Hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, 55, has been hit with an expanded federal indictment, facing five criminal charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking.
The new indictment, filed on Friday, adds additional counts to the three-count indictment Combs had previously pleaded not guilty to.
The charges include transporting women to engage in prostitution and sex trafficking, with the alleged abuse spanning from 2004 to 2024.
Combs’ trial is set for May 5 in Manhattan federal court. The expanded indictment alleges that Combs used his influential business empire to sexually exploit women, including forcing them to participate in sexual performances called “freak offs” with male sex workers, sometimes involving the transportation of the sex workers across state lines. His legal team has strongly denied these allegations, asserting that the interactions were consensual.
In the new indictment, Combs faces charges related to two women, referred to as Victim-1 and Victim-2, who were allegedly trafficked across state lines for prostitution.
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A third woman, Victim-3, is identified in the indictment as a victim of Combs’ alleged racketeering activities. Combs has remained in custody since September and also faces dozens of civil lawsuits from men and women accusing him of sexual abuse.
The case highlights a darker side of Combs’ storied career. Known for his role in building Bad Boy Records and for helping launch the careers of artists like Mary J. Blige, Notorious B.I.G., and Usher, Combs has also been the subject of several high-profile allegations.
These include a 2016 incident where he was caught on surveillance video allegedly kicking and dragging a woman in a Los Angeles hotel. More recently, a video surfaced showing Combs striking and dragging his ex-girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura.
Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, has refuted claims that Combs coerced anyone into sexual acts, insisting the “freak offs” were consensual. Despite his defense, the charges against Combs continue to garner significant public and legal attention.
