Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has pleaded not guilty to a new indictment, accusing him of threatening to punish employees who did not assist in his alleged two-decade sex trafficking scheme.
Combs, one of the most successful rappers and hip-hop producers in the US, was also accused of forcing employees to work long hours in what prosecutors described as “forced labour”, the Manhattan federal court heard on Friday.
The three-time Grammy winner has previously pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
His trial begins on 5 May.
Several members of his family were present in court as he entered with greying hair, a grey beard, and wearing baggy prison clothes.
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What are the allegations against Sean Combs?
While the new indictment added no new charges, it claims Combs and those who worked with him “maintained control” over some employees by forcing them to work long hours with minimal sleep, with threats of physical force, financial harm, psychological harm and reputational damage.
Sean Combs has pleaded not guilty to all criminal charges. Pic: Reuters
Prosecutors from the Manhattan US Attorney’s Office allege that Combs used his various businesses – including his label Bad Boy Entertainment – to abuse women between 2004 and 2024.
Combs has also been accused of organising “freak offs” – allegedly inducing women and male sex workers into drug-fuelled sexual performances.
His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, however, argues that these events were consensual.
Combs also faces dozens of civil lawsuits by women and men who have accused him of sexual assault and other misconduct. He has denied all wrongdoing.
Combs has been held in a Brooklyn jail awaiting trial since his September 2024 arrest.
