." "Law enforcement is aware of the extortionate demand at the heart of this scheme. The allegations against Mr. Cartagena are complete fabrications — lies intended to damage his reputation and force a settlement through public pressure," Tacopina wrote. "Mr. Cartagena will not be intimidated. We have taken legal action to expose this fraudulent campaign and hold everyone involved accountable." Who is Terrence Dixon and why is he suing Fat Joe? Dixon, according to the filing, worked for Cartagena for 16 years in various capacities, including as a lyricist and creative partner, labor for which the lawsuit alleges he was never compensated or credited. Beyond a run-of-the-mill employment dispute, Dixon's complaint claims that Cartagena oversaw a criminal enterprise, buoyed by violence and intimidation, in which Dixon was forced into performing sex acts "under duress and surveillance." Cartagena and his associates threatened to abandon Dixon in foreign countries if he did not comply, the complaint alleges, and systematically underpaid him, committing tax fraud in the process by inflating his wages in reports to the IRS. Like many RICO cases, which were originally designed to help the government unravel multi-state gang operations, Dixon's complaint tells a complex tale of criminality. It ties together a small sneaker store in New York allegedly laundering money, fake Instagram accounts designed to harass Dixon into silence, and highly orchestrated sexual performances, which Cartagena allegedly recorded. While this RICO case is civil, brought by one party against another, many are federal, brought by lawyers for the government against an individual as in the high profile cases of Combs, rapper Young Thug and President Donald Trump. "Sexual compliance became a condition of (Dixon's) continued employment, access to essential resources, safe travel, and basic human dignity," Cartagena's filing reads, alleging that over the course of his employment, Dixon was forced into 4,000 unwanted sexual encounters. Lawyers for Dixon also allege that Cartagena engaged in sex with minors, some as young as fifteen and sixteen years old. In a series of explosive claims, the filing alleges that Cartagena paid for cosmetic surgery for one of the minors, exchanged money for a cell phone bill for sexual favors from another and contemplated leaving his wife for one of the young girls. "Cartagena has demonstrated a disturbing lack of remorse or discretion regardinghis predatory behavior," lawyers for Dixon argue. "Rather than conceal his actions, he has, on multiple occasions, alluded to or openly referenced sexually inappropriate conduct in his public persona and artistic output." Referencing Cartagena's hit track "She's My Mama," the filing claims the lyrics demonstrate a clear fascination with underage women. The choice to use lyrics as evidence, particularly in a RICO case, is rich with controversy, following Young Thug's trial in Georgia in which the rapper's verses were used to demonstrate a propensity for violent behavior. Looping in high-profile political figures, the lawsuit alleges Cartagena used his connections to figures like former Vice President Kamala Harris, President Bill Clinton and New York City Mayor Eric Adams to bolster his sense of power and impunity. The filing includes a photo of Adams gifting Cartagena a key to the city – a symbolic gesture also afforded to Combs. Another photo shows Clinton allegedly wearing a pair of shoes that Cartagena gifted him, which, unbeknownst to the former president, bore the name of the criminal enterprise. The lawsuit, which is both wide-ranging and starkly detailed, paints a picture with its multifold accusations of a powerful man in entertainment who, behind the scenes, was both a bully and a sexual abuser, intent on using his influence to secure silence and compliance. Fat Joe rose to fame in the 1990s, forming the rap group Terror Squad and a label by the same name. His hit tracks include "What's Luv" which features Ja Rule and Ashanti and "Lean Back," which became a dance sensation.