Sean “Diddy” Combs has made a bold legal move just days before the start of his federal sex trafficking trial, firmly declaring his innocence by rejecting a plea deal that could have significantly reduced his prison sentence.
According to ABC News, the 55-year-old music mogul appeared in a Manhattan courtroom on Thursday, May 1, for a final pre-trial hearing. When Judge Arun Subramanian asked whether he would accept the offer from federal prosecutors, Combs replied, “Yes, I do, your honour,” confirming his decision to decline. He appeared in a beige jail uniform and was reportedly smiling and even fist-bumping his lawyer during the proceedings.
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The plea deal, sources say, would have required Combs to plead guilty in exchange for a lesser sentence. By refusing, he now faces the full weight of multiple federal charges, including sex trafficking, racketeering, and transporting individuals for prostitution — offenses that could result in life imprisonment if convicted.
Combs has been detained at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Centre since his arrest in September 2024, which followed coordinated federal raids on his homes in Los Angeles and Miami. Prosecutors allege that the Bad Boy Records founder ran a criminal enterprise centered around coercive “freak-off” parties that involved drugs, physical abuse, and non-consensual sexual activity.
Jury selection for the high-profile case is set to begin on May 5, with opening statements scheduled for May 12. The trial is expected to draw intense public attention, especially with several notable witnesses, including Combs’ ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, who in 2023 filed a lawsuit accusing him of rape and abuse.
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That case was settled within 24 hours, but it is expected that Ventura will now testify under oath during the trial. Federal prosecutors have cautioned that the jury should prepare for “graphic testimony,” detailing years of alleged violence and exploitation tied to Combs’ inner circle and events linked to his music empire.
Despite the mounting legal pressure and public scrutiny, Combs continues to maintain his innocence, setting the stage for what is likely to be one of the most explosive celebrity trials in recent memory.
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