True Crime NYC

The highly anticipated trial of hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs has reached an end. The jury found Sean Combs not guilty of racketeering conspiracy, the most serious charge. The jury found Combs guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution (in connection with his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura) and guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution (in connection with his ex-girlfriend who testified under the pseudonym "Jane"). He was found not guilty of both charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion in connection with Ventura and "Jane." U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian told defense attorneys that Sean Combs’ continued detention is in part because of the argument used by his lawyers to secure a partial acquittal -- that Combs engaged in domestic violence but not sex trafficking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Darla Miles, Mike Marza, and ABC News Legal Contributor Bernarda Villalona and ABC News Legal Analyst Channa Lloyd break down Tuesday's deliberations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Marza and Bernarda Villalona ABC News Legal Contributor, recap the jury's first day of deliberations in the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial. The jury has concluded their deliberations for the day, the foreperson said in a note. “We will end at 5 p.m. and resume at 9 a.m. tomorrow,” the note said. The jury also sent a separate note regarding how to understand the narcotics distribution allegations Combs faces. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The government rebuttal concluded with prosecutor Maurene Comey imploring jurors to find Sean Combs guilty and lauding his alleged victims for coming forward with “overwhelming evidence.” “The defendant never thought the women he abused would have the courage to speak out loud what he had done with him,” Comey argued. “For 20 years, the defendant got away with his crimes. That ends in this courtroom.” Comey told the jury the violence between Combs and "Jane" at her home in June 2024 represented the most “clear cut” example of sex trafficking in the entire case. The defense suggested "Jane" instigated it to use it later against Combs, knowing he was under criminal investigation. Comey said there was no evidence of that. Court is adjourned, the jury was sent home with instructions not to discuss the case. The jury returns 9 a.m. ET Monday for the judge’s charge and deliberations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The prosecution's nearly five-hour closing argument in the racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking trial of Sean Combs ended with federal prosecutor Christy Slavik imploring the jury to convict the defendant as charged. “Up until today, the defendant was able to get away with his crimes because of his money, power and influence,” Slavik claimed. “It’s time to hold him accountable. It’s time for justice. It’s time to find the defendant guilty.” Slavik told jurors that a lot of the evidence presented during the trial was difficult to witness but, she argued, that evidence “proves to you that the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.” She asserted that Combs “ran his criminal enterprise with total control” and with the support of an inner circle whose “one job was to say yes to the defendant.” The defense closing argument is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. ET Friday morning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Marza and ABC News Legal Contributor Bernarda Villalona recap a big day in the trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs. Federal prosecutors are no longer including attempted kidnapping and attempted arson as underlying crimes in the alleged racketeering conspiracy charge against Sean Combs. Prosecutors disclosed in a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian that they would “no longer proceed on these theories” when they deliberated closing arguments, which are scheduled to begin Thursday. Instead, prosecutors signaled that they would push sex trafficking and forced labor as primary predicate acts that the jury could find to convict Combs of racketeering conspiracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Marza and ABC News Legal contributor Bernarda Villalona recap day 32 of the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial.Sean “Diddy” Combs may have made his fortune with lyrics but told a judge Tuesday that he is not taking the stand in his own defense in his sex-trafficking trial, which is expected to conclude this week.Combs’ decision came about an hour after prosecutors rested their lengthy case against Combs, after calling 34 witnesses over 28 days. They spent seven weeks trying to convince a federal jury that the rap mogul used his business empire to coerce women into sex. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Marza and ABC News Legal Contributor Bernarda Villalona recap day 27 of the Sean Diddy Combs trial. With the conclusion of Monday’s testimony, federal prosecutors are expected to rest their case against Sean “Diddy” Combs on Tuesday morning. The defense on Monday notified the court they do not plan to call any witnesses but will present a brief case consisting only of evidence they plan to show the jury. Closing statements are scheduled to begin on Thursday morning with each side expected to take about four hours. