A court date has been set in the trial against rapper and music mogul, Sean ‘P Diddy’ Combs.
During a recent hearing Judge Arun Subramanian set P Diddy’s trial date for May 5, 2025, for the charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution.
According to Prosecutor Emily Johnson the court case is expected to last at least three weeks, with P Diddy’s lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, estimating his defence to span a week of that time.
While previous reports had mentioned several anonymous witnesses were due to take the stand, recent court documents have revealed that “Victim-1”, will be Combs’ ex, Cassie Ventura.
The three-county indictment accuses Combs of running a criminal enterprise to facilitate his exploitation of women, dating back at least 16 years. If found guilty he faces faces a mandatory minimum of 15-year prison sentence and a maximum of life behind bars.
The case is separate to the further 120 civil lawsuits expected to be laid against the Bad Boy Entertainment founder, which were announced by Texas attorney Tony Buzbee in late 2024.
Diddy is expected to remain behind bars indefinitely, following the decline of his appeal for bail.
What Cassie Testifying Means For The Sean ‘P Diddy’ Combs Case
A motion filed on April 4, 2025 by prosecutors ahead of the upcoming federal trial has stated that a previous filing – that referred to “Victim-1” be amended to disclose the name of the previously anonymous witness.
Sources confirmed that Cassie Ventura – previously known as “Victim-1” – will take the stand using her own name, joining three others who will remain anonymous.
“She is prepared to testify under her own name,” the filing obtained by People, states. “Victim-2, Victim-3, and Victim-4 have asked that their identities not be revealed to the press or the public.”
Further filings have requested that the anonymous victims be referred to using pseudonyms to protect their anonymity and mitigate any risk of fallout if identifying details were to be revealed to the public.
“This case has already received an exceptional amount of media coverage, which will presumably only increase as trial proceeds,” the motion states. “Permitting these measures will prevent unnecessary public disclosure of the victims’ identities, and the harassment from the media and others, undue embarrassment, and other adverse consequences that would almost certainly follow if these women were forced to reveal their true names publicly at trial.”
The previously settled case between Cassie and Sean Combs preceded the criminal inquiry and has been widely acknowledged as the catalyst for the allegations that followed.
It’s too early to tell if Ventura’s bravery in coming forward will inspire others to do the same, but if her previous case is anything to go by, she just might be the first of many.
P Diddy Celebrity Involvement: Who Will Be Called To Testify?
Given P Diddy’s connections in Hollywood and his notorious white parties attended by the A-list, many are questioning celebrities’ involvements or prior knowledge of the allegations. But, will any of them be called to testify in P Diddy’s case?
That remains to be confirmed.
Attorney Tony Buzbee revealed to TMZ that ‘demand letters’ had been sent out to other celebrities as part of his forthcoming civil lawsuits against Combs.
“A lot of people allowed it to go on, said nothing, didn’t intervene…All of these individuals and entities, in my view, have exposure here,” Buzbee told the outlet.
Diddy himself is expected to take the stand in his own defense during the trial as confirmed by his defense attorney to TMZ.
“I don’t know that I could keep him off the stand,” Agnifilo said. “I think he is very eager to tell his story.”
Why Were Michael B. Jordan, Kid Cudi, Mike Myers & More Named At P Diddy’s Trial?
With the trial now underway and in the process of jury selection, a number of celebrities have already been mentioned in court documents. However, this does not mean they will be appearing at the trial.
Instead, the mention of Michael B. Jordan, Kid Cudi, Mike Myers and Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child came in a questionnaire to potential jurors during selection – asking them if they were familiar with the celebrities. It is likely that this is because they will be mentioned during the trial for various reasons, including having dated Diddy’s ex, Ventura, and serve as context to the case.
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This article originally appeared on Marie Claire Australia and is republished here with permission.
