One Week to Diddy’s Trial: Sex Trafficking & “Freak-Off” Defense

With less than a week until Diddy heads to court, this is shaping up to be the most anticipated trial since O.J.—only this time, there’s less leather glove and more Versace robe. Scheduled for May 5, 2025, Diddy’s legal team is rolling out a defense strategy that’s part courtroom drama, part reality TV pilot. Facing charges including sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for the purpose of prostitution, Sean “Diddy” Combs has pleaded not guilty and remains in custody at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, where the vibes are reportedly anything but Bad Boy.

Central to his defense is the claim that his involvement in what prosecutors call “freak-offs”—allegedly organized sexual parties—was simply participation in a consensual “swinger” lifestyle. According to his attorney Marc Agnifilo, these were not crimes, but grown-up pajama parties with better lighting. “He thought it was legal,” Agnifilo maintains, suggesting that Combs’ only real offense might have been bad judgment… or bad guest lists.

Adding to the courtroom intrigue, Combs’ team is also floating a mental incapacity defense, arguing that prolonged drug use clouded his decision-making. Prosecutors, unimpressed, are trying to block that argument, essentially telling the court, “Being too high to know better” is not a get-out-of-jail-free card.

Judge Arun Subramanian recently allowed new evidence tied to these alleged “freak-offs,” while throwing out some forced labor claims on procedural grounds—proving once again that timing really is everything, especially in federal court.

The prosecution is bringing serious firepower, including testimonies from multiple accusers—among them singer Cassie Ventura, whose previous civil lawsuit against Combs was settled in 2023. Video evidence is also on deck, though prosecutors want it kept from public release to maintain privacy. A wise move, given the public’s history of turning high-profile trials into binge-worthy content.

Leading the defense now is Brian Steel—yes, that Brian Steel, of Young Thug fame—who’s ready to battle the prosecution with an iron jaw and a steel will. He’s reminding the public that due process isn’t optional, no matter how famous (or infamous) the defendant may be.

As the trial nears, one thing is certain: whether it ends in conviction or acquittal, this case will echo far beyond the courtroom—possibly reshaping how celebrity, power, and accountability are weighed in the eyes of the law. Or at the very least, give law schools and late-night hosts plenty to talk about.

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