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former assistant Brendan Paul, who worked for Sean Combs from late 2022 until his arrest in 2024, recalled procuring drugs for Combs from drug dealers known as Guido, One Stop, Baby Girl and Ovi. He referred to hard drugs as "Gucci items," which he would put into a Gucci pouch that Combs kept in a backpack or on his person. A sixth week of testimony concluded with a summary witness, HSI special agent Joseph Cerciello, walking the jury through text messages and other documents. He will return for what will likely be a full day of testimony Monday. Federal prosecutor Maurene Comey said the government expected to rest on Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Marza and ABC News Legal Analyst Channa Lloyd recap day 29 of the Sean Diddy Combs trial. The explicit videos allegedly used to blackmail women came into focus on Tuesday for the Manhattan jury who will decide the fate of Sean “Diddy’ Combs. Donning headphones and with their video monitors hidden from public view, the jury watched lengthy clips of the drug-fueled sex parties at the center of the prosecution’s sex-trafficking case against the one-time rap mogul and fashion tastemaker. During the seven-week-long trial, the jury has been shown screenshots and brief clips of recordings from the orgies where Combs would watch his girlfriends have sex with male prostitutes. But Tuesday marked the first extensive look at the key evidence in the case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Marza and ABC News Legal Contributor Bernarda Villalona recap a busy day in the Sean Diddy Combs trial. At the conclusion of court on Friday, Judge Arun Subramanian dismissed juror #6 over "inconsistencies" in statements he made about where he lived, and he said they raised questions of candor and ability to follow instructions. In an "offhand" remark to court staff, the juror mentioned he had moved in with his girlfriend in New Jersey and had been living there most of the time. The judge said it raised concerns about the juror’s basic qualifications, the juror’s candor and whether he made a deliberate attempt to get himself onto the jury. Kanye West briefly watched his friend Sean "Diddy" Combs’ sex trafficking trial from an overflow room. After arriving in a black Mercedes-Maybach sedan, West entered the courthouse in an all-white outfit and black sunglasses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Court will resume on Friday with testimony from a federal agent; from Jonathan Perez, a Combs assistant; and an additional witness. The cross-examination of the former Sean Combs girlfriend appearing as "Jane" is covering her description of an alleged physical assault by Combs in June 2024 that she previously testified left her with welts and a black eye. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Marza and ABC News Legal Contributor Bernarda Villalona recap what happened on Wednesday in court after Judge Arun Subramanian is monitoring a potential issue with a juror. The former Sean Combs girlfriend testifying under the pseudonym "Jane" became emotional and cried on the witness stand while reading a message she sent to Combs about “her thoughts.”Prosecutor Maurene Comey said the government anticipated cutting several additional witnesses from their list and expected to rest their case no later than Friday of next week, perhaps as soon as Wednesday of next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Marza and ABC News Legal analyst Channa Lloyd recap Tuesday's testimony in the Sean Diddy Combs trial. Sean “Diddy” Combs was the Michael Jordan of drug-fueled sex parties – at least, according to himself. That revelation was included in another day of testimony from Combs’ ex-girlfriend, who alleges she was forced to participate in degrading sex with male prostitutes for Combs’ voyeuristic gratification. Testifying under the pseudonym “Jane,” the ex-girlfriend has spent four days walking a federal jury in Manhattan through a life that was funded by Combs and centered on his sexual appetites. She said she spent so much time participating in sexual encounters that Combs compared her, himself, and a male escort to well-known sports stars. A male escort they frequently hired was, to Combs, “Shaquille O’Neal.” Jane was compared and labeled “Kobe Bryant.” Combs considered himself to be “Jordan,” Jane testified. The athletic comparisons capped off the 24th day of the rap mogul’s sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial, as defense attorneys tried to cast doubt on Jane’s claims that she was coerced to participate in the sex parties. Jane is a critical part of the authorities’ case against the onetime cultural icon, who has been locked up since his arrest last September. