Sean 'Diddy' Combs arrives in court as he seeks delay to sex trafficking trial

By Luc Cohen

NEW YORK, April 18 (Reuters) - Sean 'Diddy' Combs appeared in Manhattan federal court on Friday for a hearing over the hip-hop mogul's bid to delay his upcoming sex trafficking trial by two months.

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five criminal counts including racketeering and sex trafficking. Prosecutors with the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's office say Combs used his business empire to sexually abuse women between 2004 and 2024.

Combs' lawyers say the sexual activity described by prosecutors was consensual.

Jury selection for his trial is currently scheduled to start on May 5, with opening statements on May 12.

In a court filing on Wednesday, Combs' lawyer Marc Agnifilo asked U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian to delay the trial because he needed more time to prepare his defense to new charges brought on April 4. Agnifilo also said the defense needed more time to review emails it wants an alleged victim to turn over.

Federal prosecutors are opposed to any delay, writing in a Thursday court filing that the additional charges brought earlier this month did not amount to substantially new conduct. They said Combs was not entitled to the alleged victim's communications.

Subramanian is also weighing other evidentiary issues, such as whether to allow alleged victims to testify under pseudonyms.

Also known during his career as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, Combs founded Bad Boy Records and is credited with helping turn rappers and R&B singers such as Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, Notorious B.I.G. and Usher into stars in the 1990s and 2000s.

But prosecutors have said his success concealed a dark side. They say his alleged abuse included having women take part in recorded sexual performances called "freak offs" with male sex workers, who were sometimes transported across state lines.

Combs has been jailed in Brooklyn since September.