NEW YORK, Oct 10 (Askume) – Sean “Diddy” Combs will face federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges on May 5, a U.S. judge decided on Thursday at a hearing on the charges .
During the hearing before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramaniam in Manhattan federal court, Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, also expressed concern that federal agents improperly leaked information about the case. Prosecutor Emily Johnson called the claim unfounded.
Combs, 54, pleaded not guilty to three charges on Sept. 17. He is accused of using his business empire — which includes record label Bad Boy Entertainment — to transport female and male sex workers across state lines to participate in sex performance tapings known as “freaks.”
Thursday’s hearing was Combs’ third court appearance since his arrest in September.
After the hearing, Combs, who was wearing a brown jail uniform, stood up and kissed family members seated in the courtroom. Defense attorney Anthony Rico told the court that his mother and children attended the hearing. Combs was then escorted out a side door by members of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Johnson told the court the prosecution’s case would last at least three weeks. Agnifilo said Combs’ defense would last about a week.
Combs has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his arrest. The Manhattan-based 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday rejected his request for immediate release while he appeals another judge’s decision to deny bail. A three-judge 2nd Circuit panel will hear the appeal later.
The rapper and producer faces up to life imprisonment and a minimum of 15 years in prison if convicted of three counts: racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation for prostitution.
Prosecutors said Combs lured the women by offering drugs such as ketamine and ecstasy, offering financial support or promising career help or romantic relationships. Prosecutors said Combs used secret recordings of the sex acts as “collateral” to ensure the women’s silence, sometimes brandishing weapons to intimidate abuse victims and witnesses.
The indictment does not accuse Combs of having unwanted sexual contact with the women, though he is accused of physically assaulting them. Agnifilo said the sex described by prosecutors was consensual.
In a petition filed in court Wednesday night, Agnifilo asked Subramaniam to impose a “gag order” to prevent prosecutors and federal agents from disclosing evidence to the media. Agnifilo cited what he said were illegal leaks, including a 2016 video showing Combs beating and dragging a woman.
During the hearing, Johnson described the defense’s request as an “attempt to exclude incriminating evidence.” He said prosecutors certainly have an obligation not to reveal confidential evidence to the media, but he said the defense should be obligated to do so as well.
Johnson also expressed concern about comments Agnifilo made in a September interview with entertainment news outlet TMZ, in which he called the case a case of “pushing a successful black man out of office.” He said the comments amounted to accusations of a “racist prosecution” against the government.
“Statements like these could seriously jeopardize a fair trial in this case,” Johnson said.
Subramaniam asked Agnifilo to issue an order governing public speech by both sides.
