Diddy Trial

Federal prosecutors are presenting their closing argument in the Diddy criminal trial ... and they're telling the jury it won't take much to find Diddy guilty of racketeering conspiracy.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik told jurors in court Thursday … to convict on the RICO charge, they only need to find Diddy agreed he or another member of his organization would commit at least two criminal acts under that charge.

Those acts, prosecutors say, include drug distribution, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and sex trafficking of Cassie Ventura and "Jane."

Diddy's federal criminal trial is entering the final stages, and now we have a sense of how closing arguments will play out ... or at least the schedule and timeline are taking shape.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys were in court Wednesday while jurors were not present, and they hashed out a schedule for closing arguments ... with prosecutors going for 4 hours starting Thursday morning, and the defense making their case the following day.

It was a pretty boring day inside the courtroom, with Diddy keeping a singular AirPod in his ear for much of the proceedings and mostly looking down at his lap. Two of Diddy's sons, Quincy and Justin, were in court too, and they were fighting to stay awake, as was much of the gallery.

In a stunning move, the day before closing arguments in Diddy's federal criminal trial in NYC, prosecutors have pulled back on some key testimony during the trial -- specifically attempted kidnapping, attempted arson, and aiding and abetting sex trafficking.

Prosecutors said in a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian, the Government is following His Honor's instructions to "streamline" the jury instructions.

Prosecutors are still arguing Diddy allegedly kidnapped former employee Capricorn Clark (who was taken to a building and given a lie detector test to determine if she stole Diddy's jewelry), and Cassie (when she was allegedly held at the London Hotel) -- but, they're simply suggesting the "attempted kidnapping" language be removed from the instructions to the jury.

The Diddy trial is putting his freak-offs on the world stage ... and a famous sex therapist says there are elements from the now-infamous sex marathons that couples can use to spice up their relationships -- and there's a legal way to make it happen too.

Dr. Laura Berman, best known for her show on the Oprah Winfrey Network, tells TMZ ... lots of folks are struggling in their sex lives, either from a lack of sex or boring sex, and that's why the freak-off element of the case -- for all its appalling elements -- is also titillating to some.

The sex doc says there are lots of ways for couples to spice up their sex life without putting their relationship at risk ... like sex toys and baby oil, which Diddy allegedly stockpiled.

After 28 days of intense witness testimony the prosecution and defense in Diddy's criminal trial in New York have rested their cases ... and they're gearing up for closing arguments.

Prosecutors rested Tuesday after their 34th and final witness, a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations, and then the defense rested without calling a single witness.

Diddy did not testify, but he did briefly speak up in court when confirming it was decision not to take the stand ... he said he was doing good and he thanked the judge for doing an "excellent job."

Rare moment in the Diddy criminal trial ... the music mogul just spoke up in court ... telling the judge how he's feeling, thanking him for doing a good job, and confirming his decision NOT to take the stand before his defense rested their case.

The brief exchange Tuesday started with Judge Arun Subramanian asking Diddy how he was feeling.

Diddy said, "I'm doing great, your honor. I've been wanting to tell you thank you, you're doing an excellent job."

The end is near ... federal prosecutors just rested their case in Diddy's criminal trial in New York.

SNDY prosecutors just finished questioning the last of their 34 witnesses Tuesday afternoon and told the judge they were resting their case ... and then the jury was dismissed for a lunch break.

With jurors out of the room, Diddy's army of defense attorneys is now arguing a motion to dismiss the five charges against Diddy ... they say the judge should throw out the case against Diddy before it even gets sent to the jury because prosecutors did not prove their case.

Diddy's federal criminal trial is winding down with more testimony about what jurors have been beaten over the head with for nearly 2 months ... Diddy had sex parties with male escorts and his girlfriends.

The prosecution is expected to rest their case Tuesday after their 34th and final witness, Homeland Security Investigations special agent Joseph Cerciello, is done on the stand ... and Diddy defense attorney Teny Geragos is doing cross-examination.

Geragos is having Cerciello read texts between Diddy, his ex 'Jane' and various male escorts they hired for freak offs ... and there's really nothing groundbreaking here.

