Diddy Trial: What Lies Ahead After Explosive Testimony

Shocking accounts of sex-fueled marathons involving gallons of baby oil, brutal physical assaults leaving the victim bloodied and vomiting, and a chilling threat to blow up a romantic rival’s car dominated the first week of Sean Combs’s criminal trial in Manhattan federal court. 

Casandra Ventura, the music mogul’s former longtime girlfriend, delivered a raw and unflinching testimony that laid bare a world of unchecked excess, implicating both herself and the man known as “Diddy,” “P. Diddy,” or “Puff Daddy.”

Ventura’s testimony marks the opening chapter of an anticipated eight-week trial, aiming to convince jurors that Combs, 55, was not just an abusive partner but the mastermind of a criminal enterprise.

Charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation for prostitution, Combs faces the possibility of life in prison. Prosecutors allege his operation facilitated the sex trafficking of three women and committed crimes including arson, kidnapping, and more, dating back to 2004.

Ventura’s vivid account—detailing coerced sexual encounters with male escorts at Combs’s so-called “freak-offs” while he watched and violent outbursts fueled by jealousy—sets the emotional and factual groundwork for the prosecution. “Her testimony frames the case, both emotionally and in outlining the scope of the alleged crimes,” said Rachel Maimin, a former federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York.

As the trial progresses, prosecutors will build on Ventura’s testimony with additional witnesses and evidence, potentially including videos of Combs’s notorious sex parties. The goal is to prove he ran a sophisticated criminal network, not merely indulged in a decadent lifestyle.

Combs’s defense, led by attorney Teny Geragos, admits he was a flawed man prone to domestic violence and jealous rages but argues his actions don’t constitute federal crimes. “He’s not on trial for being a jerk,” Geragos said. “He’s accused of running a racketeering enterprise.”