Diddy Faces New Sex Trafficking Charges as May 5 Trial Nears: Third Superseding Indictment Adds Pressure
With just weeks to go before his federal trial begins on May 5, hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs is now facing five felony charges, following the unsealing of a third superseding indictment this week in Manhattan federal court. The updated charges significantly deepen the gravity of the case, painting a portrait of prolonged and calculated abuse, sex trafficking, and coercion involving multiple victims.
The new indictment adds two additional charges—both related to sex trafficking—bringing the total number of criminal counts from three to five. Federal prosecutors now allege that Combs coerced at least four women, including one identified only as “Victim-2,” into commercial sex acts as recently as 2023.
Summary of New Allegations
According to the latest indictment:
- From 2021 to 2024, Diddy allegedly used force, fraud, or coercion to compel a woman to engage in commercial sex acts.
- He is accused of transporting the woman and others across state lines for the purposes of prostitution.
- Prosecutors say Diddy orchestrated these acts through a criminal enterprise, involving associates and employees who allegedly enabled his behavior.
- The new indictment supports the earlier racketeering conspiracy charge by tying in additional victims and outlining a more extended period of criminal activity.
The court filings now indicate that four accusers are expected to testify against Combs, each bringing independent but overlapping allegations of coercion, abuse, and sexual exploitation.
Context: A Pattern of Escalation
The first indictment, filed in September, charged Diddy with racketeering, sex trafficking, and firearm offenses, alleging he ran a criminal enterprise that exploited women for sex over several years. Prosecutors claimed he operated through intimidation, surveillance, and physical violence, citing incidents of kidnapping, arson, and even dangling a woman over a balcony.
In January, the first superseding indictment introduced new evidence, including references to three women who were allegedly trafficked, and a video from 2016 showing Diddy assaulting his then-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, in a Los Angeles hotel hallway. Prosecutors claim the video captures what they describe as a “Freak Off”—a term allegedly used by Combs to refer to exploitative sexual encounters he orchestrated.
The second superseding indictment, filed in March, added only minor clarifications—until this week’s significant expansion of the case.
Defense Response: Denials and Downplaying the Video
Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges and denies any criminal wrongdoing. His attorneys argue that the charges are based on distorted accounts, long-standing consensual relationships, and exaggerated depictions of adult behavior. Regarding the Cassie video, his legal team has described it as “a glimpse into a complex but decade-long consensual relationship.”
Nonetheless, prosecutors maintain that the video and accompanying testimony are central to illustrating a broader pattern of coercive control and physical violence.
Legal Strategy and Implications
Legal experts say the expanding list of charges—and the fact that this is now the third superseding indictment—indicates prosecutors are refining their case in real time as new witnesses come forward and additional evidence is reviewed.
This strategy also allows the government to tighten its legal narrative before trial, focusing the jury’s attention not only on specific alleged incidents but on a systemic pattern of abuse and trafficking.
Combs remains detained at Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, a facility known for housing high-profile federal defendants. It’s unclear whether he will seek another pre-trial bail hearing.
What’s Next?
With jury selection slated to begin in early May, both sides are preparing for a high-profile courtroom battle that could take weeks, if not months. Prosecutors are expected to bring forward videos, electronic messages, financial records, and witness testimony to support their claims that Combs engaged in years-long criminal conduct behind the façade of his entertainment empire.
If convicted on the most serious charges—particularly sex trafficking and racketeering—Combs could face decades in federal prison.
Bottom Line
The legal stakes for Sean “Diddy” Combs have never been higher. The addition of two new sex trafficking charges and a fourth accuser marks a critical turning point in the federal government’s case. With a now-expanded timeline of alleged abuse stretching into 2023, prosecutors are clearly signaling that this is not a relic of the past, but an ongoing criminal enterprise—one they intend to dismantle in court.
