Latest news with #PuffDaddy
New York Times
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Defense to Question Woman About ‘Hotel Nights' With Sean Combs
For more than 13 hours over three days, jurors in the federal trial of Sean Combs have heard gripping testimony from one of his former girlfriends, a witness for the prosecution called Jane. Now it is time for her cross-examination. Mr. Combs, the producer and impresario also known as Puff Daddy and Diddy, is charged with sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. The government has accused the music mogul of running a 'criminal enterprise' whose objectives included coercing women into sex and covering it up; after Casandra Ventura, the singer known as Cassie, who testified over four days last month, Jane is the second woman put forward by prosecutors as a victim of sex trafficking. Mr. Combs, who faces life in prison if he is convicted, has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and has strongly denied that any of his sexual relations were not consensual. Appearing under a pseudonym to protect her privacy, Jane first took the stand on Thursday afternoon and will continue on Tuesday. She has recounted vivid details of a troubled relationship with Mr. Combs, which began in 2021 and lasted until shortly before his arrest in September 2024. Jane said she was pressured to have sex with a succession of male escorts without condoms, and developed painful infections as a result. She once threw up in the bathroom of a luxury hotel after having sex with two men, she testified; after Mr. Combs told her 'let's go' because a third man was waiting to have sex with her, she complied. Jane was also part of Mr. Combs's life during the critical period after Ms. Ventura filed her bombshell lawsuit in November 2023, in which she described being coerced into drug-fueled sex marathons she called 'freak-offs.' Recognizing a similar pattern to what she called 'hotel nights' or 'debauchery,' Jane texted Mr. Combs three days after that suit was filed: 'I feel like I'm reading my own sexual trauma. It makes me sick how three solid pages, word for word, is exactly my experiences and my anguish.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Al Arabiya
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Arabiya
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs tells courtroom artist he looks like a ‘koala' in sketches
Before the jury in Sean 'Diddy' Combs's sex trafficking trial returned from a lunch break on Thursday, the gray-bearded hip-hop mogul turned to face courtroom sketch artist Jane Rosenberg in the first row to make an unusual request. 'Soften me up a bit, you're making me look like a koala bear,' Combs said, according to Rosenberg. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five criminal counts of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. During the four weeks of his trial, he has worn sweaters and sported graying hair and a goatee. Rosenberg, a well-known sketch artist, has been documenting the proceedings for Reuters in Manhattan federal court, where photography and video recording are prohibited. Combs, also known throughout his career as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, is not the first high-profile defendant to remark on Rosenberg's depictions of them. Earlier this year, Rudy Giuliani told Rosenberg she had made him look like his dog. The former New York City mayor was in court in a civil case stemming from his false accusations that two election workers helped steal the 2020 US presidential election for Democrat Joe Biden. And in 2023, Donald Trump Jr. had a blunt request for Rosenberg during a civil fraud trial over his family's real estate business: 'Make me look sexy.' Combs could face life in prison if convicted on all counts in the trial. He has nonetheless demonstrated good spirits during some breaks in the trial, often making a heart gesture with his hands toward family seated in the front row. But his behavior in court drew a rebuke on Thursday by US District Judge Arun Subramanian. The judge said he had noticed Combs nodding in the jury's direction during his lawyer's cross-examination of a witness. Subramanian said that was 'unacceptable' and threatened to kick Combs out of the courtroom if he sought to interact with the jury again.
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Witness issues statement, alleges Diddy paid off $100K to get the 'only copy' of him beating ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura
Sean 'Diddy' McCombs has been under trial for quite some time now for various different charges like abuse, assault, prostitution, etc. While Diddy has been freed from the charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, something new has come forth. In a new revelation, it has been revealed that the singer and rapper may have paid a hefty amount of money to get his hands on allegedly 'the only' copy of the video where he can be seen beating up his girlfriend at the time, Cassie Ventura . Diddy paid off to get video of him beating Ventura; key witness testifies Diddy allegedly paid 100,000 dollars in order to get his hands on a copy of a video that had the potential to ruin his career. In 2016, the rapper and singer was caught on video footage beating up his girlfriend at the time, Cassie Ventura. The video was from the upscale LA hotel, where Diddy could be seen beating Ventura up in the hallway. Witness Eddy Garcia, who was a security guard at this hotel, issued a statement in court. As per Associated Press reports, Eddy Garcia, a security guard at the hotel in 2016, recalled his encounter with Diddy. He shared how the singer was worried about his 'Puff Daddy' being ruined. He shared that 'He said it had to be the only copy and that he didn't want it getting out and that I was sure nothing was on the cloud.