Diddy Trial

Sean "Diddy" Combs is now a criminal defendant in a sex trafficking, racketeering and kidnapping case after a grand jury indicted him ... this according to official documents.

Diddy has been charged with 3 counts -- racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution.

According to the indictment, from 2008 to the present, members of the Combs enterprise allegedly engaged in sex trafficking, forced labor, interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution, coercion and enticement to engage in prostitution, narcotics offenses, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice.

According to the indictment, the purpose of the Combs enterprise was to operate a global business in the media, entertainment, and lifestyle industries. The purpose also includes preserving Diddy's power and fulfilling his personal desires, especially in relation to his sexual gratification, including through the exploitation of women and the use of commercial sex workers.

The indictment mentions the now-famous "Freak off" parties ... calling them "elaborate and produced sex performances that Combs arranged, directed, masturbated during, and often electronically recorded."

The indictment alleges Combs lured women into his orbit under the pretense of a romantic relationship and then used force, threats of force, and coercion, to cause victims to engage in extended sex acts with male commercial sex workers.

After the freak offs, Combs and the victims typically received IV fluids to recover from the physical exertion and drug use.

The indictment does not include details on the kidnapping allegations, other than they occurred in California, as did arson and bribery.

As for the drug charges, they allegedly involve the intent to distribute narcotics, including cocaine, oxycodone, Xanax, GHB -- the "date rape" drug -- MDMA and ketamine.

The indictment references what was seized during the raids at Diddy's homes in Beverly Hills and Miami -- various freak off supplies, including narcotics and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant. They also seized firearms, including 3 AR-15s with defaced serial numbers and a drum magazine.

The indictment also includes allegations of violence against women. He's alleged to have assaulted women by striking, punching, dragging, throwing objects at and kicking them. It references a March 2016 incident at an L.A. hotel captured on video, and this is clearly referencing the Cassie incident.

There's more ... prosecutors say in late 2023, following public allegations of the crimes, Combs and his associates would pressure victims and witnesses, including through attempted bribery, to say silent.

Tuesday morning, Diddy's son's King and Justin were in lower Manhattan, outside Federal court, awaiting their father's appearance before a judge.

If convicted on all counts, Diddy faces decades in prison.

His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, said going into the courthouse, he will "fight like hell" to get his client released on bail. Agnifilo said his client is not only not guilty, but outright innocent.

Diddy will appear before a judge Tuesday morning where the charges will be read.

TMZ broke the story ... Diddy was arrested Monday night at the Park Hyatt hotel in midtown Manhattan, where he had been staying. Law enforcement sources told TMZ ... the arrest was supposed to go down Tuesday but something happened to accelerate it.

Aubrey O'Day, who had a contentious relationship with Diddy during filming of "Making the Band," tells TMZ, "I never thought I would see this day. We all buried this inside of us in order to be able to keep going. And not just me, but victims you don't even know yet. We are all processing what that type of vindication can actually feel like now. Every conversation I've had with victims last night has been beyond moving on all levels."

Diddy never seemed happier than on the streets of his hometown of New York Monday night -- a scene that offered no hint the music mogul would soon end up in federal custody facing a criminal indictment.

TMZ obtained new video of Diddy interacting with several excited fans on a darkened street in Midtown Manhattan approximately 30 minutes before federal agents arrested him at the Park Hyatt hotel nearby.

Check out the footage ... Diddy was having a very friendly chat with four dudes -- and everyone was wearing bright smiles on their faces. Diddy was so energized he gave a handshake to one of the guys who bowed and started laughing.

Aubrey O'Day is weighing in on Sean "Diddy" Combs' arrest in NYC ... posting a cryptic message online about "justice" to her followers, and sharing her reaction with TMZ.

The Danity Kane singer took to Instagram Monday amid the news of Diddy's booking in the Big Apple, where she shared a message about the "purpose of justice."

She wrote ... "The purpose of justice is to provide an ending and allow us the space to create a new chapter. Women never get this. I feel validated. Today is a win for women all over the world, not just for me."

8:05 PM PT -- Just a couple hours before Diddy got busted, he was confidently strolling around NYC with his son Christian "King" Combs. He even stopped to greet some fans and take selfies.

7:13 PM PT -- A law enforcement source tells TMZ ... Diddy's arrest was scheduled for Tuesday. But something happened that caused the feds to move in a day earlier.

However, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams says federal agents took him in based on a sealed indictment filed by the Southern District of New York.

Diddy was just arrested and taken into federal custody in New York Monday night ... TMZ has learned.

Sources tell TMZ ... Homeland Security swooped into a midtown hotel late Monday where Diddy was staying and they arrested him. We have unconfirmed reports the feds are searching his hotel room.

We're told Diddy was taken to the federal building in lower Manhattan.

It appears the action was taken in connection with the ongoing criminal investigation into alleged sex trafficking and other offenses that led to search warrants being issued and executed at Diddy's homes in Beverly Hills and Miami. As we reported, a grand jury has been hearing testimony from various accusers over the last few months.

"Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta" alum and Diddy-Dirty Money member Kalenna Harper says she never saw Diddy getting abusive with Cassie ... contrary to claims in a new lawsuit.

Here's the deal ... Kalenna's Diddy-Dirty Money bandmate Dawn Richard sued Diddy this week, claiming she and Kalenna witnessed Diddy throw Cassie against a wall, choke her, hurl a scalding pan of eggs at her and drag her up a flight of stairs at his L.A. home.

Kalenna is mentioned 33 times in Dawn's lawsuit -- filed Tuesday -- and now she's breaking her silence ... saying, "While I fully respect Dawn's right to recount her experiences, I want to emphasize that her account reflects her personal perspective and should not be interpreted as a universal truth applicable to everyone involved."

Diddy's fighting back against the massive $100 million default judgment leveled against him this week ... claiming he never received a copy of the lawsuit -- and, even if he had, the statute of limitations ran out years ago.

The controversial music mogul filed the emergency motion to set aside the massive judgment Thursday ... saying the plaintiff, Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith, never served him with a lawsuit -- and, he didn't know he had to handle the matter until news outlets started reporting on the judgment.

Worth noting ... Diddy's lawyers aren't just trying to get the case thrown out for failing to serve him properly -- they're denying all wrongdoing wholeheartedly. They say the "facially implausible allegations are completely fabricated."

King Combs is backing up his father Diddy's statement that his former artist Dawn Richard's explosive lawsuit is nothing but a bogus cash grab -- and he reposted what he calls proof of her deception!!!

We broke the story ... the former Danity Kane singer alleged she suffered through years of torment and sexual abuse in spite of her lengthy tenure -- and reunion -- with Diddy!!!

The 26-year-old Bad Boy heir reposted on his IG Stories a TikTok sleuth who shared alleged text messages between Dawn and Diddy showing excitement to get back on board with the team ... and King added his own "Capathon" caption to the deep dive ... basically calling DR a boldface liar.

2:30 PM PT -- Diddy's attorney Erica Wolff tells TMZ ... "Mr. Combs is shocked and disappointed by this lawsuit. In an attempt to rewrite history, Dawn Richard has now manufactured a series of false claims all in the hopes of trying to get a pay day -- conveniently timed to coincide with her album release and press tour."

She adds, "If Ms. Richard had such a negative experience with Making the Band and Danity Kane, she would not have chosen to continue working directly with Mr. Combs for Dirty Money, nor would she have returned for the Making the Band reboot in 2020 or agreed to be featured on 'The Love Album' last year. It’s unfortunate that Ms. Richard has cast their 20-year friendship aside to try and get money from him, but Mr. Combs is confidently standing on truth and looks forward to proving that in court."

Diddy is facing yet another lawsuit from a new accuser, a former bandmate who claims the music mogul belittled, terrorized and sexually abused her while she also witnessed him savagely beat his ex, Cassie.

According to the suit, obtained by TMZ ... Dawn Richard says she got caught in Diddy's web as a participant on his 2004 MTV show "Making The Band," with the Bad Boy CEO manipulating her by promising to advance her singing career if she relented to his alleged twisted demands.

The former Danity Kane member said during on-set auditions, Diddy called female contestants "fat," "ugly," "bitches" and "hoes." She said Diddy had particular disdain for her because she was young and excited to work with such a famous person.

8:02 AM PT -- Diddy's attorney Marc Agnifilo tells TMZ ... "This man [Cardello-Smith] is a convicted felon and sexual predator, who has been sentenced on 14 counts of sexual assault and kidnapping over the last 26 years. His resume now includes committing a fraud on the court from prison, as Mr. Combs has never heard of him let alone been served with any lawsuit. Mr. Combs looks forward to having this judgment swiftly dismissed."

Diddy just took a HUGE L in a sexual assault lawsuit he blew off, because a judge just slapped him with a $100 MILLION default judgment.

Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith, currently an inmate, claimed in his lawsuit Diddy drugged and sexually assaulted him at a party in Detroit back in 1997. It's unclear if the statute of limitations has run, but that wasn't addressed by the judge.

According to the lawsuit, the 2 were drinking and smoking weed at the party and got naked with a bunch of women. Cardello-Smith says he was performing oral sex on a woman when he felt a male hand on his left buttock -- he says it was Diddy's hand. A short time later, he says Diddy offered him a drink, which was spiked and he passed out.

Diddy is firing back at Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones ... saying his lawsuit is nothing more than a cash grab dressed up as a sex trafficking and RICO conspiracy.

The rap mogul and his attorney, Marc Agnifilo, filed a motion to dismiss Jones' second amended complaint in Manhattan Federal Court Monday, attacking all the claims against Diddy point by point.

But mainly, Diddy is accusing Jones of trying to score a quick settlement by throwing around salacious allegations just to hurt his reputation.