There are no new charges in a superseding indictment that the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed today against Sean “Diddy” Combs in the Bad Boy Records founder’s sex-trafficking case. However, two new victims have been added to the New York case, which is scheduled to go to trial in May.
“The Government respectfully submits this letter regarding the S1 Indictment returned today in the above-referenced case by a Grand Jury sitting in this District (the ‘S1 Indictment’),” reads a letter (see it here) from U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon that was submitted Thursday along with the new indictment.
“As set forth below, the S1 Indictment contains no new charged offenses but includes additional allegations in Count One, the charged racketeering conspiracy, and specifies certain victims relevant to Counts One and Three, the letter adds. “The Government has already produced the vast majority of discovery associated with the S1 Indictment and does not expect the S1 Indictment to affect existing pre-trial deadlines. The Government respectfully requests that the defendant be arraigned on the S1 Indictment at the next scheduled court conference.”
While the new and redacted filing (read it here) by the feds reads pretty much the same as what was submitted to the courts after Combs was arrested in September, the prostitution charges against the rapper now include two other women. In addition to Victim-2 and Victim-3, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has extended the term of the racketeering charges from previously starting in 2008 to now starting in 2004.
“The latest Indictment contains no new offenses,” Combs co-lead attorney Marc Agnifilo responded Thursday. “The prosecution’s theory remains flawed. The government has added the ridiculous theory that two of Mr. Combs’ former girlfriends were not girlfriends at all but were prostitutes. Mr. Combs is as committed as ever to fighting these charges and winning at trial.”
Victim-1 has long been identified as Combs’ former girlfriend Cassie Ventura.
Despite an estimated $30 million payoff to legal action of Ventura’s own and accusations of rape, abuse and more in November last year over the 2007-2018 relationship the duo had, the defense has tried repeatedly to characterize her as an active and willing participant in Combs’ escapades. As recently as January 14, Agnifilo and co-counsel Teny Geragos claimed that nine videos in evidence are proof that their client never did forced Victim-1 to have kinky “freak off” sex with him and others against her will, but that the uptight feds seek to “police non-conforming sexual activity.”
Today’s superseding indictment was foreshadowed by prosecutors in a December hearing before Judge Arun Subramanian.
Arrested by the NYPD on September 16 in a Big Apple hotel lobby, Combs is charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. Already behind bars and repeatedly denied bail, the heavily lawyered-up Combs’ trial is set to start May 5. If found guilty, he is looking at life in prison.
Also sometimes known as Puff Daddy, Puffy and P. Diddy, the 55-year-old three-time Grammy winner — who has had 10 Top 10 solo singles including three No. 1s — also is fighting dozens of other sexual assault cases in federal and state court including one with Jay-Z as a co-defendant. Among the 40 or so individuals, female and male, that say Combs raped and abused them, there are several minors – including a 10-year-old boy.
Erik Pedersen contributed to this report.
