The federal trial against Sean “Diddy” Combs continued on Tuesday (June 17), with Homeland Security Special Agent DeLeassa Penland returning to the witness stand to provide more damning testimony. Penland walked jurors through key evidence that prosecutors say supports their claims of sex trafficking, including video footage, financial records, and disturbing details about alleged "freak-offs" involving Diddy, singer Cassie, and others.
Jurors were shown approximately 20 minutes of video clips reportedly recorded between 2012 and 2014, allegedly capturing explicit encounters at parties in New York and Los Angeles. The footage, described as graphic and uncomfortable, was played in four-minute increments. To protect the courtroom gallery, the monitors were turned off, and only jurors were allowed to view the content through headphones. There were reports that Agent Penland herself appeared visibly disturbed at times, closing her eyes and wincing as the videos played.
Prosecutors argue that the so-called "freak offs" were not consensual or harmless entertainment, but rather carefully orchestrated acts of exploitation that form the basis of the trafficking charges. They allege that Diddy used his wealth and power to manipulate, control, and transport victims across state lines for sexual purposes—an essential element in proving federal trafficking violations.
To support this, Penland also introduced American Express statements from Diddy that revealed lavish spending patterns allegedly tied to these encounters. One statement showed charges totaling $944,059, including $4,000 per night for a luxury hotel suite and a staggering $46,786 in damages to a penthouse at the Intercontinental New York in Times Square. The damage, according to earlier testimony, was consistent with previous witness claims of baby oil, candle wax, and bodily fluids being used during wild hotel parties.
Prosecutors are building their case on a combination of witness testimony, video footage, and financial records to demonstrate a pattern of behavior consistent with trafficking under federal law. The evidence is part of a broader effort to show that these encounters were not isolated incidents but part of a systematic and exploitative lifestyle fueled by money, control, and coercion. As the trial continues, all eyes remain on the courtroom as the prosecution works to solidify its case against the hip-hop mogul.
Source: USA Today
