Hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs is preparing for a high-stakes gamble, as he faces federal charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for the purposes of prostitution.
Combs, 54, is ready to take the stand in his own defense, according to his attorney, Marc Agnifilo, in a shocking revelation previewed in the new TMZ documentary, “The Downfall of Diddy: The Indictment.“
The documentary, which delves into the damning allegations against the rap icon, claims that Combs is eager to tell his side of the story, despite the enormous legal risks involved.
Agnifilo, while acknowledging the dangerous game his client is playing, insists there’s no one better equipped to defend Combs than Combs himself.
“He’s looking forward to it,” Agnifilo said. “It’s a story of love, hurt, and heartbreak, and Diddy can’t wait to tell it to the jury.”
But this is no ordinary trial. Combs’ decision to testify opens him up to cross-examination by federal prosecutors, who are likely to bring up a long list of salacious and disturbing allegations.
According to the unsealed federal indictment, Combs is accused of leading a decade-plus criminal enterprise that facilitated the exploitation and abuse of women.
Combs is accused of using threats, intimidation, and violence to coerce women into engaging in sexual acts at his infamous “Freak Off” parties.
These events allegedly featured commercial sex workers, and in some cases, women were transported across state lines for the sole purpose of being sexually exploited.
Prosecutors allege that Combs electronically recorded these encounters and used the footage as blackmail to control his victims, threatening to release it if they did not comply with his demands.
Victims of Combs’ enterprise, prosecutors say, suffered repeated physical abuse. Allegations include instances of Combs striking, punching, dragging, and throwing objects at women.
A search of his Miami mansion uncovered a disturbing cache of weapons, which he is accused of using to “intimidate and threaten victims and witnesses.”
The criminal enterprise Combs allegedly ran extends far beyond just himself. Prosecutors say that Combs relied on employees from his sprawling business empire—including high-ranking executives, security personnel, personal assistants, and household staff—to facilitate his abuses.
These employees reportedly helped arrange travel, stock hotel rooms for sexual encounters, and locate the women targeted for exploitation. They also allegedly helped cover up Combs’ crimes.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
According to the DOJ, Diddy has been charged with “one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison; and one count of transportation for purposes of prostitution, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.”
PEOPLE reported that Combs had been placed on suicide watch.
