Diddy trial underway with jury selection - everything we know so far

Sean 'Diddy' Combs is accused of a number of charges, including racketeering conspiracy, sex ­trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution

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Controversial producer and rapper, Sean 'Diddy' Combs, will take his seat in a Manhattan federal court on Monday in what is being dubbed America’s celebrity trial of the century. The 55-year-old star, who was once a titan of hip-hop and fashion, is accused of masterminding a sex-trafficking ring that has already seen his career end in disgrace.

After rejecting an 11th-hour plea deal offer from prosecutors, Diddy believes the jury due for selection today will clear him of the devastating accusations made against him. Those 12 people are set to hear shocking evidence that could put him away for life with allegations that he drugged and abused countless victims during drug-fuelled sex parties dubbed “freak-offs”.

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He is accused of a number of charges, including racketeering conspiracy, sex ­trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution.

Federal prosecutors in New York alleged he "abused, threatened and coerced women" into long, drug-fueled orgies with male prostitutes he called "freak offs" and even threatened them into silence.

The indictment said: "After Freak Offs, Combs and the victims typically received IV fluids to recover from the physical exertion and drug use."

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Diddy pleaded not guilty to racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution charges, which is five counts in all.

His defence attorneys, who include Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos, said his sexual encounters were consensual and said the rapper is a swinger who occasionally invited people into his bedroom.

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In April, Agnifilo told the judge: "There's a lifestyle, call it swingers, that he was in that he thought was appropriate. The reason he thought it was appropriate is because it's so common."

Meanwhile, potential jurors in the trial recently answered written questions in a test to see what they knew and heard about the case and whether they could be fair. They were also asked if they could handle a two-month trial which may feature sexually explicit evidence.

Some of the evidence includes the surveillance tape showing the rapper kicking ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016. The civil lawsuit, accusing him of rape and a decade of physical and emotional abuse, was settled one day after it was filed two years ago.

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At the time, the rapper apologised for the clip and told people: "I hit rock bottom -- but I make no excuses. My behaviour on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video."

In May last year, CNN aired ­surveillance footage from a California hotel, showing Combs hitting, kicking and dragging Ventura by her hair in a chilling 2016 incident.

His legal team unsuccessfully tried to exclude the footage from the criminal trial, arguing it had been edited for dramatic effect, but the court ruled the footage admissible.

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Cassie is also a witness in the trial, as well as three other alleged victims. During the trial, prosecutors are also expected to showcase items seized from Diddy's homes in LA and Miami.

Items include electronic devices and AR-15-style rifles with defaced serial numbers.

In one of the most significant pieces of evidence revealed in pre-trial hearings, ­investigators disclosed nearly 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant were seized during raids on Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami.

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Federal agents described the raids in March last year as “unprecedented in scale and disturbing in content”.

In a final procedural hearing last week, Judge Arun Subramanian confirmed that the producer was offered a plea deal but turned it down. When asked directly whether he had reviewed and rejected the offer, Combs replied flatly: “Yes, I did, your honour."

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