Sean “Diddy” Combs and two of his sons exchanged seemingly sincere gestures to each other while in court for a hearing ahead of his successful sex trafficking trial.
Combs, 55, remains locked up in a Brooklyn jail and has been charged by federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York on sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
He appeared Wednesday for a hearing that lasted about 45 minutes, largely intended to schedule future court dates and for the prosecutor to turn over key documents.
Prosecutors have reportedly gathered a very large amount of information against Combs. The rapper actually wished the people gathered outside the courtroom a “happy holiday” on the way out, according to ABC News.
He then thanked his lawyers before adding, “I just want to say goodbye.”
Christian and Justin, two of Diddy’s children, appeared in court and gestured to their father with their hands folded in prayer.
Combs responded by waving to Christian, 26, and Justin, 30. Neither paid any attention to reporters pleading for answers as they left.
The brief reunion apparently failed to lift their spirits as cameras from DailyMail.com caught the two men with grim faces as they left the courthouse.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and two of his sons exchanged seemingly sincere gestures to each other while in court for a hearing ahead of his successful sex trafficking trial
Christian and Justin, two of Diddy’s children, appeared in court and gestured to their father with their hands folded in prayer. The brief reunion apparently failed to lift their spirits as cameras from DailyMail.com caught the two men with grim faces as they left the courthouse.
According to Combs’ own description, in his most recent public appearance he looked thinner and had gray hair one legal expert who was present in the courtroom.
The mogul has been hit with civil lawsuits alleging he also sexually assaulted minors, but no criminal charges against teens are included in his criminal complaint.
The rapper and music producer has denied all charges against him. His lawyers have also maintained his innocence as Combs faces more than two dozen counts of sexual assault in New York and California.
Diddy was arrested on September 16 and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution.
The indictment, which details allegations from 2008, accuses him of abusing, threatening and coercing women for years “to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his behavior.”
The rapper is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn in New York City.
The prosecutor argued that the rapper has a long history of intimidating both accusers and witnesses to his alleged abuse and cited security footage that showed Combs punching his then-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, in a hotel hallway.
Prosecutors accuse the hip-hop mogul of luring female victims and male sex workers into drugged, sometimes days-long sexual performances called “Freak Offs.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs, 55, was arrested on September 16 and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution
Combs responded by waving to Christian, 26, and Justin, 30. Neither paid any attention to reporters begging for answers as they left
The indictment against Diddy alleged that federal raids on his mansions in Miami and Los Angeles led to the discovery of more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lube.
His attorney Marc Agnifilo explained the alleged reason behind the “1,000 bottles” of baby oil and lube: “I don’t think it was 1,000. I think it was a lot. I mean, there’s a Costco right down the street. I think Americans are buying in bulk, as we know,” he told the New York Post.
Later, Costco intervened and denounced the allegations in a statement TMZand say they do not sell baby oil in any of their US retail locations.
Diddy’s associates allegedly gave the victims drugs to keep them compliant and made threats against anyone who refused to participate, in claims similar to those in a civil lawsuit filed by Diddy’s ex-girlfriend Cassie last year.
These allegations were critical for prosecutors who filed sex trafficking charges against the producer, with observers noting authorities are increasingly expanding the law to suit their cases against powerful defendants.
Agnifolo — whose wife Karen recently joined the legal team of UnitedHealthcare CEO killer Luigi Mangione — previously said the Bad Boy Records founder is “eager” to testify.
“I don’t know if I could keep him off the witness stand,” he said. ‘I think he really wants to tell his story. And I think he will tell every part of his story.”
If Diddy is convicted, he could spend the rest of his life behind bars. His trial is currently scheduled to begin on May 5.