Sean 'Diddy' Combs Trial Live: 'Sex Fiend' Rapper's Lawyer Blasts Sex Trafficking Case as 'Money Shakedown' — With Jury Set to Be Locked In Deliberations For Days
Sean 'Diddy' Combs, whose 'Freak-offs' – one of which is pictured above – have formed a central part of the case against him.
June 30 2025, Published 8:09 a.m. ET
Sean 'Diddy' Combs has insisted he had no case to answer as his lawyer delivered a fiery closing statement in a New York courtroom – telling jurors: "This isn't about crime. It's about money," RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The kink-obsessed music mogul, 55, faces federal charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and the transportation of individuals to engage in prostitution, spanning two decades from 2004 to 2024.
After seven intense weeks of testimony from more than 30 witnesses, a jury of 12 New Yorkers is now tasked with deciding Combs’s fate.
Life Hanging In Balance
Combs faces life in jail if found guilty of all charges.
The deliberations follow a long-awaited trial inside Manhattan’s federal court, with Judge Arun Subramanian expected to instruct jurors for several hours on Monday before sending them to deliberate behind closed doors.
Marc Agnifilo, Combs' lead defense attorney, spent much of Fridaym JUne 27, dismantling the prosecution’s narrative, saying: "The statements made about Mr Combs have been badly, badly exaggerated."
He also told the jury Combs' accusers were motivated not by justice but by financial gain, arguing the case lacked substance and was built on salacious distortions.
"They are suing for money. That's the goal here," Agnifilo said.
Combs has not taken the stand in his own defense.
Prosecutors, however, painted a starkly different picture.
In their closing argument, Assistant US Attorney Christy Slavik alleged Combs used "power, violence and fear to get what he wanted."
The government laid out an alleged pattern of coercion and abuse, describing a system of psychological manipulation and physical intimidation orchestrated by the former Bad Boy Records CEO to satisfy what they claimed were "controlling and violent" desires.
'Revenge Plot'
We have reported how Combs is so furious at his ex Jennifer Lopez's silence during his trial she is top of his 'revenge hit-list' if he dodges prison.
Combs, arrested in September 2024 following a federal investigation, has denied all wrongdoing.
RadarOnline.com has provided painstaking coverage of the trial for weeks, including an exclusive interview with an escort who says he partied with Combs at his orgies.
Slavik also told jurors the music producer's celebrity status had allowed him to operate with impunity for years.
The prosecution contends Combs exploited his influence in the entertainment industry to lure and silence victims, many of whom were allegedly manipulated or threatened into compliance.
Several accusers described being isolated, drugged or surveilled.
Others recounted emotional trauma stemming from their interactions with Combs and his associates.
Agnifilo pushed back hard against those claims, suggesting the women testifying had inconsistent accounts and ulterior motives.
He asked jurors to question the credibility of individuals seeking damages in civil suits.
'Cash-Grab'
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Jay-Z was just one of the A-listers to have their names dragged into the Combs sex trafficking trial.
"This trial is not a tabloid. It's a court of law," he said, arguing prosecutors had over-reached in an attempt to vilify his client.
Jurors, who have remained anonymous throughout the proceedings, are now reviewing complex legal instructions from Judge Subramanian.
The process, known as "charging the jury," is expected to take several hours and covers the legal definitions and standards needed to assess the charges.
The jury must reach a unanimous verdict on each count.
If unable to do so, they will be instructed to continue deliberating.
But if a consensus cannot be reached, Judge Subramanian will have the authority to declare a mistrial.
There is no fixed timeline for how long the jury may deliberate.
Given the volume of testimony and the gravity of the charges, legal observers believe the panel could take several days to reach a decision.
