Sean “Diddy” Combs pleaded not guilty on Friday to a superseding indictment, which includes charges of forcing an employee into sex acts.
Appearing in New York court, Combs, sporting noticeably greyer hair and beard, entered unshackled, wearing a khaki jail uniform. He smiled upon seeing family members, including his mother, in the courtroom. “Good afternoon,” Combs greeted Judge Arun Subramanian.
The updated indictment broadens the scope of the alleged criminal actions, adding two new victims and extending the timeline of alleged misconduct. It accuses Combs of coercing employees to work long hours under threat of physical and reputational harm, and forcing at least one individual to engage in sex acts.
Combs had been arrested last year in connection with a sex trafficking case, denying all charges. He has pleaded not guilty to accusations of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transporting individuals for prostitution.
Opening statements for Combs’ trial are scheduled to begin on May 12, with jury selection set for May 5. Potential jurors will be questioned from April 28. Federal prosecutors say they have up to 20 possible witnesses, though many are reportedly “incredibly frightened” of becoming publicly known or identified by Combs’ legal team.
Ahead of the trial, prosecutors plan to introduce a controversial 2016 hotel video showing Combs allegedly kicking and dragging his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. The defense, however, argues that the video is misleading and claims CNN altered the footage.
CNN denied the accusation, asserting that the original footage was never tampered with. Combs previously apologized for the incident, calling his behavior “inexcusable.”
