6 Major Takeaways From Week 1 of the Diddy Trial

The federal trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs began this week.

The once-heralded music executive is facing two counts of sex trafficking, two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, and one count of racketeering. He’s accused of sex-trafficking three women and exerting major control over their lives through physical violence, money, and drug abuse. Prosecutors argue he coerced these women into sometimes days-long “freak-offs” that saw them have sex with male prostitutes.

Diddy has pleaded not guilty to all counts, contending that all of these sexual encounters were consensual and that his accusers are exes in search of a payday. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.

After the 12-person jury—eight men, four women—was seated, the court’s focus turned to opening statements from the prosecution and defense, and then testimony from the first witnesses, including one-time Bad Boy artist Casandra Ventura, or Cassie, who is eight and a half months pregnant. Diddy’s 85-year-old mother, Janice Combs, along with his children—Quincy Brown, 33, Justin, 31, Christian, 27, Chance, 19, and twins D'Lila and Jessie, 18—were present.

The trial is expected to last eight to 10 weeks. Below are the major takeaways from Week 1.

Diddy bribed hotel security

On Monday, Israel Florez, the hotel security guard who responded to the hotel assault captured on video in 2016, took the stand. Florez said Diddy bribed him to keep quiet.

“I started to leave, and Combs called for me. He had a sack of money, and he threw it at me and said, ‘Don’t tell anyone,’” Florez told the court.

An escort’s account

Daniel Phillip testified that he repeatedly had paid sexual encounters with Cassie as Diddy watched and masturbated. He said he received between $700 to $6,000 per session. He also testified that he witnessed Diddy hit Cassie for things as minor as not immediately responding to his request for her presence.

Diddy’s settlement with Cassie

In November 2023, Cassie filed lawsuit alleging years of sexual and physical abuse, control, and violence at the hand of Diddy. The suit was settled in one day, and rumors about the size of the settlement have swirled since.

Toward the end of the second day of her testimony, Cassie revealed she was paid $20 million.

Diddy choreographed sex acts meticulously

Diddy organized the freak-offs, which could run for days, planning out the sex acts and even Cassie’s wardrobe. Prosecutors said Diddy had a male escort urinate in the singer’s mouth, to the point that she choked. Cassie said she also suffered health issues, like UTIs, but had to participate in the freak-offs.

Cassie’s book

According to reports, Diddy’s team initially offered Cassie $30 million for the rights to a book she planned to write about her time with the mogul.

“Through tears, Ventura recalls choosing to begin writing a book about her time with Combs as ‘trauma therapy’ after she went to rehab. Her mother helped, Ventura says. ‘I really wanted Sean to read the information. I wanted him to understand what I had to learn to understand over that period,’“ the New York Times’ Joe Coscarelli wrote.

After Cassie’s mother gave some of the chapters to Diddy, a lawyer contacted his reps about paying $30 million for the rights to the story. “I wanted to be compensated for the pain,” Cassie said.

Another revelation

On her last day of testimony, Cassie continued to answer the defense’s questions, which ultimately tried to paint her as a willing participant in the freak-offs. Defense attorneys presented text messages as evidence.

Moments before her testimony ended, Cassie revealed that she expects a $10 million settlement from InterContinental, the company that operates the hotel where Diddy was recorded assaulting her in 2016.

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