Diddy receives trial date in racketeering and sex trafficking case

Sean "Diddy" Combs will stand trial on May 5, 2024, for charges of racketeering and sex trafficking, according to a ruling by Manhattan federal judge Arun Subramanian on Oct. 10. The trial date aligns with the preferences of Combs’ legal team, who expressed their intent to proceed swiftly, stating in court documents on Oct. 9 that they were seeking a trial in April or May 2024 to uphold Combs’ constitutional right to a speedy trial.

While the trial date is set, the schedule could still shift if new charges or defendants are added, or if Combs decides to waive his speedy trial right. This could depend on whether he is granted bail in an ongoing appeal. Combs faces serious allegations from prosecutors, who accuse him of running a "sprawling criminal operation" that allegedly involved forced labor, sex abuse, kidnapping, and bribery. The indictment claims that for decades, Combs "abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him" to fulfill his desires and conceal his actions.

At Thursday’s hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson refuted claims from Combs' legal team that the government leaked evidence, including a surveillance video of Combs allegedly assaulting his former girlfriend, Cassie, in 2016. Johnson dismissed the claims as "baseless," asserting, "Not a single one of those alleged leaks are from members of the prosecution team."

Combs' next court date is set for December.