Diddy filmed women as he forced them into drug-fuelled ‘Freak Off’ sex parties, stamped on a girlfriend’s head and dangled a woman from a balcony, prosecutors claim

Embattled hip-hop mogul, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs forced women to take part in drug-fuelled sex parties that lasted for days while he filmed them, a New York court heard.

Prosecutors alleged that for decades, Combs ran a “criminal enterprise” centred on trafficking victims, supported by an “inner circle” that helped cover up his offences. The court also heard that he once stamped on a girlfriend’s head, dangled a woman from a balcony, and allegedly attempted to set another man’s car on fire.

The parties, referred to as “Freak Offs,” reportedly involved costumes, drugs, and performances designed to fulfill Combs’s sexual fantasies. Women who resisted were “viciously attacked,” jurors were told.

In a surprising admission, Combs’s legal team acknowledged he had assaulted some of his partners but denied involvement in sex trafficking. They described his behaviour as “horrible, dehumanising, and violent,” attributing it to jealousy and drug abuse, while defending him against the criminal charges.

Combs, 55, who built a fortune through music and business ventures, was arrested in September following a civil lawsuit by ex-girlfriend and R&B singer Cassie Ventura, accusing him of sexual assault. A video showing Combs beating Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016 was played in court. Ventura, now 38 and heavily pregnant, is expected to testify.

Combs faces charges of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking, and two counts of transportation for prostitution. If convicted, he could face life in prison.

Prosecutor Emily Johnson described Combs as a cultural icon with a dark side. She claimed that over a span of 20 years, he and his team committed numerous crimes—including kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction.

Johnson detailed testimony from victims, including Ventura, who allegedly experienced abuse so extreme that she once felt like she was choking when an escort was forced to urinate in her mouth. On another occasion, Combs allegedly beat her for seeing another man and threatened to release sex tapes to control her.

Combs’s lawyer, Teny Geragos, argued that the prosecution was twisting personal relationships into a criminal conspiracy. “This case is about love, jealousy, infidelity, and money,” she said, accusing some alleged victims of pursuing lawsuits for financial gain.

The prosecution’s first witness, former hotel security guard and current LAPD officer Israel Florez, testified about the 2016 incident. He recalled finding Ventura distressed and Combs sitting nearby in a towel with a “devilish” expression. Florez secretly filmed the hotel’s CCTV footage to show his wife, saying she wouldn’t have believed the story otherwise.

The second witness, male escort Daniel Phillip, described the “Freak Off” parties, claiming they lasted up to 10 hours and earned him up to £4,500. He testified about having sex with Ventura while Combs watched in disguise, and recounted an incident where Combs threw a liquor bottle at Ventura.

Throughout the proceedings, Combs’s children—including twin daughters D’Lila and Jessie, daughter Chance, and sons King and Justin—sat in the gallery with their grandmother Janice. Combs entered the courtroom smiling, exchanged gestures of affection with his family, and hugged his legal team.

The two-month trial is expected to feature testimony from three or four of Combs’s accusers and several former employees said to have assisted in arranging or concealing the alleged crimes.

Jury selection proved contentious, with Combs’s lead attorney accusing the prosecution of racial bias in dismissing jurors. However, the judge ruled that the prosecution provided race-neutral justifications for their decisions.

The trial continues.