Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has rejected a plea deal offered by federal prosecutors in his ongoing sex trafficking and racketeering case, confirming during a court hearing that he intends to proceed to trial.
“Have you rejected the government’s offer?” U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, who is overseeing his trial in New York, asked him on Thursday, May 1.
“Yes, your honor,” Combs replied.
The 55-year-old rapper and businessman is scheduled to stand trial starting Monday, with jury selection set to begin in the same session. Combs faces multiple charges including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and prostitution, stemming from allegations that he coerced women into prolonged sexual encounters he allegedly called “freak-offs.”
At the hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey said the proposed plea agreement would have significantly reduced Combs’ potential prison time. A conviction at trial on all counts, she warned, could result in what would effectively be a life sentence.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges, which also include transportation to engage in prostitution.
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo confirmed in court that Combs and his legal team had reviewed the plea offer and made a joint decision to reject it. Another member of the defense team, Teny Geragos, voiced concern during the brief conference about public comments made by Lisa Bloom, a Los Angeles-based attorney representing at least two of Combs’ civil accusers. Bloom reportedly made statements related to the criminal case in a recent documentary.
“We’re concerned with her behavior here,” Geragos said
The case has drawn widespread attention due to Combs’ high-profile status in the entertainment industry and the seriousness of the charges against him.
If convicted, Combs faces decades in federal prison, potentially spending the rest of his life behind bars.
