Sean “P. Diddy” Combs sex-trafficking trial is set for the spring and, in the lead-up, his legal team is working on his behalf. Recently, the imprisoned 55-year-old rapper’s lawyers filed legal documents through which they alleged that nine videos captured from his “Freak Off” events prove his innocence. The team is now requesting electronic copies of the footage from prosecutors. All the while, a defense attorney is weighing in on how the theoretical release of the sex tapes could actually impact Combs’ case.
The videos reportedly show him with a partner, who’s been identified as Diddy’s ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. Diddy’s legal team argues that the footage shows “private sexual activity between fully consenting adults in a long-term relationship” as opposed to exploitation or coercion. (It’s been said that Freaks Offs involved women being hired or forced into performing sex acts for guests.) Additionally, within the attorneys’ filing were the claims that Ventura had the footage herself and that it wasn’t obtained amid raids at Diddy’s homes.
David Gelman – a defense attorney and former criminal prosecutor – recently appeared on DailyMail.com’s The Trial of Diddy podcast to discuss the matter. Based on what he had to say, Gelman is of the thinking that if the videos are released to Sean Combs’ camp, they can use it in one of two ways. One such way would be to use it to damage Cassie Ventura’s credibility during the trial:
Let's just say that [Cassie's] participating in things and looks like she's having a really good time. That obviously won't look good for her and her claims of what he did. If I'm in Diddy's [legal] team, that's how I'm going to be looking at it… ‘Look, it's disgusting. It's not for everybody, but this is what Diddy was into. And the other individual, Cassie, she was into it as well. They're two consenting adults.’
Cassie Ventura – none mononymously as Cassie – and P. Diddy dated from 2007 and 2018. The 38-year-old singer filed suit against the Grammy winner in November 2023, at which point she accused him of subjecting her to violence, sex-trafficking and more during their relationship. Diddy denied the allegations, though the lawsuit was settled less than 24 hours after it was filed. In March 2024, hotel footage recorded in 2016 was released and showed Diddy physically assaulting Cassie in a hallway. The “Bad Boy for Life” star eventually apologized, though his remarks were criticized by Cassie’s lawyer.
As of this writing, the “Is It You” singer’s legal representatives have not addressed the requests for the videos or the reports that she had them in her possession. As for Sean Combs, he’s incarcerated in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn (which also houses Luigi Mangione). Combs is facing charges of alleged sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution, racketeering and more. Additionally, numerous sexual assault lawsuits have been leveled at Diddy, who has denied wrongdoing.
Despite the situation, David Gelman believes that another way Diddy’s team could theoretically use the videos to their advantage. He opines that the tapes could be used to negotiate a better plea deal:
Potentially this is probably a negotiation plea as well. I don't know if there's been any offers extended to Diddy and his legal team for a potential plea, and if there are, I'm sure they are incredibly long, probably looking at life in prison. So this maybe a ploy for [Comb's attorneys] to lower that number. If they get this and it show[s] Cassie is potentially enjoying on the videos ... they will be able to go after her credibility. The government will know that and they'll think, ‘You know, maybe if we give a better deal, we don't have to have her go on the stand and she doesn't have to then answer question that maybe she won't look good to a jury.’
At this time, it remains to be seen if the sex tapes will be released and either of these theorized methods would even prove to be effective. P. Diddy’s trial is set to begin on May 5, 2025.
