Entertainment
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sex Crimes Trial To Begin Monday
Jury selection is set to begin Monday in New York in the blockbuster trial of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who dramatically fell from grace following his incarceration on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering.
Combs, 55, has been awaiting his day in court since last year on accusations of leading a crime ring that prosecutors say coerced victims into drug-fueled sex parties using threats and violence.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges, insisting that any sex acts were consensual. At a recent hearing, his attorney Marc Agnifilo offered a preview of his team’s defense by describing the artist’s free-wheeling “swinger” lifestyle.
The prosecution said in court it had offered Combs a plea deal — the specifics were not disclosed — but that he had rejected it.
If convicted, the one-time rap producer and global superstar, who is often credited for his role in ushering hip-hop into the mainstream, could spend the rest of his life in prison.
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Over the decades, the artist — who has gone by various stage names including Puff Daddy and P Diddy — amassed vast wealth for his work in music but also his ventures in the liquor industry.
The jury selection start date is notably the first Monday in May — which annually marks New York’s Met Gala, a glittering celebrity charity bash where Combs was once a red carpet mainstay.
Just two years ago, he posed for the cameras at that event uptown — but on Monday, he will be in downtown in federal court, as the panel of citizens tasked with determining his fate face a barrage of questions from lawyers on both sides.
Jury selection is expected to wrap up in about a week, with opening statements tentatively scheduled for May 12.Combs was arrested by federal agents in New York in September 2024 and denied bail multiple times.
He is being held at Brooklyn’s notorious Metropolitan Detention Center, a facility plagued by complaints of vermin and decay as well as violence.
High-profile inmates there have included disgraced R&B star R. Kelly, Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell and Sam Bankman-Fried, the cryptocurrency entrepreneur convicted of fraud.
During pre-trial hearings, Combs has appeared in court looking remarkably aged, his once jet-black, styled coif now overgrown and gray.
‘Freak-offs’
Central to the case is Combs’s relationship with his former girlfriend, the singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, who is expected to be a key trial witness.
A disturbing surveillance video from 2016, which was aired by CNN last year, shows Combs physically assaulting Ventura at a hotel.
Prosecutors say the encounter occurred following one of the “freak-offs” they argue were a feature of his pattern of abuse.
The so-called “freak-offs” were coercive, drug-fueled sexual marathons including sex workers that were sometimes filmed, according to the indictment.
It’s unclear how much of the CNN video will be shown to jurors as evidence in court — the footage’s quality has been a sticking point between the opposing legal teams — but Judge Arun Subramanian has ruled that at least some of it will be admissible.
Combs has no major convictions but has long been trailed by allegations of physical assault, dating back well into the 1990s.
The floodgates against the Grammy winner opened after Ventura filed a civil suit alleging Combs subjected her to more than a decade of coercion by physical force and drugs as well as a 2018 rape.
That 2023 suit was quickly settled out of court, but a string of similarly lurid sexual assault claims from both women and men followed — and the federal criminal indictment dropped after a raid of his luxury properties in Miami and Los Angeles.
The indictment includes a charge of racketeering conspiracy, the federal statute known by its acronym RICO that was once seen as primarily targeting the mafia but in recent years has also been wielded frequently in cases of sexual abuse.
It allows government attorneys to project a long view of criminal activity rather than prosecuting isolated sex crimes, and requires proving “predicate acts” — the crimes elemental to the wider pattern of illegal wrongdoing.
In 2021, it was successfully used to convict R. Kelly, the fallen R&B hitmaker who was sentenced to more than 30 years of prison including for child sex crimes.
Industry watchers are also monitoring Combs’s case as a potential inflection point in the music world which, beyond the case of Kelly, has largely evaded the #MeToo reckoning that has rocked Hollywood.
AFP
The Nigerian Army has arrested two serving soldiers over their alleged involvement in an unauthorised deployment during the glamorous wedding ceremony of Nigerian content creator Habeeb Hamzat, known as Peller, and fellow TikTok personality Jarvis.
According to report, the arrests were made on Tuesday evening following intelligence which indicated that the soldiers participated in an illegal deployment at the celebrity wedding held in Lekki, Lagos State, over the weekend.
The soldiers were apprehended on Tuesday morning as investigations into the incident commenced.
The arrested personnel were identified as 23NA/85/10007 Private Onasanya Ifeoluwa of the 81 Division Medical Services and Hospital (81DMSH) and 23NA/85/7885 Private Ukpai Onyinyechi, also attached to the 81DMSH in Obalende, Lagos.
