Sean Diddy at the Grammy’s
Sean “Diddy” Combs has been further implicated in his ongoing legal battles with two new criminal charges, including sex trafficking and engaging in prostitution, according to a Manhattan court announcement on Friday. These charges arrive just a month before his scheduled trial in New York.
The new accusations involve alleged criminal offenses against another individual, reportedly occurring more recently than the previously filed charges. Prosecutors claim that between 2021 and 2024, Mr. Combs was involved in the recruitment, transportation, and coercion of this victim to engage in sex acts and prostitution.
The hip-hop mogul has consistently denied all allegations against him. His legal team has countered these new charges by stating they are based on consensual activities and not coercion. In a statement to CBS News, the BBC’s U.S. partner, Mr. Combs’s legal team said, “These are not new allegations or new accusers. These are the same individuals, former long-term girlfriends, who were involved in consensual relationships. This was their private sex life, defined by consent, not coercion.”
Last year, a grand jury probe led to an indictment against Mr. Combs on charges including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. The addition of these two new charges brings the total federal charges against him to five.
While the latest court documents do not provide specific details about the new offenses, prosecutors indicate they are a result of an ongoing grand jury investigation.
The original charges of sex trafficking and engaging in prostitution, filed against Mr. Combs in 2024, pertained to allegations from 2009 to 2018 and involved a different alleged victim.
A significant aspect of the most serious accusations against the rapper centers on the racketeering conspiracy charge. This includes allegations of kidnapping, drugging, and coercing women into sexual activities, sometimes involving firearms or threats of violence.
The charge also referenced details from a raid on his Los Angeles mansion, where authorities reportedly found items they alleged were intended for use in orgies, referred to as “freak offs,” including drugs and a large quantity of baby oil.
Sean “Diddy” Combs rose to prominence in the 1990s as a highly successful rapper and music mogul, known for launching the careers of numerous artists, including Mary J Blige and Christopher Wallace, also known as Biggie Smalls or the Notorious B.I.G. His record label, Bad Boy Records, became a dominant force in the rap industry, expanding to include artists such as Faith Evans, Ma$e, 112, Mariah Carey, and Jennifer Lopez. His influence extended to television with several reality shows on MTV and VH1, where he sought new musical talent.
Since his initial indictment, Mr. Combs has faced a multitude of lawsuits accusing him of using his power to drug, assault, rape, intimidate, and silence individuals.
He is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York. His criminal trial is scheduled to commence on May 5th.