With over 500 million records sold, a fortune close to $1 billion according to court documents (Forbes claims it's only $400 million) and winner of three Grammys, among dozens of nominations for MTV Video Music Awards, American Music Awards, Teen Choice, or MTV Europe Music, Sean Combs had become one of the richest and most powerful rappers in the music industry.
However, Combs' criminal activities have tarnished his reputation and significantly diminished his wealth and influence. Initially accused of federal charges of sex trafficking, conspiracy, and transportation for prostitution, and later of two more, another sex trafficking and transportation. The prosecution accuses him of "running a criminal enterprise" in which allegedly most of his partners and employees protected the singer of I Need a Girl in such a way that they also committed sex trafficking, robbery, obstruction of justice, forced labor, and kidnapping. The judicial process began on Monday, May 5th in New York.
In May 2017, Cindy Rueda, who worked as the singer's personal chef, sued him for sexual harassment and retaliation, but the matter was settled for an undisclosed amount. On November 16, 2023, Casandra Ventura, his partner from 2006 to 2018, accused him of rape, abuse, and mistreatment causing unprecedented fear and anxiety in the woman.
Some paragraphs in the lawsuit state that also known as Puff Daddy would beat his partner so severely that she would be bedridden for weeks and that "over the years Combs physically and sexually abused Ventura, she tried to escape his tight control over her life repeatedly." Despite reaching a substantial out-of-court settlement, the events narrated by Ventura were confirmed six months later. For example, on May 17, 2024, CNN aired footage from security cameras at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles showing him kicking Casandra and pulling her by the hair on the floor.
The case that has put the rapper in the dock exploded on December 6, 2023, when an unidentified woman revealed that she had been drugged, gang-raped when she was only 17 years old. Furthermore, everything had been recorded on video. Since Cassie spoke out, about 150 people have accused the singer and owner of Bad Boy Entertainment.
Most of the incidents took place in some of the mansions owned by Puff Daddy like the Holmby Hills residence in Los Angeles, valued at $40 million, which apparently contains secret underground tunnels that could directly connect to the Playboy mansion. Another mansion he acquired from Gloria Estefan for around $30 million in 2021. It is located on Star Island, an artificial island in Miami. It was a lucrative deal for the singer, as she had bought it in the 90s for just over a million dollars.
These mansions are known for hosting the White Parties on the first Monday of September (Labor Day in the United States). Celebrities were invited to attend dressed in white. Celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Donald Trump, Ashton Kutcher, Paris Hilton, Jennifer Lopez -his ex-girlfriend whom he financed her music career- and Justin Bieber, his loyal protege, have attended the rapper's mansions.
Then there were the Freak Off Parties, where lust and debauchery ran wild. Most of the crimes against young women occurred at these parties. The Freak Off parties were usually held at one of his residences, his private plane, or other luxurious and discreet locations. There were rumors that Ellen DeGeneres had attended, and even Jay-Z, Beyoncé's husband, was mentioned, leading to legal action to prove the accusations false.
The American singer's family has remained united since the scandal broke. From various relationships, he has seven children ranging in age from 33 years to two and a half years old. The older ones have accompanied him to court on occasion and even issued a statement expressing their support for their father.
Puff Daddy has been locked up since September at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York, unable to post bail. Judge Arun Subramanian has rejected the musician's offer to pay $50 million in bail. A jury of his peers will be responsible for judging the rapper. There will be no media present, and transcripts of the conversations will not be made public.
From the prosecution, Emily Johnson has stated that she will need about three weeks to present the case, and at least four victims will testify. Unlike other high-profile trials like O. J. Simpson or Bill Clinton, there will be no live video broadcast.
According to the different crimes, and as stated by the BBC, if Combs were found guilty of human trafficking, he would face a minimum sentence of 15 years, while the charge related to transportation for prostitution would carry a 10-year sentence. In his case, as there are two counts of trafficking and transportation, the sentence would be increased to 50 years.