Sean Combs trial updates: Trial resumes with final prosecution witnesses

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Last updated: Friday, June 27, 2025 6:19PM GMT
 DIDDY ON TRIAL: Prosecutors get ready to rest their case

NEW YORK -- Prosecutors are calling their final witnesses after presenting evidence for the last six weeks in the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs. They are expected rest their case on Monday (6/23).

Combs is charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and prostitution. Combs has pleaded not guilty to all counts. If convicted, he faces the possibility of life in prison.

Combs' lawyers argue that all the sexual acts were consensual, and that, although he could be violent, he never veered into sex trafficking and racketeering.

This story may contain accounts and descriptions of actual or alleged events that some readers may find disturbing.

"Bad Rap: The Case Against Diddy," a new podcast from "20/20" and ABC Audio, traces how the whispers of abuse came to light and led to the downfall of Sean "Diddy" Combs, who was once among the most influential entertainers and entrepreneurs in hip hop. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more.

(ABC News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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Jun 20, 2025, 5:14 PM GMT

Prosecution expects to rest case on Monday

A sixth week of testimony concluded with a summary witness, HSI special agent Joseph Cerciello, walking the jury through text messages and other documents.

He will return for what will likely be a full day of testimony Monday.

Federal prosecutor Maurene Comey said the government expected to rest on Monday.

Judge Arun Subramanian said he would hear arguments for a defense motion for a directed verdict of acquittal, which will likely be denied.

Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said the defense case would be "on the shorter side." He said the defense could rest Tuesday or Wednesday.

If that schedule holds, the judge said closing arguments would occur on Thursday of next week.

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Jun 20, 2025, 3:27 PM GMT

New texts between Cassie Venture and Combs read in court

Federal prosecutors read into the record a series of messages between Sean Combs and Cassie Ventura from March 2017, a year after the incident at the InterContinental in Los Angeles.

"You beat my head," Ventura's message said, to which Combs responded, "You flipping on me for wat?"

Ventura replied, "I just don't want to be beat down for being defiant." She continued, "You treat me and make me feel like I don't matter."

Combs responded, "You started this. I'm trying to figure out how to get this (expletive)."

Ventura texted back successive messages:

"I guess I'm not down with abuse it doesn't make sense to me."

"You hit me in my head two good times. That didn't make me feel good."

"I know I'm not crazy."

Combs replied, "I'm hurt. I'm tired of this (expletive)."

Prosecutors read more messages from May 2017.

"I knew if I said no to it in New York that would have been a problem," Ventura wrote to Combs. "You treat me like a hooker to be honest."

Combs replied, "Wow."

Ventura continued in successive messages.

"That was you. You hurt me so bad. I'm so (expletive) up and so heartbroken."

"Some of your wires are loose."

"All I wanted was to have a good time and you took all of your anger out on me per usual."

"I know I don't treat you badly. I might say some (expletive) here and there."

"I just appreciate and love you. I can't sleep. I've been crying since I got here. I don't understand what you expect of me sometimes. I smile, I'm happy, I love you."

"As soon as I turn my head for a second and you get (expletive) up you drag me down the hall by my hair."

Combs responded, "I'm not going to let someone (expletive) on me when all I've done is be nice. You don't treat me like the king. Any other woman in the world would have been so happy but not you."

Cassie texted back, "Talk to your people. They'll tell you. Or they won't because all they do is suck you."

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Jun 20, 2025, 2:32 PM GMT

Combs' former assistant testifies about being arrested

The jury saw a photo of Brendan Paul, Kristina Khorram and Sean Combs aboard a private plane on the tarmac of a Miami airport on March 25, 2024, the day Paul was arrested for cocaine possession.

Paul testified they were going to the Bahamas for a family vacation. That was the last time Paul said he had seen or spoken to Combs.

"Was the cocaine yours, Mr. Paul?" prosecutor Christy Slavik asked. "No," Paul responded.

"Did you tell law enforcement that it wasn't your cocaine?" Slavik asked. "No, Paul replied. Asked why, he said "loyalty."

Slavik followed up, "Whose cocaine was it?" Paul answered, "Mr. Combs."

On cross-examination, defense attorney Brian Steel asked, "You were not some drug mule, am I right?" Paul responded, "Absolutely not."

"What's your understanding of a drug mule?" Steel followed up. "Someone who traffics kilos and kilos around the world," Paul answered.

"This was a minor part of what you did," Steel said. "Absolutely," Paul agreed.

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Jun 20, 2025, 2:15 PM GMT

Paul details "Wild King Nights"

Former assistant Brendan Paul, who worked for Sean Combs from late 2022 until his arrest in 2024, recalled procuring drugs for Combs from drug dealers known as Guido, One Stop, Baby Girl and Ovi.

He referred to hard drugs as "Gucci items," which he would put into a Gucci pouch that Combs kept in a backpack or on his person.

"Is it for you or Puff?" Baby Girl said in a message. "Puff, but please don't disclose it. You can say it's for me," Paul responded in a message.

Paul testified Combs used Cialis and once asked him to get him Xanax.

On February 14, 2024 Combs texted Paul, "You get me zans."

Paul replied, "Still working on it . Have 2 leads. Should be able to get by tomorrow. Waiting to hear from one more person two."

Paul told the jury that Combs' chief of staff, Kristina Khorram, instructed him three or four times to set up hotel rooms for what she called "Wild King Nights" with "Jane." He also had to clean up after them.

The jury saw one email laying out Combs' schedule when Jane was arriving to visit. "Be ready for wild king night at her hotel," one entry said.

"You would go before they got there. Call room service, have them bring up extra sheets and towels, water," Paul testified. He said he would bring lights, AstroGlide, baby oil, liquor, champagne, and small toiletries. "We created a running list. We had a lot of lists," Paul said.

Paul described the assistants, property manager, security guards, travel manager and chief of staff all involved in obtaining drugs and supplying wild king nights as federal prosecutors seek to prove Combs ran a criminal organization.

After 'Wild King Nights,' Paul said he would wear gloves "for sanitary reasons" to clean the rooms as best he could.

The jury saw a photo Paul took of a hotel room in disarray after a 'Wild King Night.' Dirty sheets covered everything, furniture was rearranged, and Paul testified he sent the photo to Combs' travel manager so she could anticipate additional charges for damages.