”Following credible intelligence on the involvement of Nigerian Army personnel in illegal deployment during a popular social influencer’s wedding known as Peller at Lekki, Lagos, the Group arrested 23NA/85/10007 PTE Onasanya Ifeoluwa of 81 Division Medical Services and Hospital (81DMSH) and 23NA/85/7885 PTE Ukpai Onyinyechi of 81DMSH at Obalende this morning.
”Preliminary investigation is ongoing to establish the extent of their involvement and identify other personnel connected with the incident. Further details will be forwarded as the investigation unfolds,” the report said.
The arrests come after videos from the high-profile wedding circulated widely on social media, showing uniformed military personnel providing security around some of the celebrity guests.
One of the videos, which drew significant public attention, allegedly showed a Nigerian soldier acting as a bouncer for TikTok personality Ivanna while escorting her through the crowded venue.
The footage triggered widespread criticism online, with many Nigerians questioning why military personnel were allegedly deployed to a private social event involving influencers and celebrities.
Peller and Jarvis’ wedding, held in Lekki over the weekend, attracted several prominent entertainers, social media influencers and content creators. Videos from the ceremony dominated social media platforms, with large crowds of fans and guests in attendance.
The event became one of the most talked-about celebrity occasions of the weekend, but controversy soon followed after clips surfaced showing men in military uniforms managing access to parts of the venue and escorting some attendees.
The Nigerian Army has repeatedly maintained that serving personnel are prohibited from undertaking unauthorised private security duties or participating in illegal deployments without official approval.
American media mogul Oprah Winfrey has announced that the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) in South Africa will close in 2027, marking 20 years since its founding.
The tuition-free boarding school, which opened in January 2007 following a pledge made to former South African President Nelson Mandela, was established to support academically talented girls from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Under the original partnership agreement, the school campus will be returned to South Africa’s Gauteng Department of Education after the 2027 academic year, while current students will receive full funding to complete their education.
Winfrey plans to transition her support into a new scholarship program designed to expand educational access for more young women across South Africa.
Reflecting on the milestone, the 72-year-old philanthropist praised the achievements of over 1,000 graduates and reaffirmed her commitment to empowering young women through education.
The ancient town of Ilesa came alive on Saturday as eminent personalities from across Nigeria converged on the Ijesa Sports Club premises to witness the historic investiture of Otunba Jare Ayo-Martins as the 18th President of the Ijesa Sports Club for the 2026–2028 tenure.
The colourful ceremony attracted an impressive gathering of traditional rulers, political office holders, business leaders, professionals, club members, friends, and well-wishers, all of whom turned out in large numbers to celebrate the new president and usher in a new chapter in the club’s illustrious history.
The event, which formed part of the club’s annual investiture ceremony, also featured the induction of His Imperial Majesty, Owa Clement Adesuyi Haastrup, Ajimoko III, Owa Obokun Adimula and Paramount Ruler of Ijesaland, as the Grand Patron of the club.
New patrons and members were equally invested, while deserving individuals received awards in recognition of their outstanding contributions to society. A fundraising session was also held to support the club’s developmental projects.
Delivering the welcome address, Chairman of the 2026 Investiture Planning Committee, Hon. Kenneth Opebiyi, described the occasion as a historic and epoch making event in the annals of the Ijesa Sports Club, established in 1977.
He warmly welcomed the royal father, distinguished guests, patrons, trustees, award recipients, community leaders, and members, expressing appreciation for their overwhelming support and presence, which added prestige and grandeur to the ceremony.
Hon. Opebiyi noted that beyond the investiture of a new president, the event celebrated excellence, visionary leadership, selfless service, and commitment to community development.
He urged guests and stakeholders to support the transformation agenda of the new administration under the leadership of Otunba Jare Ayo-Martins.
According to him, the administration has outlined ambitious plans, including the construction of a standard lawn tennis court and the upgrading of existing sporting and recreational facilities to modern standards, calling on members and philanthropists to partner with the club in achieving these developmental goals.
He also commended members of the Investiture Planning Committee, the Executive Committee, Trustees, Patrons, and the entire membership of the club for their dedication and teamwork, which ensured the successful organisation of the event.
The investiture ceremony concluded on a high note with goodwill messages, networking, entertainment, and renewed optimism that the administration of Otunba Jare Ayo-Martins will strengthen the legacy of the Ijesa Sports Club and further promote unity, sports development, and community advancement across Ijesaland.
*© Surrealistic Media Group*
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