Sean 'Diddy' Combs 'might be cooked' on key sex crime charge: experts
Share and Follow

Sean “Diddy” Combs, the rapper, concluded his trial on sex trafficking and racketeering after seven weeks. On Friday, both his defense team and the prosecution wrapped up their closing arguments.

Both sides saw wins and losses throughout the trial, but experts claimed Diddy “might be cooked” on one specific charge as the jury prepares to deliberate. After his arrest in September 2024, the “Last Night” singer was charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. 

Former Danity Kane singer and Diddy protégé, Aubrey O’Day, has been following the trial and isn’t sure what the outcome will be. While she personally believes the rapper is “guilty of all the charges,” the musician isn’t sold on the prosecution’s case in court.

“The rational, justice side of me that leads a good amount of what I do nowadays says the answer should be what was proven by the prosecution, the law, and that’s conflicting to what I want personally,” she told Extra.

She noted: “I don’t know if the prosecution proved [Diddy’s crimes] without a doubt, though.”

During closing arguments, prosecutors argued that Diddy ran an alleged criminal enterprise with full control. They pointed out that the jury heard testimony, saw texts, viewed bank records and heard audio showing the rapper committing crime after crime for decades. According to the prosecution, the government showed that Diddy didn’t take no for an answer. Up until today, Diddy was able to get away with crime because of his money and power, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Slavik said. “That stops now.”

Here’s where experts say things stand for each charge against Diddy with the jury about to deliberate.

Transportation to Engage in Prostitution

As to the transportation to engage in prostitution charge, an expert told Fox News Digital, Diddy might be in trouble.

“The sex workers were very clear about their role and their purpose for being transported across state lines; it was for sex and not something else,” criminal defense attorney Eric Faddis explained. “Diddy might be cooked on this charge.”

However, the defense did find a way to show the jury a different explanation in an attempt to undermine the government’s argument. “Defense got an employee of one of the companies to say that Diddy was just buying the escorts’ time and not any sexual performance, which the jury could use as a basis to acquit Diddy on the transportation charges,” Faddis, a founding partner of Colorado-based Varner Faddis, said.

 “Diddy might be cooked on this charge.”

Eric Faddis, criminal defense attorney

Racketeering Conspiracy

The jury is unlikely to find Diddy not guilty of racketeering, criminal defense attorney John W. Day told Fox News Digital.

“The only thing Diddy and his team can hope for is a miracle where the jurors don’t buy the government’s claim that this was racketeering and that Diddy was the head of a criminal empire dedicated to fulfilling his desires,” the founder of New Mexico-based law practice, John Day Law, explained. “A defense win is more likely if the jurors are conflicted on the racketeering charges and can’t reach a unanimous verdict. That could lead to a hung jury on one or more of the charges. But the jurors spent the entire trial waiting to see how Diddy’s lawyers rebutted the massive case against him, and they merely rested without putting on any witnesses. That leaves the jury picking through the government’s case to see if this really rises to racketeering, and if not, they may hang or acquit on some of the charges – but it’s unlikely.”

According to the legal expert, the prosecution “presented overwhelming evidence” that Diddy “presided over this little kingdom of criminal activity designed to make him happy – and made a compelling case to the jury that this met all the elements of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation for prostitution.”

“The prosecution can withstand an acquittal or a hung jury on some of the counts, but the prosecutors really need a conviction for racketeering to claim total victory,” Day added. “Again, that can be a difficult charge to convict on if the jurors don’t buy the theory that this entire business empire was engaged in sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. But the defense needed to have convinced at least one juror that the case wasn’t there, and that witnesses were lying to save their own necks. And that’s a tough sell to a jury that spent weeks listening to horrific testimony about Diddy and his empire.”

Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud or Coercion

Things aren’t as clear-cut on the sex trafficking charge, one expert told Fox News Digital. Diddy was accused of sex trafficking two of his ex-girlfriends, Cassie Ventura and Jane, who testified under a pseudonym. The prosecution claimed the rapper transported both women across state lines and then forced them to have sex with male escorts while he watched.

“On cross-examination, both Cassie and Jane admitted to willingly participating in some of the ‘freak offs,’ which could cause the jurors to wonder if all of the romantic encounters may have been consensual,” Faddis noted.

“Both Cassie and Jane admitted to voluntarily ingesting drugs before the ‘freak offs,’ which may undercut the prosecution’s coercion argument.”

The criminal defense attorney did note that Cassie and Jane both gave “compelling, evocative testimony detailing physical abuse and financial coercion.”

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Young woman plans Europe trip despite boyfriend's 'dying mother': 'Might be faking'

Woman considers Europe trip despite concerns about boyfriend’s mother’s illness

A personal drama has gone viral online as a young woman reached…
Moment Anna Wintour told stunned Vogue staff she was leaving

When Anna Wintour shocked Vogue employees by announcing her departure

The fashion world was brought to a standstill on Thursday as a…
Shedeur Sanders already low on Browns' QB depth chart

Shedeur Sanders is at the bottom of the Browns’ QB list

It looks like Shedeur Sanders is finding himself in some struggles in…
Wall Street rocked by heavyweight slugfest over the future of Bitcoin

Wall Street shaken by intense battle over the future of Bitcoin

Two billionaire Wall Street titans have squared off in a high-stakes war…
Protesters line highway in Florida Everglades to oppose ‘Alligator Alcatraz’

Demonstrators stand along a road in the Florida Everglades to protest against the ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ project

A coalition of groups, ranging from environmental activists to Native Americans advocating…
Senate wraps up 16-hour reading of Trump bill, moves to debate

Senate finishes reading Trump bill for 16 hours and starts discussing

The Senate clerks completed the full reading of the Senate GOP’s massive…
LeBron James formally opts in for a 23rd season, AP source says

LeBron James officially chooses to continue playing for his 23rd season, according to a source from the Associated Press.

(AP) — LeBron James is exercising his $52.6 million option with the…
Diversity is good but DEI became about force: John Stossel

Breaking down John Stossel’s belief that Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is imposed and should be taken apart

()  Republican this, Democrat that. What about the Libertarians? Journalist John Stossel…