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 16, 2025, 3:04 PM GMT

Jury sees collection of messages from Combs employees about 'freak-offs,' alleged drug deal

The jury is seeing and hearing a disjointed smattering of text and audio messages meant to try and reinforce testimony from other witnesses about hotel rooms, drugs and travel.

Prosecutors presented one group of messages between Sean Combs' chief of staff Kristina Khorram and Combs' travel arranger Jessica Ruiz discussing a flight for "Jane," a prior witness and ex-girlfriend of Combs who testified under a pseudonym, and a male escort named Paul.

Another group of messages involved discussions of paying a drug dealer, and Combs' request for 15 molly pills.

Prosecutors also presented a text from one of Combs' assistants that read, "got to reup on baby oil and s---" after receiving instructions to set up a hotel room for a "freak-off" sex session with former Combs girlfriend Cassie Ventura.

The prosecution told the court that the messages were taken from electronic devices seized from Khorram, who has not testified during the trial. Khorram has denied any wrongdoing.

In a 2018 exchange presented to the jury, after Ventura texted Khorram "I can't do the violence," Khorram messaged back, "stay focused, not worth derailing."

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Jun 16, 2025, 1:48 PM GMT

Summary witnesses to take the stand as prosecution expects to rest case this week

The racketeering and sex trafficking trial of Sean Combs begins a sixth week of testimony today with a pair of summary witnesses meant to help the jury organize the hundreds of exhibits they have seen so far.

We've been told it is possible that Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, will make another appearance early this week, as he did last Friday.

The last substantive witness for the prosecution is expected to be a former assistant to Combs, Brendan Paul.

Prosecutors have said they expect to rest their case as soon as Wednesday and no later than Friday. There will be no court proceedings Thursday, which is the Juneteenth federal holiday.

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Jun 16, 2025, 4:09 PM GMT

Judge upholds decision to dismiss juror ahead of week 6 of testimony

Judge Arun Subramanian declined on Monday to change his mind about juror No.6, upholding his decision to remove the juror and replace him with an alternate.

"The record raised serious concerns as to the juror's candor and whether he shaded answers to get on and stay on the jury," Subramanian said. "There's nothing the juror could say at this point to put the genie back in the bottle."

The first alternate juror is a 57-year-old architect from Westchester.

The judge said he took seriously the defense concern about race -- juror No.6 is Black -- but he said, "this jury does not raise those concerns." He also said it is "inappropriate to consider race" in deciding whether the juror's responses to questions about where he lived were appropriate.

At the conclusion of court on Friday, Judge Subramanian dismissed juror No.6 over what he said were "inconsistencies" in statements the juror made about where he lived, saying that the alleged inconsistencies raised questions about the juror's candor and ability to follow instructions.

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Jun 15, 2025, 7:33 PM GMT

Could the prosecution rest this week?

The racketeering and sex trafficking trial of Sean Combs begins a sixth week of testimony Monday with a pair of summary witnesses meant to help the jury organize the hundreds of exhibits they have seen so far.

Judge Arun Subramanian has also promised to inform the parties if he changes his mind about dismissing Juror Six over questions of his candor and whether he deliberately attempted to get himself seated on the jury.

ABC News has been told that Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, may make another appearance early this week.

Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, leaves federal court during the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs in New York, Friday, June 13, 2025.
Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, leaves federal court during the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs in New York, Friday, June 13, 2025.

The last substantive witness for the prosecution is expected to be a former assistant to Combs, Brendan Paul.

Prosecutors expect to rest their case as soon as Wednesday and no later than Friday. The court is closed on Thursday for Juneteenth.

On Monday, the defense is expected to outline the contours of its case, possibly providing the first indication whether Combs will testify.

Click here to review last week's updates from the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial.