Law&Crime Sidebar - 10 Horrifying Accusations P. Diddy Faces from Lawsuits and Criminal Indictment

Episode Date: September 18, 2024

While the indictment filed against Sean "Diddy" Combs" is vague on some specifics, the allegations match up with several civil lawsuits filed against the rapper in the last year. Federal prosecutors charged Combs with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. Law&Crime's Jesse Weber has details on the eerie similarities between the legal filings.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: Save money and time for your business today with Odoo! → https://www.odoo.com/LCSidebarHOST:Jesse Weber: https://twitter.com/jessecordweberLAW&CRIME SIDEBAR PRODUCTION:YouTube Management - Bobby SzokeVideo Editing - Michael Deininger and Christina FalconeScript Writing & Producing - Savannah WilliamsonGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can binge all episodes of this Law and Crimes series ad-free right now. Join Wondry Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. This office is determined to investigate and prosecute anyone who engages in sex trafficking, no matter how powerful or wealthy or famous you may be. No one should doubt our commitment on that. We may not know who the cooperating witnesses are in the government's criminal case against Sean Ditty Combs, but we may have an idea. We're going to break down similarities between the Combs indictment

and the civil lawsuits that were filed against him this past year, and this may tell us who the government is relying on to prove their case. Welcome to Sidebar, presented by Law and Crime. I'm Jesse Weber. Now, one of the things that I mentioned yesterday as we were breaking down the unsealed indictment against Sean Diddy Combs was how similar these allegations, were to the civil lawsuits that were filed against him.

And that makes sense because you have to believe that those alleged victims, those accusers, the ones who sued him, may be cooperating witnesses for the government in this federal prosecution. And remember, Combs is facing three federal criminal charges here, racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution. So what we thought we would do is let's pick out certain points in the, indictment and sometimes what was more fully explored in the prosecution's bail denial letter that was filed the same day that may come from those civil lawsuits what are the connections there

now to be clear none of the accusers none of the alleged victims are listed by name in the indictment or the bail letter so we have to make kind of an educated guess here but it's important because we may get a better sense of who may be cooperating who may be testifying for the government at an upcoming trial, what evidence may be presented, how this case began. And actually, on that point, it's interesting because I think it would be fair to say that if it wasn't for these lawsuits, we probably wouldn't have had this federal indictment. I mean, even looking at the indictment itself, it talks about allegations since 2008, 2009. Why is Sean Combs being prosecuted in 2024? If it wasn't for these lawsuits. And by the way, if it wasn't for certain laws that allowed these

lawsuits to go forward, creating look-back windows by which time-barred claims could be brought in a civil arena. We may not have seen this indictment. In fact, Damien Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, was asked that very question when he took questions from reporters at a press conference. He was asked, why now? The indictment describes aggressive, open, violent, hedonistic abuse that you say was recurrent and widely known. Why did it take law enforcement so long to intervene? How many women were victimized by Sean Combs and how many others were involved? Well, our investigation is ongoing.

We are committed to bringing justice to everyone who's been victimized by the defendant. I can't tell you why it took so long. I think the better focus is on the fact that we are here. today. And we are committed to making sure that justice is done. Next question. Okay. So let's start this off with Cassandra Ventura, Combs' ex-girlfriend, who basically started this whole thing. Her lawsuit in November of 2023 against Sean Combs, even though she settled with him the day after it was filed, it set off a chain reaction where other people started suing Combs. Now, in this indictment, there is a listing of victim one. We do not know

for sure who that person is, but it's possible it could be Cassandra Ventura. And in the indictment, that victim one especially refers to a sex trafficking charge that Combs allegedly recruited, harbored, enticed victim one to engage in commercial sex acts through force, fraud, coercion. But again, we can't confirm it's her. But what from her lawsuit do we see in these filings from yesterday? Well, I'm going to start with the obvious. The infamous 2016 hallway video of Combs allegedly beating Ventura in a hotel elevator bank hallway that was published by CNN months ago. In the Combs indictment, it reads, quote, these assaults were at times witnessed by others and included one instance at a Los Angeles hotel in or about March 2016,

which was captured on video and later publicly reported, where Combs kicked, dragged, and threw a vase at a woman as she was attempting to leave. When a member of the hotel security staff intervene, Combs attempted to bribe the staff member to ensure silence. And in the prosecution's letter to the magistrate judge in New York, arguing that Combs should be denied bail, this incident was further highlighted. And by the way, when we talk about this, you're going to hear freak off or F.O. These are allegedly coerced sexual events coordinated by Combs, usually where women would be forced to have sexual encounters with male sex workers. So going to this letter. It says, quote, in March 2016, the defendant was captured on video surveillance striking,

kicking and dragging a woman in a public area of a hotel in an apparent attempt to prevent her from leaving a freak off. When a member of hotel security staff intervened, the defendant attempted to offer the hotel security officer a stack of cash to ensure his silence. After the security guard refused the defendant's bribe and after coordination between the defendant and his employees, the defendant's staff contacted other members of hotel security. At the same time, staff members were in close communication with the victim of the assault as well, all in an effort to cover up the defendant's assault and to prevent the incident from being publicly disclosed. Within days of the incident, the surveillance video disappeared from the hotel server. Now, how do we know that

that's Cassandra Ventura and presumably she may be a key witness in this prosecution? Let's go back to her lawsuit. Because even if the video hadn't come out and was published by CNN, going back to her This is what says almost verbatim in her lawsuit, in or around March 2016, during an FO, freak off, at the Intercontinental Hotel in Century City, Los Angeles, Mr. Combs became extremely intoxicated and punched Ms. Ventura in the face, giving her a black eye. After he fell asleep, Ms. Ventura tried to leave the hotel room, but as she exited, Mr. Combs awoke and began screaming at Ms. Ventura. He followed her into the hallway of the hotel while yelling at her. He grabbed at her and then took glass vases in the hallway and threw them at her, causing glass to crash around them as she ran to the elevator to escape. She managed to get into the elevator and when she got to the lobby quickly took a cab to her apartment. Upon realizing that her running away would cause Mr. Combs to be even angrier with her and completely stuck in his vicious cycle of abuse,

Miss Ventura returned to the hotel with the intention of apologizing for running away from her abuser. When she returned, Hotel security staff urged her to get back into a cab and go to her apartment, suggesting that they had seen the security footage showing Mr. Combs beating Ms. Ventura and throwing glass at her in the hotel hallway. Upon information and belief, Mr. Combs paid the Intercontinental Century City $50,000 for the hallway security footage from that evening. So as you can see, these descriptions and allegations are incredibly similar, including Combs allegedly trying to cover up what happened. And it seems that prosecutors are using this key allegation from Ventura in their case. And by the way, this highlights another important point. Prosecutors building their case upon the allegations of Ventura and potentially other alleged victims who may have sued Combs. You know, it's one thing for someone to file a civil lawsuit.

And it's another thing that federal prosecutors are using those accounts to substantiate federal charges, where they have to prove a crime was committed beyond a reasonable doubt. And now, Combs wasn't found liable in those civil cases. Of course, the ones that we're talking about. Of course, he is innocent until proven guilty. But at the very least, the fact that prosecutors are using this as evidence of criminal charges, that bolsters the accounts of these accusers so much more. And of course, it helps that this event was documented by actual video evidence.

By the way, when it comes to Sean Combs, we mentioned this, before on previous sidebars, but the allegations against him, even before he was indicted, they hit him financially. His business empire, the deals that he was a part of, they took a major blow from the raids and the lawsuits. And actually, I think we could dedicate a whole sidebar episode with a financial analyst talking about the losses of Sean Combs. Probably wouldn't be that interesting to you guys, but talking about businesses for a second, I tell you what would be exciting for you. For all of you business owners out there or those of you thinking of starting a business. We have this sponsor called Odu that is a free all-in-one

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Hope you can check it out. Continuing on with Cassandra Ventura, in her complaint against Combs, Sheila, just quote, Mr. Combs always supplied Ms. Ventura and the sex workers with copious amounts of drugs before and during the FOs. Ms. Ventura was given ecstasy, cocaine, GHB, ketamine, marijuana and alcohol and excessive amounts during FOs, which allowed her to disassociate during these horrific encounters. It became commonplace to get IV fluids in the days after an FO to recover from the excessive substances pushed upon her. And then when you read the Combs indictment, it says, quote,

during freakoffs, Combs distributed a variety of controlled substances to victims in part to keep the victims obedient and compliant. sometimes unbeknownst to the victims, Combs kept videos he filmed the victims engaging in sex acts with commercial sex workers after Freakoffs, Combs and the victims typically received IV fluids to recover from the physical exertion and drug use. So consistent. More evidence that appears Ventura is cooperating with the government. But at the very least, her allegations seem to form the basis for the charges. And actually taking a step back, the idea of the freak-offs in this indictment? I know the first time I heard it. It wasn't yesterday. First time I heard about it was in the Ventura lawsuit. Going back to the suit, quote, Mr. Combs began to call the

arrangement a freak-off or F-O. He would repeatedly tell Ms. Ventura at random moments that he wanted an F-O, and Ms. Ventura was eventually expected to facilitate the location and the hiring of male sex workers. F-Os would often take place in hotel suites, and then she goes on to list a number of different hotels and properties, including several in New York. But now, with that in mind, we go back to the indictment. And the indictment says, quote, combs then used force, threats of force and coercion to cause victims to engage in extended sex acts with male commercial sex workers that Combs referred to as among other things, freakoffs. Freakoffs were elaborate and produced sex performances that Combs arranged, directed, pleasureed himself during, and often electronically

recorded in arranging these freak-off's combs with the assistance of members and associates of the combs enterprise transported and caused to be transported commercial sex workers across state lines and internationally freak-offs occurred regularly sometimes lasted multiple days and often involved multiple commercial sex workers members and associates of the combs enterprise including high-ranking supervisors security staff household staff personal assistants and other combs business employees facilitated the freak-offs by among other things booking hotel rooms for the freak-offs stocking the hotel rooms in advance with the required freak-off supplies including controlled substances baby oil lubricant extra linens and lighting

cleaning the hotel rooms after the freak-offs to try to mitigate room damage arranging for travel for victims commercial sex workers and combs to and from the freak-offs resupplying combs with requested supplies delivering large sums of cash to combs to pay the commercial sex workers and scheduling the delivery of IV fluids. So you see the consistency. Now, there was a specific allegation about damage to these properties that is relatively, again, consistent between Ventura's account and what prosecutors are saying now in their filings.

Because in Ventura's lawsuit, it says, quote, on one occasion around 2013, Mr. Combs had an FO setup at the Intercontinental Hotel in New York City, after which he was charged with tens of thousands of dollars and damages by the host. upon information and belief. Mr. Combs' chief of staff, Tony Fletcher, paid the invoice charged by the hotel. In the bail letter filed by prosecutors yesterday, they write, quote, the defendant arranged freak-offs with the assistance of members and associates of the enterprise, including

employees of his business, and the hotel rooms where they were staged often sustained significant damages. For example, in approximately, and here it says 2012, not 2013, but 2012 in Manhattan, the defendant paid over $46,000 to cover damages to a penthouse hotel room following a freakoff. Now, we don't know if that's the same property. Maybe it's a different instance, but again, you can see the similarity. So the dates, again, are not the same, but the allegation about damage to the hotel rooms because of these sexual episodes, that's the same. Now, there were more similarities between Ventura's account and the allegation in the complaint, because I'll just give you one in particular that stands out. In the indictment, one of

