Diddy Trial

The first day of the federal racketeering and sex trafficking trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs began this morning with some lighthearted comments by the judge ... who mentions Diddy's various nicknames over the years, and nods to the size of the potential jury pool and the length of the questionnaire each individual filled out.

As proceedings got formally underway, Judge Arun Subramanian made a remark comparing the size of the list of prospective jurors that both sides will question on the stand -- and the questionnaire of people and places in the case -- to the famously vast "Lord of the Rings" trilogy of novels.

As you know, there are many challenges on both sides for jury selection, which is expected to take several days.

Diddy will finally face a jury of his peers who will determine his fate for the rest of his life ... but finding the right jury -- for each side -- is gonna be a Herculean task.

The defense will have a much more difficult time, because there's no such thing as an unbiased jury. Good luck finding a prospective juror in New York City -- or anywhere else in this country, for that matter -- that hasn't formed an opinion about this case.

Since the public view is Diddy is guilty, prosecutors have a big edge. As for the defense, the way to go about asking questions regarding bias is NOT simply asking if a prospective juror can have an open mind. The way to do it ... they ask if prospective jurors have ever held a view that was important to them but were able to change their mind, and they need to be specific.

Jury selection just kicked off in Diddy's federal trial, and it’s a total madhouse -- with some people getting paid just to stand in line for others to snag spots inside the courthouse.

We caught the chaos at the federal courthouse in Manhattan on Monday -- some folks told us they had been in line since the night before, saving spots for people who paid them to do the heavy lifting.

One line-holder told us he was getting $32 per hour to hold a place in line, though he admitted the going rate is more like $25 per hour. Any bit of extra income helps with inflation, particularly in Manhattan! Another clip on X showed just how absurd the line was to get into the courthouse for the jury selection ... so paying someone to save a spot makes sense.

Cassie Ventura dated Diddy for more than a decade ... and, now she'll likely deliver some of the most important testimony at his federal trial, starting later this month.

The singer-songwriter has played a large role in Diddy's life no doubt ... and, we're going to recap her last couple years as they pertain to Diddy's life -- beginning in late 2023 when she filed a civil lawsuit against him.

Back in November of that year, Cassie sued Diddy ... accusing him of rape, human trafficking and other crimes. It was also the first time anyone had made mention of the alleged "freak offs" prosecutors claim Diddy had -- with Cassie claiming he coordinated sexual encounters between her and male prostitutes and pleasured himself while watching.

Diddy's defense team is starting to take shape on the eve of his federal criminal trial ... and he's got some accomplished legal minds on his side.

The Bad Boy Records founder is rocking with Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos as his lead attorneys ... and Marc's been at the center of some high-profile cases.

Agnifilo previously defended NXIVM sex cult leader Keith Raniere, "Pharma Bro" Martin Shkreli, IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Khan and Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng.

Geragos is a partner at Marc's firm ... and she worked with him on the Raniere case.

Diddy's defense may be aided by the fact there's a lot of noise about celebrity sex tapes and minors being involved in the Diddy criminal case ... those two things are NOT part of the case, and it could have a profound effect on jurors.

On the "2 Angry Men" podcast, Harvey Levin and Mark Geragos explored one of the perceptions out there about the Diddy criminal case ... and how it may swing the jury.

There's a false narrative that celebrity sex tapes and minors are part of the prosecution's evidence against Diddy ... with some folks out there, including potential jurors, under the false impression this case is the hip hop version of Jeffrey Epstein.

Sean "Diddy" Combs is just a few days away from standing trial in federal court, and we've got the answers to all the basic questions you may have. Read below to catch up on everything you need to know.

Diddy was arrested on September 16, 2024, in the lobby of the Park Hyatt New York hotel in Manhattan. The shocking arrest was caught on surveillance footage, obtained by TMZ.

Diddy was initially charged with three federal counts -- one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; one count of transportation to engage in prostitution; and one count of racketeering conspiracy. In April 2025, he was hit with two more charges -- another sex trafficking count, and another transportation to engage in prostitution charge, bringing the total number to five. He's pled not guilty to all charges.

The federal prosecutors who will be trying to secure a conviction against Diddy in his upcoming trial are all white women ... led by the daughter of former FBI director James Comey.

Maurene Ryan Comey is set to lead the team of U.S. Attorneys from the vaunted Southern District of New York next week in court, when jury selection begins in Diddy's sex trafficking trial.

