Sean "Diddy" Combs has condemned the latest federal indictment against him as an attempt by prosecutors to criminalize his private sex life, as the Justice Department filed two new charges that expand the ongoing criminal case just weeks before his trial.
"These are not new allegations or new accusers," a spokesperson for the Bad Boy Records founder's legal team said Friday. "These are the same individuals, former long-term girlfriends, who were involved in consensual relationships. This was their private sex life, defined by consent, not coercion."
Combs, 55, was hit Friday with two additional counts: sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. The new charges raise the total federal counts he faces to five and center around a new accuser-identified only as Victim-2-who allegedly endured coercion and commercial sexual exploitation between 2021 and 2024.
Filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, the indictment states Combs "knowingly transported individuals in interstate and foreign commerce with intent that the individuals engage in prostitution," and "aided and abetted" the same. Authorities allege Combs caused Victim-2 to engage in sex acts "as a result of force, fraud, and coercion."
The document, signed and filed in Judge Arun Subramanian's court, underscores the government's effort to portray Combs not merely as a powerful music executive, but as the architect of a system of abuse spanning several years. Jury selection is currently scheduled to begin May 5.
The defense has sharply rejected the prosecution's framing, arguing that the charges reflect moral judgment on consensual sexual behavior, not criminal conduct. In prior filings, Combs' legal team accused the government of attempting to "police non-conforming sexual activity" and described the case as fueled by "racist" laws.
Friday's response from the defense emphasized that no new individuals have come forward. "These are not new allegations or new accusers," the legal team reiterated, stressing the consensual nature of the relationships. "This was their private sex life, defined by consent, not coercion."
According to prosecutors, Combs and his associates orchestrated extended sex parties known as "Freak Offs," in which women were allegedly drugged, confined in hotel rooms, and forced to have sex with both male and female prostitutes. These encounters were said to be filmed and used as leverage. The indictment asserts that Combs "recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, and maintained Victim-2," often under pretense of romantic relationships.
The new charges also coincide with federal efforts to protect the anonymity of three of the four women expected to testify. Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky stated in a filing, "To protect their privacy, the Government respectfully requests that the Court take certain narrowly tailored measures at trial... Permitting these measures will prevent unnecessary public disclosure of the victims' identities, and the harassment from the media and others."
While Cassie Ventura, identified as Victim-1, has publicly settled civil claims against Combs and is expected to testify under her real name, prosecutors are pushing for pseudonyms for the remaining three witnesses, citing fears of retaliation and long-term reputational damage.
Combs' team has yet to formally respond to the protective order request, but is expected to challenge it in the April 25 pretrial hearing, potentially citing the need for open court proceedings. The same hearing could also serve as Combs' third arraignment, though defense attorneys may seek additional time to assess the superseding indictment, possibly delaying the May 12 trial date.
Combs, who remains in custody at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center, has been unsuccessful in multiple attempts to secure pretrial release. He continues to deny all criminal charges, while facing dozens of civil lawsuits, many filed by Houston-based attorney Tony Buzbee, alleging sexual misconduct, assault, and abuse.
