Diddy Trial: Juror Dismissed, Testimony On Travel, Freak-Offs

Day 24 of Sean “Diddy” Combs’s federal sex-trafficking and racketeering trial in New York City saw significant developments.

Juror Dismissal: Judge Arun Subramanian dismissed Juror No. 6 due to "inconsistencies" in statements about their residence. The juror had claimed to spend most of their time in New Jersey with their girlfriend but later said they spent four to five nights a week in a New York apartment, raising concerns about candor and ability to follow instructions. Another juror’s status remained unresolved after allegations of improper discussions about the case with a former colleague.

Special Agent DeLeassa Penland from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York testified, focusing on evidence supporting the prosecution’s case. Her testimony included:

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  Flight Records and Text Messages: Penland reviewed text messages and travel itineraries involving Combs and a male escort, Jules Theodore, from December 2009. These showed Combs arranging for Theodore to travel from Los Angeles to New York for a “party” at the London Hotel between December 11 and 14, 2009. An email from Combs instructed someone at his company to book the flight, supporting the prosecution’s transportation charges related to prostitution.
• Financial Documents: The jury was shown financial records linking Bad Boy Entertainment to payments for alleged “freak-off” events, reinforcing the prosecution’s narrative of a criminal enterprise.
• Explicit Videos: For the first time, jurors viewed three clips of explicit sexual encounters, provided by Combs’s former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, from a laptop with a user profile under Combs’s alias, “Frank Black.” These were presented to corroborate Ventura’s presence in hotels where “freak-offs” allegedly occurred.

Paralegal specialist Ananya Sankar, a summary witness, was cross-examined by defense attorney Teny Geragos. The defense highlighted text exchanges, including a February 2022 conversation between Combs’s former chief of staff, Kristina Khorram, and “Jane,” an ex-girlfriend who testified under a pseudonym. 

In one message, Jane expressed excitement about surprising Combs with a hotel room decorated with rose petals and heart balloons. Another exchange from February 25, 2023, showed Jane refusing Khorram’s request to call Combs, indicating her reluctance to engage in certain plans. The defense used these to suggest Jane’s willing participation in some aspects of the relationship.

Prosecution’s Progress: Prosecutors indicated they might rest their case as early as Wednesday, June 18, 2025.