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Garcia also detailed how the payoff happened, where he recalls talking repeatedly with Diddy's chief of staff, Kristina Khorram: 'Off the record, it's bad.' He also shared that he also talked to a very nervous Diddy, who 'was just saying he had a little too much to drink.' Garcia also shared that the singer-rapper also commented that 'with women, one thing leads to another, and if this got out, it would ruin him.' Diddy contacted him again He continued, sharing that he received a call from Khorram on a number he had not provided to them, scaring him. Diddy again talked to Eddy about the matter and adamantly tried to get him to help him. Even after Eddy shared that he could not access the video because of restrictions, Diddy continued to say that 'you can do it.' When Garcia mentioned the altercation to his boss, he surprisingly agreed to give the video for fifty thousand dollars. Garcia conveyed this to Diddy, who, after hearing the news, 'sounded excited' and even called him 'Eddy, my angel.' Eddy received a total of 100,000 dollars in cash from Diddy, all together in a brown paper bag, in exchange for a pen drive that contained the 'only copy' of the video. Eddy also signed NDAs and declarations Garcia also revealed that he had to sign NDAs that stated that if he were to ever talk about the matter or reveal it to someone, he would have to pay the singer 1 million dollars in fines. Not only that, but he also had to sign a declaration as well, promising that the video that he handed over was, in fact, the only copy of the video of Diddy beating up Ventura. The video is being used as a major piece of evidence for charges of assault that have been filed against Diddy by three women, including Cassie. Prosecutors have made claims that the video is enough proof and is a testament to the women's claims of the singer abusing them sexually and physically. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
The Herald
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald
Trump: No requests to pardon Sean ‘Diddy' Combs, but will look at facts
Trump has made extensive use of his power to pardon or commute the sentences of people accused of or convicted of federal crimes, a break with tradition, as presidents normally wait until near the end of their terms before granting clemency. Trump, a Republican, said he had not seen or spoken to Combs in years. Combs could face life in prison if convicted on all counts. Also known throughout his career as Puff Daddy and P Diddy, Combs is known for turning artists including Notorious BIG and Mary J Blige into stars. In the process he elevated hip-hop in American culture and became a billionaire. The criminal charges filed last September and dozens of civil lawsuits accusing Combs of sexual abuse have left his reputation in tatters. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan alleged over two decades Combs coerced women to take part in drug-fuelled sexual performances known as 'freak-offs' with male sex workers. Two women have testified Combs raped them. His lawyers have acknowledged he was at times abusive in romantic relationships but argued the women who took part in 'freak-offs' did so consensually. Reuters
Edinburgh Live
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
The ominous reason behind P Diddy's original stage name 'Puff Daddy'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Hip-hop titan Sean 'P Diddy' Combs, famously known by a plethora of stage names over the decades, finds himself in the spotlight at a New York City courthouse, standing trial over allegations of sex trafficking and racketeering. The 55-year-old celebrity, alongside his legal team, stoutly refutes the charges levelled against him, asserting his innocence as the proceedings pass the third week mark. Amidst ongoing legal battles and with P Diddy's purported criminal acts seizing public attention, many fans are only now uncovering the roots of his original moniker, Puff Daddy. Launching into fame in 1997, Combs skyrocketed to success when "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down," his first single, dominated the charts. READ MORE - Kate Middleton's brutal response when told she's lucky to have Prince William READ MORE - Meghan Markle's honest one-word response when asked about meeting Kate Middleton Throughout the years, he's opted for diverse aliases, starting as the infamous Puff Daddy before later adopting the tags P Diddy and Diddy. Pulled straight from Combs' own accounts, "Puff Daddy" traces back to his childhood moniker "Puff," stemming from his childhood habit of "huff and puff" antics whenever he lost his temper, reports the Mirror US. The epithet "Puff" laid the foundation for his initial foray into the rap game as Puff Daddy, clinching the top spot with his opening single in 1997. By then, Combs had already established himself as a major force in music, having founded Bad Boy Records in 1993 and crowning himself as its chief. In a bid for reinvention after being acquitted of gun possession and bribery charges in 2001, he swapped out Puff Daddy for P. Diddy, setting his sights on a fresh start. Sean Combs, the renowned rapper, had announced a name change from Puff Daddy to P Diddy back in 2001. "No more Puff Daddy - the first week in June, we're going to have a name-change ceremony," Combs stated at the time, adding: "I'm not doing it as serious as Prince. I just want something fresh. I'm rocking with P Diddy just now." He subsequently released his album, The Saga Continues, under the new moniker, although he had previously used the alias in record credits for his work with other artists. Combs attributed the origin of the name P. Diddy to his friend, the late rapper Notorious B.I. G. who was tragically shot and killed in 1997. Meanwhile, Combs' ongoing sex trafficking trial, which has featured testimony from his ex-partner Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura, is expected to continue for at least five more weeks. In a recent development, imprisoned rapper Suge Knight has urged his long-time rival Combs to take the stand in the trial. Suge, currently serving a 28-year sentence for a 2015 fatal hit-and-run, believes Combs should defend himself in court to "humanize" himself and persuade the jury to "give him a shot". Suge commented that Combs' silence makes him appear "scared to face the music" and advised him to "have his faith in God." He added, "I feel if he does tell his truth, he really would walk."
