A second superseding indictment filed against Sean “Diddy” Combs in the Southern District of New York accuses the music mogul of verbally and physically threatening his employees. At least one employee claims they were forced to engage in sex acts with Combs as a result of these threats and harm.
The 15-page indictment, reviewed by Variety, was filed Thursday as part of Combs’ ongoing sex trafficking and racketeering case. Prosecutors highlight new allegations of abusive treatment and the forced labor of employees who worked across “The Combs Enterprise” — this includes Bad Boy Entertainment, Combs Enterprises and Combs Global, among other business “known and unknown” entities.
“On numerous occasions from at least in or about 2009 and continuing for years, Combs assaulted women by, among other things, striking, punching, dragging, throwing objects at, and kicking them,” the indictment reads. “Combs’ violence was also not limited to these women. It extended to his employees, witnesses to his abuse, and others.”
Prosecutors say Combs forced his employees to “work long hours with little sleep” by physically forcing them and committing or threatening acts of psychological, financial and reputational harm. One employee Employees claim they were afraid of losing their jobs if they did not comply with his demands.
Marc Agnifilo, an attorney for Combs, denied these allegations and said “many former employees” are willing to advocate for their boss.
“[Combs] looks forward to his day in court when it will become clear that he has never forced anyone to engage in sexual acts against their will,” Agnifilo writes in a statement shared with Variety. “Many former employees stand by his side, prepared to attest to the dedication, hard work, and inspiration they experienced while helping build groundbreaking, award-winning businesses.”
The indictment says Combs used his many businesses, including “certain employees,” to execute and cover up “his acts of violence, abuse, and commercial sex.” Though it doesn’t identify any new victims or charges, the indictment claims “security staff, household staff, personal assistants, and high-ranking supervisors and other close associates” acted as Combs’ “intermediaries” with the goal of perpetuating Combs’ alleged sex crimes.
This includes allegations that members and associates of the Combs Enterprise facilitated his “Freak Offs,” or sex parties, by booking hotel rooms and stocking them with controlled substances, baby oil, lubricant, extra linens and lighting. Prosecutors also claim employees were tasked with cleaning the hotel rooms after the “Freak Offs” and arranging for travel for victims and commercial sex workers.
Combs was hit with the original, expanded superseding indictment earlier this year where prosecutors found two new female victims and accused him of engaging in criminal conduct four years earlier than what was previously stated.
Combs has been detained in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his September arrest. He is being charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution, and will remain in detention until his criminal trial, slated for May 5.