the underlying crimes of the racketeering charge where you're saying there's a criminal enterprise and there's all these underlying crimes is arson that combs and his associates engaged in and described in the bail letter it says quote the defendant's co-conspirators set fire to individual one's vehicle by slicing open the car's convertible top and dropping a molotov cocktail inside the interior police and fire department reports extensively document the arson and conclude that the fire was intentionally set multiple witnesses would also testify to the defendant bragging about his role in destroying individual one's car. That sure sounds like Kid Cuddy, who's mentioned in Ventura's lawsuit, because in Ventura's

lawsuit, it says, quote, in 2011, during a rough patch in Mr. Combs and Ms. Ventura's relationship, Ms. Ventura had a brief relationship with musician Kid Cuddy. In February 2012, during Paris Fashion Week, Mr. Combs told Ms. Ventura that he was going to blow up Kid Cuddy's car and that he wanted to ensure that Kid Cuddy was. was home with his friends when it happened. Around that time, Kid Cuddy's car exploded in his driveway. Now, there are more comparisons to between Ventura and what we're hearing now, like how she claimed in her lawsuit. She was forced to carry a gun for Combs in her purse or how Combs had her medical records sent to him. Those allegations have been repeated by federal prosecutors. And by the way,

attorney Douglas Wigdor, who represents Ventura, said in a statement yesterday, quote, in response to the numerous inquiries we have received regarding the indictment of Sean Combs, neither Ms. Ventura nor I have any comment. But with that of mind, let's move on to another accuser. Rodney Little Rod Jones, a former producer who filed his own sexual assault, harassment, and sex trafficking lawsuit against Combs. And while he, too, discussed freak-offs and perhaps prosecutors used his accounts to bolster their allegations, too, I think one of the main aspects of his lawsuit that we are seeing here is the racketeering element. So in the indictment, as I said, Combs is charged with racketeering conspiracy.

Quote, the defendant abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, conceal his conduct. To do so, Combs relied on the employees' resources and influence of the multifaceted business empire that he led and controlled, creating a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in and attempted to engage in, among other crimes, sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice. In other words, there was an organization. led by Combs that engaged in all sorts of illegal activity.

There was an agreement amongst participants to further this criminal organization, and they used various forms of coercion and violence and threats to further these objectives. Okay. When you read Rodney Jones lawsuit, again, almost verbatim, his first claim, his first cause of action against Sean Combs, what he's suing him for, and various entities and associates, was a violation of the federal RICO statute. Quote, this is it from his lawsuit. The separate racketeering acts all relate to each other in that they were part of concerted actions by defendants to use the endorsement and channels of the enterprise to operate their businesses to fraudulently induce Plaintiff Jones and the artists, creatives, musicians, and producers to utilize their talents and labor to produce music and other tangible goods and services without full compensation. So you see the similarity, forced labor in both the indictment and here. In addition to the forced free labor, they use their power and information.

influence to force these creatives to solicit sex workers and to engage in unwanted sexual encounters with these sex workers. They also use their power and influence to force these creatives to purchase, transport, and distribute illegal firearms and drugs. By the way, you know how the indictment mentioned sex trafficking as one of the underlying or predicate crimes of the racketeering criminal enterprise, and it's also one of the individual counts that Combs faces? that is something that several accusers mention in their lawsuits. For instance, sticking with Rodney Jones in his suit, according to Mr. Jones, he was transported from California to New York, Florida, St. Bartholome and the United States Virgin Islands throughout his time with Mr. Combs. According to Mr. Jones, during this time, Mr. Jones was forced to solicit sex workers

and perform sex acts to the pleasure of Mr. Combs. Back to Ventura's lawsuit. Defendant Sean Combs perpetrated sex trafficking of Ms. Ventura, by requiring her to engage in forced sexual acts in multiple jurisdictions and all defendants benefited from Mr. Combs' venture by holding Ms. Ventura and artists signed with defendant Bad Boy Records and otherwise employed by other defendant Doe corporations captive to Mr. Combs' demands and desires. At all relevant times, defendants participated in and facilitated the harboring and transportation of plaintiff for purposes of sex induced by force, fraud, or coercion. Again, that's very similar to the sex trafficking charge he now faces. heard about sex trafficking in other lawsuits the lawsuits of Jane Doe who claims that she was sex trafficked and gang rape by Combs and former bad boys records