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Marza and ABC News Legal Contributor, Bernarda Villalona, recap Monday's dramatic day of testimony from 'Jane.' The former Sean Combs girlfriend appearing under the pseudonym "Jane" testified that she used makeup to cover her bruises from an alleged earlier physical confrontation with Combs and swept her hair over her black eye, in preparation for an alleged sexual encounter with a male partner she told the court was named Anton. When the widely seen 2016 hotel security camera video of Sean Combs attacking Cassie Ventura first appeared on television in May 2024, "Jane" testified she was with Combs at his home in Miami. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Marza and ABC News Legal Contributor Bernarda Villalona recap the second day of testimony from "Jane." The fourth week of testimony in the sex-trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs concluded with deeply emotional and disturbing testimony from one of rap mogul’s ex-girlfriends, who told jurors she was forced to participate in days-long sexual encounters with male prostitutes as late as August 2024. Jane’s testimony at times mirrored the allegations made by Comb’s other ex-girlfriend, the musician Cassie Ventura, who likewise, took the jury through a narrative of male prostitutes, days-long sexual encounters and the drugs and alcohol that fueled them. Testifying through tears, the woman, using the pseudonym “Jane,” told jurors Combs provided her drugs and forced her to participate in the orgies – called “freak-offs” or “hotel nights”– for the three years of her relationship. She testified that the routine only ended when federal agents arrested Combs in September 2024 for sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and prostitution. Jane alleged that the “hotel nights” could last as long as three days and would require her, during the sessions, to have sex with up to three other men in addition to Combs. Saying she felt pressure to please Combs, who would masturbate while watching Jane and alternate with the male escorts, Jane said she relied on drugs to make it through the degrading marathons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Marza and ABC News Legal Analyst Channa Lloyd recap what happened in court on Thursday in the Sean Diddy Combs sex trafficking trial. During a break and without the jury present, Judge Arun Subramanian threatened to boot Sean Combs from trial if he makes facial expressions during testimony. "I was very clear there were not to be any facial expressions," Subramanian told lead defense counsel Marc Agnifilo. "There's a line of questioning where your client was nodding vigorously and looking at the jury and there was a subsequent moment when there was a sidebar and I saw your client looking at the jury." Subramanian said an additional violation "could result in the exclusion of your client from the courtroom." An alleged sex trafficking victim of Combs' who is testifying under the pseudonym 'Jane' also took the witness stand. It was late 2020 when, "Jane" testified, she met Combs during a girls trip to Miami. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Marza and ABC News legal analyst Channa Lloyd recap the 20th day of the Sean Diddy Combs sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial. A longtime friend of his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura testified the rap mogul attacked her for no reason in 2016, dangled her from a 17th-floor balcony, and threw her into a coffee table. “[Combs] came up really close to my face and said something like, ‘I’m the devil and I could kill you,’” Bryana Bongolan told the jury Combs said, her voice cracking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Marza and ABC News Legal Contributor Bernarda Villalona recap the testimony on Tuesday, June 3rd. A hotel security guard on Tuesday told the jury in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex-trafficking and racketeering trial that the rap mogul paid him $100,000 in an attempt to secure his silence and bury a video that is now the central piece of evidence in the criminal case that threatens to send him to prison for life. In the video captured in 2016 by security cameras at the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles – and shown to the jury during the testimony of three different witnesses – Combs is seen kicking and dragging his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. Prosecutors have argued that Combs’ $100,000 payment to Garcia was a bribe and one of the underlying crimes at the heart of their allegation is that the hip-hop superstar is guilty of racketeering conspiracy. A woman being called “Jane” is expected to take the stand on Wednesday afternoon and to testify for as long as five days, according to prosecutors. Jane is expected to be the third and final alleged victim to testify against Combs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eyewitness News team, and ABC news legal contributor Bernarda Villalona dig deeper into the contentious cross examination of a woman who worked as a personal assistant to Sean Combs. The former assistant concluded three days on the witness stand with attorneys for Combs grilling her so intensely that a prosecutor asked the judge to stop the cross examination, calling it "humiliating” and “harassing.” The witness, testifying under the pseudonym “Mia,” told jurors last week that Combs tormented and sexually assaulted her during her time working as his personal assistant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices