Rita Odafe
The trial involving Sean “Diddy” Combs recommenced on Tuesday in a federal courtroom in Manhattan, featuring new testimonies, including one from a former hotel security officer who alleged that Combs paid him $100,000 to provide footage purportedly showing the artist assaulting Cassie Ventura.
The matter revolves around accusations related to s*x trafficking.
Federal authorities assert that Combs has a long history of abusing, threatening, and coercing women into engaging in lengthy sexual encounters termed “freak offs,” and utilized his business network, along with intimidation tactics like firearms, kidnapping, and arson, to hide his actions.
The 55-year-old music mogul faces five criminal charges: one of racketeering conspiracy, two of s*x trafficking via force, fraud or coercion, and two concerning transportation for the purpose of pr0stitut!on.
Combs maintains his innocence. A conviction could result in a life sentence.
Before the witness testimonies began on Tuesday, a woman was ejected from the courtroom after shouting profanities, following a request from Judge Arun Subramanian.
The woman was heard yelling at Combs, “These people are laughing at you!”
“Remove her at once!” Subramanian ordered from the bench.
Combs looked towards the woman as she was escorted away by court marshals.
Outside the courtroom, the woman identified herself as a supporter of Combs and expressed frustration over the mockery directed at him by those present.
Testifying first was Eddy Garcia, a former security guard from the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles, where Combs was recorded attacking Cassie Ventura in an elevator in March 2016. He testified under immunity after claiming his Fifth Amendment right to avoid self-incrimination.
Garcia recounted that he was initially approached by Combs’s former chief of staff, Kristina Khorram, regarding the footage showing Combs kicking and dragging Ventura. This video was previously screened for the jury.
He informed Khorram that she would require a subpoena to access the video. Following that, Combs called him from his personal phone, expressing concerns that releasing the video would be damaging to him, and promised to “compensate” Garcia if he could obtain the only copy. Once Garcia and his supervisor agreed to sell the video for $50,000, they moved forward.
At a private meeting a few days later in a Los Angeles high-rise, Garcia testified that he and Combs connected via FaceTime with Ventura, who, at Combs’s request, expressed her desire to eliminate the footage.
Garcia stated that Combs made him sign various papers, including a nondisclosure agreement. He then provided Combs with a USB drive containing the video. According to Garcia, Combs stated, “Eddy, my angel, I knew you would assist,” after handing him a brown paper bag filled with $100,000. Combs counted the cash and advised Garcia not to make large purchases.
As per Garcia’s testimony, Combs instructed him to distribute a portion of the extra cash to other security staff present that day. Garcia mentioned he gave $50,000 to his supervisor, $20,000 to another guard involved, and kept $30,000 for himself.
The next witness was Derek Ferguson, the former CFO of Combs’s Bad Boy Entertainment, who shared his experiences of reporting directly to Combs while managing budgets and salaries from 1998 to 2012, including overseeing Combs’s personal finances.
Financial documents from December 2011 were presented as evidence, revealing three transfers of $20,000 each, such as:
An outgoing transfer of $20,000 to Cassie Ventura on December 14.
An incoming transfer of $20,000 from Broderick Ventura, Cassie’s father, on December 23.
An outgoing transfer of $20,000 from Combs to Broderick Ventura on December 27.
Prosecutor Maurene Comey announced that three additional witnesses are expected to testify on Wednesday, including Bryana Bongolan, who previously accused Combs of s£xual battery and threatening her from a balcony; and “Jane,” another accuser using a pseudonym.