president Harvey Pierre when she was just 17 years old then there's Joy Dickerson Neal let's talk about her lawsuit quote defendants unlawfully administered to plaintiff a narcotic or intoxicating substance in New York State transported her forced her to engage in sexual intercourse and made a video recording of the revenge porn which he distributed throughout New York State all without her consent. Then we have Don Richard, who used to be a member of two of Combs' musical groups, Dandy Cain, and Diddy Dirty Money. Her sexual abuse lawsuit says this, quote, Mr. Combs, through a pattern of coercive threats and displays of brutal violence, cause plaintiff to engage

in commercial sex acts. These acts were carried out to further Mr. Combs' financial gain for Ms. Richards' participation in Diddy Dirty Money to exert control over her and to satisfy his own sexual gratification. Mr. Combs used fraud and force to coerce and entice Mr. Ms. Richard into commercial sex acts. Mr. Combs did so by making threats of career derailment and promises of career advancement in exchange for Ms. Richard's acquiescence to Mr. Combs' sexual batteries and assaults. Again, not clear if Richard, Neil, or Jane Doe's allegations are part of this criminal indictment, but there is a consistency for sure. By the way, there is another key allegation in the indictment that is echoed in these civil lawsuits.

In the indictment, it says, quote, protecting the Combs Enterprise and its members and associates, including Combs, from detection and prosecution by law enforcement authorities through acts of intimidation, manipulation, bribery, and threats of retaliation against individuals who witnessed the crimes committed by members and associates of the enterprise. Well, here's an eerie similarity in Dawn Richards' lawsuit. She wrote that she was a witness. witness to Combs beating Cassandra Ventura. In her lawsuit, it says, quote, on many occasions, Ms. Richard tried to intervene, offering Ms. Ventura support and encouragement to leave Mr. Combs.

Each time, Mr. Combs learned of her efforts to help Ms. Ventura and became enraged, threatening Ms. Richards' life with statements such as, you want to die today? I make Ngo missing, and I end people. Or how about this? Quote, every time that Ms. Richard and Ms. Harper tried to intervene, Mr. Combs learned of the conversation and became irate. Mr. Combs screamed at the women, you all bees, you all bees, don't get in my relationship. Don't tell my bee what she need to be doing. Just make money and shut the F up.

I end artists, I shelve careers. And Richard herself could potentially be a key witness to what was going on because listen to this, going back to these sexual events and drugs being used to keep people compliant and obese. in her lawsuit. It says, quote, Mr. Combs had arranged for dozens of young women and girls, some of whom appeared to be underage to be transported to the party. The women arrived wearing little to no clothing and were given drugs and alcohol. Many of them appeared lethargic or passed out while Mr. Combs and his guests performed sexual acts on them. Ms. Richard believed

that her presence at the party was a test to see whether Mr. Combs could trust her. Now, I could go on because there's more. There are more similar allegations of violence and threats. and Combs making promises of career opportunities to get people to do what he wanted. You see these similarities both in the indictment and the prosecution's bail letter and the civil lawsuits. But what I thought this really was was a kind of an interesting exercise to see some of the similarities between the civil suits and the indictment. And look, we won't know for sure yet who is cooperating or which allegations are really

the main basis for the charges. And honestly, whether or not other people who have sued Combs are the main alleged victims in this case. There could be people we don't even know about yet who are really making up the crux of these criminal charges. We don't know. But what we do know is this is the start. This is the start of what will be a very long legal journey and we will continue to follow it for you here on Sidebar. That's all we have for you right now. Everybody, thank you so much for joining us. And as always, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Jesse Weber. I'll speak to you next time.

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