Prosecutors in New York have expanded their case in opposition to rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, accusing him of coercing two further girls into industrial intercourse acts, and of dangling an individual over an condo balcony.
Combs has been in prison since September after an preliminary indictment charged him with racketeering, intercourse trafficking by way of drive, and transportation to have interaction in prostitution.
On Thursday, the indictment used to be up to date so as to add two extra sufferers, even supposing no new fees have been added to the case.
The musician, 55, has strenuously denied all of the accusations in opposition to him, together with the federal prison case and greater than 30 separate civil complaints.
In accordance with the superseding indictment, his attorney, Marc Agnifilo, mentioned the prosecution’s case “stays mistaken.
“The federal government has added the ridiculous idea that two of Mr Combs’s former girlfriends weren’t girlfriends in any respect, however have been prostitutes. Mr Combs is as dedicated as ever to preventing those fees and profitable at trial.”
The unique indictment known just one sufferer, named in court docket paperwork as “Sufferer-1”, whose accusations aligned carefully to these of Cassandra Ventura – the singer who sued Combs for rape and intercourse trafficking in 2023.
Within the new submitting, prosecutors allege that Combs “used drive, threats of drive, and coercion, to purpose sufferers, together with however now not restricted to 3 feminine sufferers” to have interaction in industrial intercourse acts.
That alleged violence used to be vividly illustrated in a video of the musician kicking, dragging and throwing a vase at Ms Ventura at a Los Angeles resort in 2016.
Within the new indictment, prosecutors declare that “Combs, with the help of a number of shut pals, paid resort safety body of workers $100,000” (£80,000) for the pictures.
Alternatively, it used to be leaked to CNN remaining 12 months. Combs later mentioned he used to be “disgusted” by way of the pictures and had sought “skilled lend a hand” after the incident.
Ms Ventura mentioned the violence she had skilled “broke me right down to any individual I by no means idea I would turn into“.
The up to date indictment indicators that federal prosecutors are widening their case in opposition to Combs as his trial date in Would possibly approaches.
A footnote to the file notes that their investigation is ongoing and that additional updates can be filed “as promptly as imaginable” forward of the trial.
Among the brand new tendencies, prosecutors have moved the alleged get started date of Combs’ intercourse trafficking offences again to 2004, 4 years previous than in the past said.
They have got additionally expanded the record of narcotics the musician allegedly used to stay his sufferers “obedient and silent” – including methamphetamine and psychedelic mushrooms to the in the past cited cocaine, oxycodone and ketamine.
The accusation that Combs dangled a lady from a balcony mirrors a declare made in a civil lawsuit filed by way of model clothier Bryana “Bana” Bongolan remaining December.
Prosecutors additionally added a declare that Combs had assaulted now not simply girls but in addition “his workers, witnesses to his abuse and others”.
The musician’s criminal crew has in the past brushed aside the fees in opposition to him as “baseless” and accused the federal government of accomplishing a “witch hunt.”
