US producer-musician Sean “Diddy” Combs poses with the International Icon award within the press room throughout the MTV Video Music Awards on the Prudential Middle in Newark, New Jersey, on September 12, 2023.
ANGELA WEISS/AFP by way of Getty Photos
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ANGELA WEISS/AFP by way of Getty Photos
Sean Combs, the leisure mogul who’s been in custody since his September arrest for expenses together with intercourse trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, faces two new counts as a part of a superseding indictment filed in federal courtroom on Thursday. The brand new expenses increase the timeline of Combs’ alleged crimes and will probably lead to an extended jail sentence.
The primary new rely alleges that Combs engaged in intercourse trafficking by power, fraud or coercion between 2021 and 2024. The second alleges that inside that very same time interval, Combs additionally transported a number of people — together with an unnamed sufferer — “on a number of events with the intent that they interact in prostitution.” Combs had already been indicted on counts of intercourse trafficking and transporting to have interaction in prostitution spanning from 2009 to 2018.
NPR reached out to Combs International and to Combs’ lead lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, and is awaiting touch upon the brand new expenses. Up to now, Combs’ representatives have denied all allegations in opposition to him; he has pleaded not responsible to 2 prior indictments.
The brand new indictment filed within the U.S. District Courtroom – Southern District of New York nonetheless contains one rely of racketeering conspiracy alleging that between 2004 and 2024, Combs Enterprises — together with media, music, vogue and alcohol spirits firms — functioned as a prison group that facilitated and hid Combs’ alleged crimes. These embrace “a persistent and pervasive sample of abuse towards girls and different people,” together with verbal, bodily, emotional and sexual abuse that prolonged to his personal workers. The fees allege that Combs Enterprises’ actions violated U.S. racketeering legal guidelines by kidnapping, arson, bribery, compelled labor and extra.
Jury choice for Combs’ trial is ready to start on Could 5, with opening statements scheduled for Could 12. Along with federal expenses, Combs faces greater than two dozen civil lawsuits for sexual assault, rape, intercourse trafficking and extra.
