Sean 'Diddy' Combs pleads not guilty to expanded sex trafficking indictment

By Luc Cohen

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sean 'Diddy' Combs pleaded not guilty on Monday to an expanded federal indictment charging the hip-hop mogul with five criminal counts, including racketeering and sex trafficking.

Combs, 55, entered his plea to the new charges at a hearing before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian in Manhattan. He had previously pleaded not guilty to an earlier three-count indictment.

In a statement earlier this month provided by Combs' media representatives, his lawyers said, "These are not new allegations or new accusers. These are the same individuals, former long-term girlfriends, who were involved in consensual relationships." 

Jury selection for Combs' trial remains scheduled for May 5, with opening statements due to begin on May 12. 

Marc Agnifilo, one of Combs' lawyers, said the defense may seek a two-week delay to opening statements to allow it to review emails it wants an alleged victim to turn over. 

Subramanian said that if the defense wants a delay, it must submit a formal request within two days. 

"We are a freight train moving towards trial," the judge said. 

Prosecutors with the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's office say Combs used his business empire to sexually abuse women between 2004 and 2024.

The alleged abuse included having women take part in recorded sexual performances called "freak offs" with male sex workers, who were sometimes transported across state lines.

Combs has been jailed in Brooklyn since September. He also faces dozens of civil lawsuits by women and men who accused him of sexual abuse.

Combs' legal team has forcefully denied that he did anything wrong.

Agnifilo has said Combs never forced anyone to engage in sexual acts against their will, and that the freak offs were consensual sexual activity.

Also known during his career as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, Combs founded Bad Boy Records and is credited with helping turn rappers and R&B singers such as Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, Notorious B.I.G. and Usher into stars in the 1990s and 2000s.

But prosecutors have said his success concealed a dark side, citing incidents, including in March 2016 when Combs was captured on a surveillance video kicking, dragging, and throwing a vase at a woman trying to leave a Los Angeles hotel.

CNN last year broadcast a surveillance video showing Combs striking and dragging his former girlfriend Casandra Ventura, an R&B singer known as Cassie.

Combs apologized following the broadcast. Agnifilo has said the video was not evidence of sex trafficking, and that Combs and Ventura had "a toxic, loving 11-year relationship."  

(Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York)