NEW YORK (AP) — Witnesses began testifying this week in the sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, one of the biggest music moguls and cultural figures of the past four decades.
Combs’ former girlfriend, the R&B singer Cassie, is expected to take the stand Tuesday after prosecutors on Monday showed jurors video of the performer beating her in a hotel in 2016.
The trial is expected to last at least eight weeks in all. Here's a look at some of the details.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Prosecutors allege Combs used his “power and prestige” as a music star to induce female victims into drugged-up, elaborately produced sexual performances with male sex workers in events dubbed “freak offs.”
They say he coerced and abused women with help from a network of associates and employees while silencing victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings.
“During this trial you are going to hear about 20 years of the defendant’s crimes," Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson told jurors in her opening statement Monday. "But he didn’t do it alone. He had an inner circle of bodyguards and high-ranking employees who helped him commit crimes and cover them up.”
Combs’ lawyer Teny Geragos, however, told jurors that prosecutors are trying to turn sex between consenting adults into a sex trafficking case.
“Sean Combs is a complicated man. But this is not a complicated case. This case is about love, jealousy, infidelity and money,” she said.
Prosecutors revealed shortly before trial that Combs rejected a plea agreement that might have meant a lighter sentence than a conviction could. They did not disclose the terms of the proposed deal.
The prosecution on Monday showed the jury security video of Combs beating and kicking Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016.
The trial's first witness, Israel Florez, who was working hotel security at the time, testified about responding to a report of a woman in distress and witnessing Combs tell Cassie:, “You’re not going to leave.” Florez said he told Combs, “If she wants to leave, she’s going to leave.”
Cassie, who is expected to testify herself, was Combs' on-again-off-again romantic partner for more than a decade. Her 2023 lawsuit against Combs alleging years of abuse, including rape, began the scrutiny that eventually led to his prosecution.
Jurors on Monday also heard from Daniel Phillip, who said he was a professional stripper who was paid to have sex with Cassie while Combs watched and gave instructions. He testified that he once saw Combs drag her by her hair as she screamed.
The Associated Press does not typically name people who say they have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly, as Cassie did.
The trial is in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian. He's a Columbia Law School graduate and former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and was appointed a federal judge by President Joe Biden in 2022.
The prosecution team consists of eight assistant U.S. attorneys, seven of them women. They include Maurene Ryan Comey, daughter of former FBI Director James Comey. She was among the prosecutors in the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by Jeffrey Epstein.
Combs' team of seven defense attorneys is led by New York lawyer Marc Agnifilo, who along with his wife Karen Friedman Agnifilo is also defending Luigi Mangione, the man accused of the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Also on the defense team is Atlanta attorney Brian Steel, who represented Young Thug in a trial that went on for nearly two years before the rapper pleaded guilty to gang, drug and gun charges.
Twelve jurors — eight men and four women — and six alternates were chosen just before opening statements began Monday. They include include a massage therapist, an investment analyst and a deli clerk.
The jurors’ identities are known to the court and the prosecution and defense sides, but won’t be made public.
It’s common in federal cases to keep juries anonymous, particularly in sensitive, high-profile matters where juror safety is a concern
Combs, 55, has been held at a federal jail in Brooklyn since his September arrest. His formerly jet-black hair is now almost completely gray because dye isn’t allowed at the detention center.
Combs, who had his own fashion line, has worn yellow jail uniforms in pretrial hearings. But for the trial, the judge said he can have up to five button-down shirts, five pairs of pants, five sweaters, five pairs of socks and two pairs of shoes without laces.
Under federal court rules, no photos or video of the trial will be allowed. Courtroom sketches are permitted.
Since 2023, dozens of women and men have been filing lawsuits against Combs claiming he sexually or physically abused them. Many of those people said they were slipped drugs at events hosted by Combs and were abused while they were incapacitated.
Combs has denied all of the allegations through his lawyers.
Some of those lawsuits have claimed that other celebrities were either present for or participated in the abuse.
The great majority of those allegations, however, aren't part of the criminal case. Prosecutors have chosen to focus on a relatively small number of accusers and allegations where there is physical evidence or corroboration by witnesses.
Sean Diddy Combs, left, stands as his defense attorney, Teny Geragos, gives her opening statement to the jury on the first day of trial in Manhattan federal court, Monday, May 12, 2025, in New York. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)
Sean 'Diddy' Combs, far left, looks on from the defense table with his attorneys, as a prospective juror, far right, answers questions posed by Judge Arun Subramanian, center, at Manhattan federal court, Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)
Sean 'Diddy' Combs, right, turns around and looks at the audience during jury selection at Manhattan federal court, Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)
FILE - Sean 'P.' Diddy' Combs arrives at the annual Independence Day 'White Party' at the PlayStation 2 Estate in Bridgehampton, New York, July 4, 2004. (AP Photo/Jennifer Szymaszek, File)
LONDON (AP) — Jannik Sinner overwhelmed a not-fully-fit Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in the Wimbledon semifinals on Friday to set up a showdown for the championship against Carlos Alcaraz.
The No. 1-ranked Sinner’s victory at Centre Court put him in his first final at the All England Club.
No. 2 Alcaraz defeated Taylor Fritz 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (6) earlier Friday to move within one victory of a third consecutive Wimbledon title.
