Prosecutors Have Added Two More Women To The Case Involving Sean Combs

Prosecutors in New York have expanded their case against rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, accusing him of coercing two more women into commercial sex acts and allegedly dangling a person over an apartment balcony.

Combs has been in jail since September following an initial indictment that charged him with racketeering, sex trafficking by force, and transportation for prostitution.

On Thursday, the indictment was updated to include two more victims, though no new charges were added to the case.

The 55-year-old musician has strongly denied all accusations against him, including the federal criminal case and over 30 separate civil lawsuits. In response to the superseding indictment, his lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, stated that the prosecution’s case “remains flawed.”

“The government has added the ridiculous theory that two of Mr. Combs’s former girlfriends were not girlfriends at all, but were prostitutes,” said his lawyer. “Mr. Combs is as committed as ever to fighting these charges and winning at trial.”

The original indictment only identified one victim, referred to as “Victim-1” in court documents, whose allegations closely mirrored those of Cassandra Ventura, the singer who sued Combs for rape and sex trafficking in 2023.

In the new filing, prosecutors allege that Combs “used force, threats of force, and coercion to cause victims, including but not limited to three female victims,” to engage in commercial sex acts. This alleged violence was reportedly captured in a video from 2016, showing the musician kicking, dragging, and throwing a vase at Ms. Ventura at a Los Angeles hotel.

The indictment also claims that “Combs, with the assistance of several close associates, paid hotel security staff $100,000” (£80,000) for the footage. However, the video was leaked to CNN last year. Combs later expressed being “disgusted” by the footage and stated that he had sought “professional help” after the incident.

Ms. Ventura stated that the violence she endured “broke me down to someone I never thought I’d become.”

The updated indictment indicates that federal prosecutors are expanding their case against Combs as his trial date in May draws near.

A footnote in the updated indictment notes that the investigation into Sean Combs is ongoing, with prosecutors indicating that further updates will be filed “as promptly as possible” ahead of the trial. As the case progresses, several new developments have emerged.

One significant change is that prosecutors have moved the alleged start date of Combs’ sex trafficking offenses back to 2004, four years earlier than previously stated. In addition, the list of narcotics Combs allegedly used to maintain control over his victims has been expanded. New substances, including methamphetamine and psychedelic mushrooms, have been added to the original list, which already included cocaine, oxycodone, and ketamine. Prosecutors claim that these drugs were used to keep the victims “obedient and silent.”

The accusation that Combs dangled a woman from a balcony now appears in the updated indictment, mirroring a claim made in a civil lawsuit filed by fashion designer Bryana “Bana” Bongolan in December. This addition further underscores the gravity of the allegations against Combs.

Moreover, prosecutors have included a new claim, stating that Combs not only assaulted women but also “his employees, witnesses to his abuse, and others.” This broader scope suggests that the musician’s alleged abusive behavior extended to multiple individuals in his inner circle.

Combs’ legal team has consistently denied the charges, dismissing them as “baseless” and accusing the government of conducting a “witch hunt.” With the trial date set for May, these new developments are expected to play a significant role in the ongoing legal battle.