E! News
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Asserts ‘Swinger Lifestyle’ Defense Ahead of Sex Trafficking Trial
Federal prosecutors disclosed that they had offered Sean “Diddy” Combs a plea deal — a significant development that he declined. The terms of the proposed agreement were not made public.
In a high-profile case that has attracted nationwide attention, lawyers for rapper and music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs previewed their defence strategy at a Manhattan courthouse on Friday, arguing that Combs’ lifestyle — involving multiple sex partners and encounters with sex workers — was consensual and common among adults, not criminal. The 55-year-old artist, facing charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation for prostitution, is set to stand trial beginning May 5, with opening statements scheduled for May 12. If convicted, Combs could face life in prison.
During the pretrial hearing, Sean Diddy Combs’ attorney Marc Agnifilo described his client’s sexual conduct as part of a “swinger” lifestyle. “There’s a lifestyle — call it swingers or whatever you will — that he thought was appropriate because it was common,” Marc Agnifilo said, suggesting Combs’ conduct was misunderstood rather than illegal.
The defence’s framing sets the stage for a contentious trial in which issues of consent, power dynamics, and celebrity culture will take centre stage. Prosecutors, however, are painting a far darker picture. They allege that Sean Diddy Combs operated a coercive network, hosting “Freak Offs” — parties where victims were pressured or manipulated into sexual acts, sometimes involving payment or other forms of inducement.
Adding to the intensity of the case, federal prosecutors disclosed that they had offered Sean “Diddy” Combs a plea deal — a significant development that he declined. The terms of the proposed agreement were not made public.
Judge Arun Subramanian, presiding over the case, ruled that Sean Diddy Combs’ team can argue his lifestyle as part of their defence, but cannot reference other well-known individuals or cultural examples to justify the behaviour. The judge also ruled that a video showing Combs physically assaulting his former partner, singer Cassie Ventura, in a hotel hallway in 2016 will be admissible in court. The graphic footage, first aired by CNN in 2023, depicts Sean Diddy Combs kicking and dragging Cassie Ventura — an incident his attorneys don’t deny but claim has been edited misleadingly.
Prosecutors are prepared to call two witnesses to testify about the video’s authenticity, arguing it illustrates a pattern of abuse that supports the broader trafficking allegations. Further motions by the prosecution include seeking to introduce testimony from an alleged victim who claims she underwent a medical procedure related to her involvement in Sean Diddy Combs’ alleged trafficking operation. Details remain sealed, and the judge has yet to rule on its inclusion.
Additionally, prosecutors want the jury, but not the public, to view explicit footage from a sexual encounter involving Combs, citing its “extremely sensitive” nature. The trial, expected to last up to ten weeks, will be held in New York City and is open to the public; however, it will not be livestreamed. The proceedings are anticipated to include detailed testimony, explicit evidence, and sharp legal debate over consent, abuse of power, and the limits of celebrity immunity.
As jury selection looms, the case stands poised to test not only Sean Diddy Combs’ legal fate, but also the cultural conversation around sex, power, and accountability in the entertainment industry.
