By James Fanelli and Victoria Albert

The sex-trafficking trial of Sean Combs kicked off Monday in New York federal court with prosecutors and the hip-hop mogul's defense team clashing over whether he ran a criminal enterprise that forced women into drug-fueled sex parties.

The public knew Combs as "Puff Daddy" and "Diddy," a successful entrepreneur who built a music empire, Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson told the jury during opening statements. But Combs had a darker side, she said, relying on an inner circle of bodyguards and employees to carry out violent acts, including kidnapping, arson and forcing his girlfriends to have sex with escorts.

"There was another side to him -- a side that ran a criminal enterprise, " Johnson said.

Combs used his vast financial resources, his influence in the music industry and violence to control his victims, forcing them into elaborate sex acts in dimly lighted hotel rooms that he filmed, according to Johnson. His chief of staff, security detail and other employees would provide him with cash to pay escorts, as well as drugs to feed his victims, she said. The rap impresario sometimes referred to himself as the king, Johnson said, and he "expected to be treated like one."

Lawyers for Combs depicted him as a charismatic businessman who came from nothing and built successful businesses from scratch. Teny Geragos, a lawyer for Combs, said that he had an unusual swinger lifestyle, but the sex was always consensual. She also acknowledged that Combs had a bad temper and had committed acts of violence against his victims, but said they were domestic incidents fueled by jealousy on both sides.

"He is not charged with being mean. He is not charged with being a jerk, " she said. "He is charged with racketeering enterprise."

The Manhattan U.S. attorney's office charged Combs in September with overseeing a criminal enterprise that relied on employees, security staff and personal assistants to abuse, threaten and coerce women into multiday sex parties that he referred to as "Freak Offs." He is charged with five criminal counts, including a racketeering conspiracy, sex-trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.

Combs has denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty. He has been detained in a Brooklyn federal jail since his arrest last year.

The trial is expected to last about eight weeks, with one of his alleged victims, his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura, expected to testify against him as soon as Monday afternoon.

Earlier Monday, a 12-person jury was selected and sworn in for trial. Six alternates were also chosen.

U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, who is presiding over the trial, questioned prospective jurors over several days last week, asking them what they knew about the charges against Combs. Many said they had some knowledge from media coverage and social media. Several also said they had seen a CNN broadcast of surveillance footage from a March 2016 incident showing Combs assault and drag Ventura, his then-girlfriend, in a hotel hallway in Los Angeles.

Prosecutors are expected to show footage of the incident, which they say occurred while Ventura was trying to leave a "Freak Off." Combs issued a public apology about the 2016 incident after CNN aired the footage.

During opening statements, prosecutors detailed several instances of Combs attacking Ventura because she resisted participating in some of the sex parties. One beating was so bad that Combs forced her to hide out in a hotel while her wounds healed, according to Johnson, the federal prosecutor. In another instance, a jealous, gun-toting Combs and one of his bodyguards kidnapped an employee and forced the woman to help him find Ventura.

"This was just one night in the defendant's two decades of crime," Johnson said.

Combs arrived in the courtroom on Monday wearing a gray sweater and gray slacks. He hugged his lawyers and gave a thumbs-up to his family, who were seated in the courtroom. He stood up when Geragos, his lawyer, introduced him to the jury during opening statements.

Combs and Ventura had an 11-year relationship that started when she was 19 years old, after he signed her to a music contract and began paying her expenses.

Geragos said that the relationship was toxic, and that the two both cheated on one another. "The role of jealousy here is critical and pervasive," she said.

Ventura and the other alleged victims were all strong, capable women "who made free choices every single day for years," Geragos said. Text messages would refute their testimony that their involvement in the sex parties wasn't consensual, the lawyer said.

Geragos also accused Ventura and the other alleged victims of being motivated by money. Ventura never reported Combs's treatment to law enforcement. But in 2023, when she was in financial trouble, she retained a civil lawyer and sought $30 million from Combs. Eventually, she and Combs settled the lawsuit, in which she accused him of physical and mental abuse.

Write to James Fanelli at james.fanelli@wsj.com and Victoria Albert at victoria.albert@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 12, 2025 14:13 ET (18:13 GMT)

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