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- On Thursday, federal prosecutors unsealed an up to date sex-trafficking indictment in opposition to Sean Combs.
- The indictment brings no new fees however does make reference to 2 extra nameless victims.
- The feds are asking for Combs to be arraigned on the brand new indictment on March 17.
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan filed a long-awaited up to date sex-trafficking indictment on Thursday in opposition to Sean “Diddy” Combs — and whereas it makes reference to 2 extra nameless feminine victims, there are not any new fees or defendants.
The brand new indictment doesn’t warrant delaying Combs’ scheduled Could 5 trial date, prosecutors stated, asking that he be arraigned on the brand new fees at his subsequent courtroom date, March 17.
Protection legal professional Marc Agnifilo declined to touch upon the brand new indictment. Combs pleaded not responsible to the primary indictment and says that any sexual exercise together with his accusers was consensual.
Prosecutors had been warning since October, simply weeks after Combs’ arrest, that they could search to re-indict the leisure and vogue entrepreneur, signaling that they had been taking a look at potential weapons and drug fees and potential extra victims.
The second indictment makes no new point out of weapons or medicine, and repeats virtually verbatim the allegations of Combs’ authentic indictment from September, charging him once more with racketeering conspiracy, intercourse trafficking, and transportation to interact in prostitution.
It does allege that Combs trafficked an unnamed “Sufferer-2” and “Sufferer-3.” The unique indictment had listed solely “Sufferer-1,” Combs’ ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura.
The brand new indictment additionally provides a smattering of particulars.
In describing the conspiracy, it now specifies an allegation that again in 2016, Combs or his associates paid a $100,000 bribe to a safety worker on the InterContinental Resort in LA. In return, the worker supplied the hallway surveillance video that reveals Combs kicking and dragging ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, it says. The earlier indictment had simply alleged that there was a bribe.
The brand new indictment names two extra medicine that prosecutors say the Combs conspiracy utilized in its trafficking scheme: a psychedelic and methamphetamine. The unique fees allege he gave ecstasy. ketamine, GHB to his victims.
It additionally alleges that Combs’ intercourse trafficking conspiracy started in 2004, as a substitute of in 2008 as alleged within the authentic indictment.
Prosecutors had stated they recovered baggies of a pink powder they believed to be narcotics from Combs’ resort room when he was arrested in September. The brand new indictment makes no point out of this seizure.
The indictment additionally doesn’t cost Combs with weapons and ammo prosecutors say they seized when search warrants had been executed in March at Combs’ properties and a Florida airport.
Federal brokers had seized three AR-15 rifles with defaced serial numbers, plus two magazines containing 29 rounds, prosecutors stated. Two of the weapons had been discovered damaged down into components within the bed room closet of Combs’ $48.5 million Miami mansion, prosecutors alleged again in September.
Agnifilo, Combs’ legal professional, had urged throughout bail arguments in September that the weapons belonged to his consumer’s safety guards.
“I do not dispute that Mr. Combs has used armed safety,” Assistant US Legal professional Emily A. Johnson had advised the decide in response.
“However it’s incredulous that armed safety in knowledgeable safety firm would use defaced AR-15s and retailer them in items within the defendant’s private closet.”