Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs Lawyers for Sean “Diddy” Combs said Tuesday in court documents that videos depicting sex acts between their client and his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura prove the disgraced mogul’s innocence in his sex trafficking case.Newsweek has contacted representatives for Combs, 55, and Ventura, 38, via email for comment.
Sean “Diddy” Combs, left, and Cassie Ventura are pictured on May 7, 2018, in New York City. Lawyers for Combs on Tuesday said in court documents that videos depicting sex acts between their client and…
Sean “Diddy” Combs, left, and Cassie Ventura are pictured on May 7, 2018, in New York City. Lawyers for Combs on Tuesday said in court documents that videos depicting sex acts between their client and his then-girlfriend Ventura prove his innocence in his sex trafficking case.
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Why It MattersCombs’ trial in his federal sex trafficking case is set for May. The music mogul was arrested in September, accused of hosting sex parties called “freak offs” in which he allegedly forced Ventura, whom Combs dated from 2007 to 2018, to engage in sex acts with male sex workers.Combs is also the subject of over 30 lawsuits accusing him of sex crimes. He has denied any wrongdoing.What Were Diddy’s ‘Freak Off’ Parties?Combs’ employees allegedly organized his “freak offs” by booking hotel rooms, arranging travel for participants—including victims and sex workers—delivering payment and scheduling IV fluid deliveries for recovery, according to court documents.”In arranging these ‘Freak Offs,’ Combs, with the assistance of members and associates of the Combs Enterprise, transported, and caused to be transported, commercial sex workers across state lines and internationally,” a federal indictment unsealed in September reads.These events reportedly occurred regularly and sometimes lasted multiple days, according to law enforcement.
What To KnowIn a letter to New York Judge Arun Subramanian on Tuesday, Combs’ high-profile legal team said nine videos given to the government, allegedly by Ventura—referred to in the docs as “Victim-1″—depict sexual activity “between fully consenting adults in a long-term relationship.””Like many Americans in the privacy of their own bedrooms, they sometimes filmed their sexual activity. These videos unambiguously show that the person alleged in the indictment to be “Victim-I” [Ventura] not only consented but thoroughly enjoyed herself,” they wrote.His legal team also argued that Ventura provided the videos to prosecutors, which they say debunks accusations that Combs had them at his homes or in his possession as “collateral.”Videos Reveal Details of Diddy’s PartiesCombs’ lawyers said the videos did not depict “freak offs” widely described in the media.”There are no secret cameras, no orgies, no other celebrities involved, no underground tunnels, no minors, and not so much as a hint of coercion or violence. Far from the government’s lurid descriptions, the videos show adults having consensual sex, plain and simple,” they wrote.CNN Video of Diddy and VenturaIn May, CNN published 2016 video surveillance footage from the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles, which, prosecutors said, depicted Ventura trying to leave a “freak off.”The video shows Combs physically assaulting her, but his lawyers claimed the footage was “edited” to make him seem more dangerous. Rather than Ventura fleeing from a “freak off,” Combs’ legal team claimed the footage captures “a sad glimpse into a decade-long consensual relationship” between the former couple.What People Are SayingCombs’ legal team to Newsweek on the Peacock documentary Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy: “This documentary recycles and perpetuates the same lies and conspiracy theories that have been slung against Mr. Combs for months. It is disappointing to see NBC and Peacock rolling in the same mud as unethical tabloid reporters. By providing a platform for proven liars and opportunists to make false criminal accusations, the documentary is irresponsible journalism of the worst kind.”Sara Rivers, who worked with Combs on MTV’s Making The Band 2, in the doc: “I didn’t want to be around him unless there were cameras. He touched me in a place that he shouldn’t have.”What Happens NextThe Peacock documentary Diddy: Making of a Bad Boy hit the streamer on Tuesday. Another docuseries, The Fall of Diddy, will premiere over two nights on ID Discovery, starting on January 27 at 9 p.m. Episodes will also be available to stream on Max.Do you have a story Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com.
