Sean “Diddy” Combs has pleaded not guilty to an updated indictment that includes new allegations of forced labor. The 55-year-old Combs, with noticeably graying hair and beard, stood before Judge Arun Subramanian, stating that he had read and understood the charges against him.
The indictment claims that Combs forced employees to work long hours under threats of physical harm and reputational damage, and coerced at least one employee into engaging in sexual acts with him. Combs’s lawyers have strongly denied the sex allegations, claiming they involve consensual relationships with his girlfriends. They also deny all accusations in the federal case and the multiple civil lawsuits filed against him recently.
His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, stated that Combs is eager to have his day in court to prove he never forced anyone into sexual acts. Combs is also set to face trial in a federal sex trafficking and racketeering case. The new allegations are part of the racketeering charge, and he is also dealing with numerous lawsuits alleging rape and assault, which his lawyers dismiss as attempts to gain publicity.
On Friday, Combs appeared in New York’s southern district federal court wearing a greenish-tan prison jumpsuit, with overgrown grey hair and beard. He stood as he entered his plea, answering “Yes, I have sir” when asked by the judge if he had read the indictment. In the courtroom, his family and friends, including his son Christian, daughter Chance, mother Janice, and publicist Marvet Britto, were present in support. Combs smiled, waved, blew kisses to his family, and hugged his lawyers.
The court also discussed a video released by CNN in 2024 that allegedly shows Combs kicking his ex-girlfriend, Cassandra Ventura, in a hotel hallway in 2016. Combs’s lawyers called the video “deceptive,” claiming parts of it were altered. Prosecutors, however, called it “critical” evidence for their case. The judge urged both sides to find a compromise.
Combs previously apologized for the incident, saying he took full responsibility for his actions, expressing disgust with what happened then and now. Jury selection for his trial is set to begin on May 5, with opening statements scheduled for May 12.
