Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Loses Bid to Delay Sex-Trafficking Trial Set for May

Sean “Diddy” Combs has lost his attempt to delay his upcoming sex-trafficking trial, as a U.S. judge ruled Friday that the request came too close to the scheduled start date. Jury selection is set to begin on May 5, with opening statements expected on May 12. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian denied the motion, filed earlier this week by Sean Diddy Combs’s legal team led by Marc Agnifilo, which asked for a two-month postponement to allow more time to respond to new charges and review critical evidence. The judge sided with prosecutors who argued that the new charges, filed on April 4, were not materially different from earlier allegations and did not justify a delay.

Sean Diddy Combs is facing five criminal counts, including racketeering and sex trafficking, stemming from a federal indictment brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has been held in a Brooklyn detention centre since September 2024.

According to prosecutors, Sean Diddy Combs used his vast business empire—from record labels to fashion lines and media ventures—as a front to commit and conceal sexual abuse against women over a 20-year period, from 2004 to 2024. They allege he orchestrated a network of exploitation that included transporting women across state lines to participate in sex acts, some of which were filmed during events referred to as “freak-offs.”

At Thursday’s hearing, Judge Subramanian also granted the prosecution’s motion, allowing some alleged victims to testify under pseudonyms, citing the need to protect their privacy due to the sensitive nature of the allegations. This move, though contested by the defence, is likely to shape the tone and structure of the upcoming trial.

Sean Siddy Combs’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, argued in court filings that the defence required more time to address the new charges and to compel the release of emails from one of the alleged victims. However, federal prosecutors countered that the content of the charges remained largely unchanged and that the emails in question were not required to be turned over under existing legal standards.

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Born Sean John Combs and known variously as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, Sean Diddy Combs rose to prominence in the 1990s as the founder of Bad Boy Records. He played a pivotal role in launching the careers of stars such as Mary J. Blige, Usher, Faith Evans, and the Notorious B.I.G. Bad Boy Records and his cultural influence extended into fashion, alcohol branding, and television.

But prosecutors argue that his empire masked a darker reality. Allegations include not just coercion and abuse but also the use of male sex workers in performances allegedly arranged for Diddy’s own gratification.

At the close of Friday’s hearing, Diddy addressed his supporters in the courtroom, including his mother. One supporter wore a sweatshirt that read “Free Puff.” Blowing a kiss, Combs said, “I love you all,” before being escorted out by U.S. marshals.

The high-profile trial is poised to be one of the most closely watched cases in the intersection of celebrity, power, and criminal accountability this year.

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