Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been warned to stop "nodding" in the direction of the jury by the judge overseeing his sex trafficking trial.
The shamed music mogul, 55, is currently on trial in New York after pleading not guilty to charges including racketeering and sex trafficking by force - and Judge Arun Subramanian threatened to have the star removed from the court room after spotting him "vigorously nodding" during the testimony of Bryana Bongolan, a friend of Combs' ex-girlfriend Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura.
During lunch break on Thursday (05.05.25) while the jury were out of the court room, Judge Subramanian told Combs' attorneys: "I was very clear there should be no facial expressions to the jury, and I could not have been clearer.
"There was a line of questioning where your client was nodding vigorously and looking at the jury ... [This was] absolutely unacceptable ...
"This can't continue or I will give a limiting instruction you won't like, or other measures including barring your client from the courtroom. Do you understand?"
Combs’ lawyer Marc Agnifilo told the judge it will not happen again.
The rapper-turned-music mogul was arrested in September 2024 and has pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution.
Prosecutors have been putting their allegations to the court and are expected to rest their case next week. Combs' lawyers will then start their defence, which could last for the rest of the month.
The trial, which began in May, centres around allegations Combs orchestrated a decade-long scheme involving violence, coercion and forced participation in drug-fuelled sex events, referred to as “freak-offs”.
The events allegedly involved high-profile guests and were characterized by excessive drug use and non-consensual sexual encounters.
At the heart of the charges is Combs' relationship with ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, 38, who filed a lawsuit against him in November 2023.
Cassie accused Combs of rape, physical abuse, and forcing her to participate in “freak-off” orgies. The lawsuit was settled out of court the following day.
Combs has denied all of the accusations against him.
If convicted on all charges, he could face a maximum sentence of life in jail.