It's the penultimate day of witness testimony in Diddy's criminal trial in New York ... and his defense is kicking the tires on some interesting strategies ... including invoking the Iran war.

Prosecutors and Diddy's defense team spent Monday questioning a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations ... the agency that started this whole Diddy sex trafficking case.

Nothing really new in terms of testimony but the most interesting stuff happened when there was no witness on the stand ... the defense told the judge it plans to rest its case Tuesday after prosecutors rest their case, without calling Diddy or any defense witnesses to testify.

Diddy's defense says he's a victim of Uncle Sam's bedroom policing ... and prosecutors released a bunch of new exhibits showing what the feds say Diddy stockpiled ... sexy lingerie, stripper heels and whips.

Check out this trove of photos federal prosecutors have submitted as evidence in Diddy's criminal trial ... it's basically a sex shop, with fishnet panties, stockings and a bunch of other things folks use to have kinky sex.

One of the photos shows the lingerie laid out on a big cushion ... next to five pairs of high heels ... with some red-lighting for extra dramatic effect.

Many of Diddy's former Bad Boy artists have either been silent or critical of his racketeering and sex trafficking case -- but not G. Dep.

The NYC-born rapper, who once had Diddy and the whole world "Harlem shaking" through their "Let's Get It" hit record, tells TMZ Hip Hop he can't distance himself from his former mentor in good conscience -- so he's supporting him outside the courtroom!!!

After all, G. Dep is an Honest Abe ... he confessed to a cold case murder in 2010, resulting in a conscience-cleansing 13-year prison sentence, from which he was released in April 2024.

Iran may be the key to Diddy's defense in his sex trafficking trial ... because we're told his defense may use the growing conflict in the Middle East as a way to take a shot at the federal case against him.

Our sources tell us Diddy's defense may invoke the recent conflict with Iran later this week in their closing argument.

We're told the possible defense goes like this ... this was a manufactured case of bedroom police instigated by Homeland Security Investigations and rather than worrying about what Diddy is doing with baby oil and lube, HSI should worry more about the escalating conflict with Iran.

Diddy is NOT going to take the stand and testify in his criminal trial ... because his defense team plans to rest their case Tuesday without calling any witnesses.

There was some question before the trial whether or not Diddy would testify -- his attorney Marc Agnifilo told us he didn't think he could keep Diddy off the stand -- and now we have our answer.

Frankly, the defense would be taking a huge risk in putting Diddy on the stand, where he'd be subject to cross-examination from some of the best prosecutors in the country ... but it looks like the defense feels they don't need to do a whole lot to counter the prosecution.

Prosecutors just released text messages they say show a Diddy escort getting detailed instructions for a paid trip to participate in a marathon freak-off.

Federal prosecutors did another document dump of exhibits in Diddy's racketeering and sex trafficking case Friday, with reams of texts between the male escort known as Jules and an unidentified "Device owner."

The August 2009 messages kick off with the "Device owner" making a spur-of-the-moment pitch to Jules to fly from Los Angeles to NYC for the freak-off -- and being promised a nice "tip" if he can make it work.

The Diddy trial is entering the home stretch because prosecutors are almost done with their case and the defense is now saying they only need one or two days to make their case ... and it sounds like we could get a verdict as early as next week.

Prosecutors called one of their final witnesses Friday and we heard more of the same ... this time from Brendan Paul, Diddy's former assistant, who said he is not a drug mule.

Paul testified about getting drugs sometimes for Diddy and setting up hotel rooms for freak-offs -- like other former Diddy helpers -- but he helped the defense by saying on cross-examination it didn't feel like 'Jane' was being coerced into participating in freak-offs.

We could have a jury verdict in the Diddy federal criminal trial in NYC as soon as next week ... depending on how long jurors deliberate after the defense rests its case and closing arguments are made.

After the jurors were sent home Friday, prosecutor Maurene Comey told Judge Arun Subramanian the feds could rest their case on Monday ... and then Diddy defense attorney Marc Agnifilo told the judge if that happens, they think they would rest their case Tuesday or Wednesday.

The judge said closing arguments could happen Thursday ... and then the jury would start deliberations ... leaving open the possibility for a verdict by the end of next week, though that's on the early side.