Maurene's father is the former FBI director who had a controversial role in the 2016 presidential election. James was ultimately fired from his post by President Trump a few months into Trump's first term.

Diddy was back in court Thursday for one final hearing before his criminal trial ... and he told the judge he rejected a plea deal presented to him by federal prosecutors.

The Bad Boy Records founder strolled into a Manhattan courtroom wearing a tan jail jumpsuit, looking gray and thin ... and he waved to the public and media seated in the gallery before taking a seat at the defense table between two of his attorneys, Teny Geragos and Brian Steel.

Diddy was smiling and in good spirits ... chatting with Teny and Brian ... and he was chummy and seemed unfazed by the upcoming trial.

Diddy gets to spruce up his look for his upcoming criminal trial ... the judge just signed off on letting him go with a business casual look in court, instead of his jail jumpsuits.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Diddy just got a signed order from the judge allowing him to receive non-prison clothing at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to wear at next month's trial.

Diddy's got permission to have up to 5 button-down shirts, 5 pairs of pants, 5 sweaters, 5 pairs of socks and 2 pairs of shoes without laces to wear to court.

7:08 PM PT -- Turns out the judge has ruled on these issues ... the judge said prosecutors can't argue forced labor pertaining to one of Diddy's employees. However, the judge also ruled the prosecutors will be allowed to let in sex trafficking evidence against Diddy.

The feds are calling Diddy out for asking a judge to exclude evidence from his upcoming criminal trial ... claiming Diddy is just trying to postpone a fast-approaching start date for the trial.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Diddy is trying to exclude a bunch of evidence related to sex trafficking charges and the alleged "Freak Offs," claiming prosecutors turned over the evidence too late and didn’t give him enough time to prepare his defense.

Thing is ... the feds say Diddy's known for months about the evidence they plan to present at trial, and he's just trying to get the judge to postpone the trial.

Potential jurors in Diddy's federal trial are gonna get grilled on several subjects before they get picked ... and a questionnaire's hot topics include their taste in music, and their views on drugs, celebs and group sex.

With jury selection just a week away for Diddy's trial, his attorneys are submitting the 30 questions they want to put to the jury pool. Not shockingly, considering the charges, sex is raised several times.

For instance, "There may be evidence in this case about people engaging in sexual relations with multiple sexual partners. Would hearing about that type of evidence be difficult for you?"

Part of Diddy's defense involves his mental capacity to commit the crimes while he was, essentially, wasted -- he even has a doctor lined up to testify -- but the feds think it's a totally irrelevant point.

Prosecutors filed their opposition to this line of testimony, and in the docs they say Diddy wants to have the doctor -- who's a Columbia professor -- testify he had a "mental condition bearing on the issue of guilt."

So, what does that mean exactly?

Well, the detail of his alleged condition is redacted throughout the documents ... but, there are some clues, including a bit about Diddy's alleged drinking and drugging.

Diddy rejected a plea deal federal prosecutors offered him ... and, his lawyers have shown their hand as to the main crux of their defense -- claiming he's simply a swinger, not a criminal.

The rap mogul was in a Manhattan courthouse Friday morning for a hearing that touched on a series of topics ... during which Rolling Stone reports his prosecutors revealed they did offer Diddy a deal -- and, he flat out turned it down.

No further details of the deal have been made public ... but, it's long been believed Diddy was offered one -- and, now we know those rumors are true.

Diddy may have forced one of the alleged victims in his federal case to undergo a medical procedure ... at least that's what prosecutors are claiming.

The rap mogul sat in a New York City courtroom Friday when the question of how to handle certain evidence the prosecution plans to present regarding an unknown medical procedure came up.

A federal prosecutor told the judge these alleged procedures go "directly to the degree of control [Diddy] had over her, consent to specific sexual acts ... It's relevant to these questions on coercion."

The woman who accused Jay-Z and Diddy of raping her when she was 13 years old is now taking legal steps to try and dismiss a lawsuit Jay-Z filed against her.

Jay's accuser, who first sued him for rape as a Jane Doe, filed new legal docs Tuesday to dismiss the defamation suit the music mogul filed against her and her attorney, Tony Buzbee, in Alabama.

In new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the woman claims Jay-Z can’t sue her over the claims because she made them in court documents and are therefore privileged ... adding that the interview she did with NBC was based on her claims in the court docs.