When is Sean 'Diddy' Combs' trial and what is he charged with?

The trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs, one of the most successful rappers and music moguls in the US, starts in New York with jury selection on Monday. The charges against him include racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. If convicted, he could face life in prison. The rapper also faces dozens of civil lawsuits from individuals who accuse him of using his power to drug, assault, rape, intimidate and silence people. Mr Combs has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges and rejected the individual lawsuits as attempts "for a quick payday". Mr Combs - who has also gone by the names Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love - emerged into the hip-hop scene in the 1990s. His early music career success included helping launch the careers of Mary J Blige and Christopher Wallace - aka Biggie Smalls, or The Notorious B.I.G. His music label Bad Boy Records became one of the most important labels in rap and expanded to include Faith Evans, Ma$e, 112, Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez. Mr Combs also had a prolific business career outside of music, including a deal with British drinks company Diageo to promote the French vodka brand Cîroc. In 2023, he released his fifth record The Love Album: Off The Grid and earned his first solo nomination at the Grammy awards. He also was named a Global Icon at the MTV Awards. In the federal criminal case, Mr Combs is charged with racketeering conspiracy, two charges of sex trafficking and two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. Many of the most severe allegations relate to the racketeering conspiracy charge. It includes accusations of kidnapping, drugging, and coercing women into sexual activities, sometimes using firearms or threats of violence. In a raid on his Los Angeles mansion, police found supplies that they said were intended for use in orgies known as “freak offs”, including drugs and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil. Separately, Mr Combsfaces a number of lawsuits accusing him of rape and assault. Tony Buzbee, a Texas lawyer handling some of these cases, said that more than 100 women and men from across the US have either filed lawsuits against the rap mogul or will do so. In December 2023, a woman known in court papers as Jane Doe alleged that she was "gang raped" by Mr Combs and others in 2003, when she was 17. She said she was given "copious amounts of drugs and alcohol" before the attack. Mr Combs' legal team dismissed the flurry of lawsuits as "clear attempts to garner publicity." His current legal issues began when he was sued by his ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura, also known as Cassie, in late 2023. She accused him of violently abusing and raping her. That lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount a day after it was filed, with Mr Combs maintaining his innocence. Since then, dozens of people have filed lawsuits accusing Mr Combs of sexual assault, with accusations dating back to 1991. He denies all claims. His controversial history with Ms Ventura resurfaced in 2024, whenCCTV footage leaked by CNN showed Mr Combs kicking his former girlfriendas she lay on a hotel hallway floor in 2016. He apologised for his behaviour, saying: "I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I was disgusted then when I did it. I'm disgusted now." Mr Combs has consistently denied the allegations made against him in the civil lawsuits, describing them as "sickening" and suggesting they were made by "individuals looking for a quick payday". In a statement to the BBC about the federal criminal charges, his lawyer said: "Mr Combs and his legal team have full confidence in the facts and the integrity of the judicial process. "In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr Combs never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone - man or woman, adult or minor." Diddy's lawyers later filed a motion to dismiss one part of the federal indictment in which he is accused of transportation to engage in prostitution. His team argued he was being unfairly targeted due to his race. In a hearing in New York a week before the trial, his attorneys told the court thatthe rapper led the "lifestyle" of a "swinger" and was not a criminal. They said he thought it was "appropriate" to have multiple sex partners, including sex workers. At the same hearing, prosecutors revealed that Mr Combs had rejected a plea deal. Mr Combs has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, since his arrest on 16 September 2024. His lawyers have argued for his release, citing the jail’s “horrific” conditions. Critics describe the prison as overcrowded and understaffed, with a culture of violence. A New York federal judge denied the bail request, describing Mr Combs as a “serious flight risk”. Prosecutors have alleged thatMr Combs has been breaking prison rulesby contacting potential witnesses. They accuse him of "relentless efforts" to "corruptly influence witness testimony". Thetrial is scheduled to begin on Monday. The first days of the trial will consist of jury selection, with the trial starting in earnest after the panel of 12 jurors and six alternates is selected. Prosecutor Emily Johnson told the judge that the government will need three weeks to present its case. Defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo said the rapper's team will need a week for theirs. Mr Combs' trial will take place in front of US District Judge Arun Subramanian at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan courthouse in lower Manhattan. The trial is expected to be open to the public, but won't be streamed online. Cameras, phones and electronic devices are normally not allowed in US federal courtrooms. Mr Combs faces up to life in prison if convicted on the racketeering charge. He faces another statutory minimum sentence of 15 years if he is found guilty of sex trafficking. Transportation for purposes of prostitution carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.