escalating lawsuits against Sean 'Diddy' Combs pose potential challenges for his ongoing criminal trial, according to legal specialists.
Combs' recent petition comes on the heels of an influx of civil accusations from new claimants, who have brought forth their cases in lawsuits following his arrest and indictment on three criminal counts last month. In a missive to Judge Arun Subramanian on Tuesday, Combs' counsel argued, "The authorities have suggested multiple victims, yet no specific individuals have been named." They further argued that the complexities in identifying the case's focal points stem from an "abundance of groundless allegations" from "desperate" and "opportunistic" plaintiffs.
The US Attorney's office stayed silent on the matter.
Combs, currently in federal custody in Brooklyn, awaiting trial, has pleaded innocent to charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and aiding and abetting prostitution. Prosecutors have accused Combs of setting up a "criminal organization" through his business empire that engaged in activities such as sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, and years of physical abuse against women, among other allegations. They allege that he had accomplices. His trial is set for May 2025.
In the month since Combs' arrest, nine additional civil lawsuits have been filed against him, citing sexual misconduct. A legal analyst opined to CNN that as the investigation continues, these lawsuits could serve as a guide for the government.
“If new civil lawsuits with fresh victims surface, that would certainly be one channel for discovering those individuals–if the authorities didn’t already know about them,” stated attorney Jennie Wang VonCannon, a former federal prosecutor with no ties to Combs or his accusers.
“The high volume of (accusers) raises the probability–significantly–of encountering acts the authorities were not already aware of or have not yet charged, and that could sway their decision to broaden the indictment or add new defendants implicated in the supposed conspiracy,” Wang VonCannon, who has handled human trafficking and RICO cases for the US Attorney's office and is currently a partner at Crowell & Moring, added.
Prospect of additional charges
Since Combs' apprehension, prosecutors have suggested that their inquiry remained active, with US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams urging victims to "step forward swiftly" upon publishing the indictment against the artist.
Then, earlier this month, at a status hearing, Assistant US Attorney Emily Johnson hinted at the possibility of a superseding indictment, which could impact the trial duration–meaning further charges or defendants could be incorporated.
A source privy to aspects of the federal investigation confirmed that new accusers and witnesses have met with federal officers since Combs' arrest.
The Department of Homeland Security and SDNY remained silent on the investigation's current status or any potential introduction of new charges.
Five of the new lawsuits emerged this week through Houston-based lawyer Tony Buzbee, who reportedly represents at least 120 new Combs accusers.
Since November 2023, at least 18 civil lawsuits have been initiated against Combs. The initial lawsuit, filed by his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, was settled the day after it was filed. The remaining lawsuits continue to be active.
Combs has consistently denied all accusations leveled against him in the various lawsuits. After CNN disseminated a 2016 hotel surveillance video portraying Combs dragging and kicking his then-girlfriend Ventura, he issued an apology in a social media video.
Combs' team is challenging the admission of this video in his trial. In a filing last week, his attorney accused the government of leaking evidence, including the surveillance video, to the media, but did not submit any proof of these allegations.
The five new accusers who came forward this week each made individual accusations of sexual misconduct allegedly taking place between 1995 and 2021. The anonymous accusers, all represented by Buzbee and his co-counsel, San Diego-based attorney Andrew Van Arsdale, include both males and females. One accuser claims he was 16 at the time of the alleged assault at one of Combs' famous White Parties in the Hamptons in 1998.
Combs' lawyers did not address the allegations in the latest lawsuits directly, but denied the accusations, asserting in a statement this week that "Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone–adult or minor, male or female."
Another accuser, who filed her lawsuit post-indictment, alleged that she was videotaped without her consent. Another alleged victim, who also filed after Combs' arrest, claimed in her suit that she was drugged, sexually assaulted, and impregnated, with incidents as recent as 2024.
Wang VonCannon surmised it is plausible that Combs was indicted before the investigation was complete because prosecutors may believe he posed a danger and had attempted to interfere with witnesses, as they stated in their appeal for Combs’ detention. Combs' team rejected the government's assertion that he had hindered witnesses during their appeal for Combs’ detention.
“The government’s assertions concerning Combs’ perceived menace to the public seem to be an integral aspect of why they executed the indictment so swiftly,” Wang VonCannon indicated. “They wished to remove him from public life because they considered him a threat to public safety. It is conceivable that they had ample proof for the allegations levied against him in the indictment. However, considering the scope of the indictment, even as it stands, it appears to be a part of a larger picture of misconduct that could implicate possibly other charges.”
With Combs in prison, more individuals are feeling empowered to step forward, as suggested by two insiders privy to the probe who conversed with CNN.
Prior to Combs' incarceration, insiders reported to CNN that the majority of the litigants who had initiated civil suits against Combs at that juncture had engaged with federal investigators, as they were preparing witnesses for their grand jury testimony.
One of Combs' accusers, who had already interacted with federal investigators, also communicated with CNN that additional alleged victims have also consulted with federal agents since Combs' detention. This accuser shared that although more individuals are disclosing incidents, a sense of apprehension persists due to Combs' enduring status as one of the most influential rappers and prosperous music magnates in history.
“He still carries some influence,” this accuser told CNN.
The ongoing civil lawsuits against Combs could potentially provide new leads for the authorities, potentially revealing acts they were not previously aware of.
The high volume of accusers in these lawsuits increases the likelihood of discovering new allegations, which could influence the prosecutors to broaden the indictment or add new defendants.