Sinner, a 23-year-old Italian, and Alcaraz, a 22-year-old Spaniard, now head into a rematch of their epic final at the French Open four weeks ago. Alcaraz won that one after fending off a trio of match points.
“Hopefully it's going to be a good match, like the last one,” Sinner said. “I don’t know if it’ll get better, because I don’t think it’s possible.”
Alcaraz is 5-0 so far in Grand Slam title matches. Sinner owns three major trophies.
They are far and away the leaders of men's tennis — and are at the height of their games right now. This will be the seventh straight major tournament won by one or the other.
“The things we are doing right now are great for tennis,” Alcaraz said.
Alcaraz takes a career-best 24-match winning streak into Sunday. Sinner will be participating in his fourth consecutive Grand Slam final, after winning the U.S. Open last September and the Australian Open in January, before his heartbreaking defeat in Paris after wasting a two-set lead.
For the 38-year-old Djokovic, his lopsided loss brought an end to his latest bid for an eighth Wimbledon title — which would tie the men's mark held by Roger Federer — and for an unprecedented 25th major trophy in all.
Djokovic was diminished two days after slipping and doing the splits on what he called a “nasty” and “awkward” fall in the last game of his quarterfinal victory. He canceled a practice session Thursday, had his upper left leg checked by a trainer during a medical timeout after the second set against Sinner and was simply unable to move the way the world is so used to seeing.
Right after that treatment, Djokovic grabbed a 3-0 lead in the third set and was a point from going up 4-0. But Sinner took six of the remaining seven games.
“We all saw, especially in the third set, that he was a bit injured,” Sinner said. “He’s been in a very difficult situation.”
When it ended, Djokovic picked up his equipment bags and was given a standing ovation as he headed toward the locker room. He paused to smile, wave and give a thumbs-up to the crowd.
Djokovic exited in the semifinals at all three Slams this season, including quitting after a set against Alexander Zverev because of an injured hamstring at the Australian Open, then losing to Sinner at Roland-Garros.
There was more intrigue in Friday's first semifinal, particularly when Fritz led 6-4 in the fourth-set tiebreaker, meaning he had two chances to force things to a fifth. But Alcaraz collected the next four points by forcing mistakes by Fritz to finish off the win, then rocked back on his heels, spread his arms wide and screamed.
“I’m just really proud about the way that I stayed calm,” Alcaraz said, “and (was) thinking clearly.”
With five-time Wimbledon champion Bjorn Borg and celebrities such as Anna Wintour and Leonardo DiCaprio looking on, Alcaraz marked some of his best shots with a shout of “Vamos!” or a raised index finger.
“A lot of the things that I would have changed, I think would have only helped me for a point or two, and then I think Carlos would have just made an adjustment,” said the fifth-seeded Fritz, the runner-up to Sinner at the U.S. Open, “and I don’t think it would have been a long-term answer.”
The temperature topped 85 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius), with no clouds interrupting the blue sky overhead to offer protection from the sun. For the second consecutive day, spectators had trouble in the heat; there were two brief delays in one second-set game while fans needed to be helped.
The pop of a Champagne cork could be heard in the stands just before the start, and the Spaniard burst out of the gate, taking 10 of the initial 12 points, including a break for a 1-0 lead. That game featured glimpses of why Alcaraz is so great already. Indeed, the very first point was illustrative: He returned a 135 mph serve, then capped a 10-stroke exchange with a delicate drop shot.
To be clear, Fritz played exceedingly well, conjuring a quality with his neon-orange racket frame that would have been good enough to overcome most any foe on grass.
As everyone paying attention — including Sinner — knows by now, Alcaraz is not just any foe.
“He has so many different ways to win,” Fritz said, “and he’s very good at making adjustments.”
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Novak Djorkovic of Serbia reacts during the men's semifinal singles match against Jannik Sinner of Italy at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Friday, July 11, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Italy's Jannik Sinner returns to Serbia's Novak Djokovic in a men's singles semifinal at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, right, greets Taylor Fritz of the U.S. after beating him in a men's singles semifinal at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after beating Taylor Fritz of the U.S. in a men's singles semifinal at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Taylor Fritz of the U.S. checks on his cut on his elbow in a break in his match against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in a men's singles semifinal at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain returns the ball to Taylor Fritz of the U.S. during the men's semifinal singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Friday, July 11, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Taylor Fritz of the U.S. returns to Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's semifinal singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Friday, July 11, 2025.(AP Photo/Joanna Chan)
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain returns the ball to Taylor Fritz of the U.S. during the men's semifinal singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Friday, July 11, 2025.(AP Photo/Joanna Chan)
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain reacts during the men's semifinal singles match against Taylor Fritz of the U.S. at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Friday, July 11, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Jannik Sinner of Italy celebrates winning the men's singles quarter final match against Ben Shelton of the U.S. at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Wednesday, July 9, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns to Italy's Flavio Cobolli during a quarterfinal men's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Joanna Chan)
Taylor Fritz of the U.S. reacts during the men's singles quarter final match against Karen Khachanov of Russia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, July 8, 2025.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after beating Britain's Cameron Norrie during a quarterfinal men's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
