Celebrities and musicians named in Sean Combs sex trafficking trial and stars who raised red flags
Warning bells were ringing about Sean “Diddy” Combs’ behaviour long before he was put on trial for sex trafficking. See who saw red flags.
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Warning bells were ringing about Sean “Diddy” Combs’ behaviour long before he was put on trial for sex trafficking.
The rapper – and his unsavoury ways – were seemingly the worst kept secret of Hollywood.
Usher, Katt Williams and 50 Cent were among a number of celebrities who hinted at a dark undercurrent beneath the music mogul’s dazzling facade.
Here, we look at those who spoke out against Diddy before his March 2024 arrest.
USHER
At age 13, Usher lived with Diddy for a year in the 1990s as he prepared to launch his own music career.
Among the famous artists rubbing shoulders with Diddy at the time, Usher said, were Biggie Smalls, Lil’ Kim, Craig Mack, Faith Evans and Mary J. Blige.
In 2016, Usher opened up about the experience on the The Howard Stern Show, saying he saw “very curious things”.
“I got a chance to see some things,” Usher said.
“I went there to see the lifestyle – and I saw it.
“I don’t know if I could indulge and even understand what I was looking at.
“There was always girls around. You’d open a door and see somebody doing it, or several people in a room having an orgy,
“You never knew what was going to happen.”
There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by any of Diddy’s posse, including Usher.
50 CENT
Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson and Diddy’s feud is the stuff of Hollywood – and has lasted nearly 20 years.
50 Cent has been vocal about Diddy’s sexual misconduct, with the rapper in March 2024 posting to ‘X’ with a mock-up poster for his documentary Diddy Do It?
In an interview with Lincoln Salazar in 2024, from The Enthusiast Podcast, 50 Cent did not mince words.
“He did it. No, he did it. He did it,” he said.
“But I also didn’t participate. I also didn’t go to those parties. So a lot of the celebrity culture that you don’t hear saying anything is because they participated to a degree.”
50 Cent said he didn’t go to the infamous parties because he was not into “all that freaky shit”.
“Like, all of the stuff he’s doing, I’m not into that type of stuff. I’m just a little more, maybe you could say, basic or normal.”
WENDY WILLIAMS
During a 2015 episode of her former talk show, Williams made speculation on Diddy’s toxic relationship with Cassie Ventura.
“My thing about when you date a mogul, it’s a really difficult thing to avoid them because if you use your head you never know when they’ll pop up on the scene,” she said. “He can hire a plane right now … land on the roof of the hotel she’s staying (at), pay people off at the front desk, ‘Give me a key and let me up in her room’,” Williams said.
When Diddy and Ventura split in 2018, Williams spoke on the pair again, saying, “I believe he probably treated her, at some point, like a possession.”
KATT WILLIAMS
During a January 2024 appearance on the Club Shay podcast, Williams predicated that “all these big deviants are catching hell in 2024”.
“It’s up for all of them. It don’t matter if you’re Diddy or whoever. … all lies will be exposed,” he said.
“Anyone who takes it the wrong way knows why they take it the wrong way.”
The comedian claimed he had turned down requests to party with Diddy.
“I’ve had to turn down $50 million four times,” he said.
“Just to protect my integrity and the virgin hole I was telling you about, right? Because P. Diddy be wanting to party. And you’ve got to tell him no. I did.”
AUBREY O’DAY
Singer Aubrey O’Day was an original member of Danity Kane – a ban formed and managed by Combs in 2005. However, three years later Diddy kicked O’Day out of the band.
In 2019, O’Day told Variety that “we were scared to death with what would happen with Puff each day”.
“Diddy was one of the most intense people you could ever work with. I experienced everything from race to sexism, and a lot of it was scary,” she said.
Appearing as a guest on the podcast, Call Her Daddy, in 2022, O’Day claimed she was removed from the group because she refused to do things Diddy asked for “in other areas” – outside of her music career.
Combs has never been charged with any offence against O’Day.
Dozens of celebrities were also name-dropped throughout the lengthy trial. See who was mentioned and why.
SUGE KNIGHT
The court heard evidence about an incident in 2008 when Combs and his bodyguard D-Roc went to confront the rival record label owner armed with handguns at an LA drive-in diner who had previously spotted the guard and asked him “what are you doing in my city”. When they arrived, Knight was gone.
KID CUDI
Cassie Ventura had an affair with rapper Kid Cudi, real name Scott Mescudi, during her relationship with Combs who was accused of firebombing Cudi’s Porsche in a jealous rage. Mescudi gave evidence Combs also broke into his house, opened Christmas presents for his family and locked his dog in a room.
USHER, NE-YO, JIMMY LOVINE
Singer Dawn Richard told the court several celebrities were at a restaurant when Combs punched Ms Ventura, including Usher, Ne-Yo and Jimmy Lovine. “They were secretly arguing and Sean Combs punched her in the stomach,” Ms Richard said.
BRITNEY SPEARS, DALLAS AUSTIN AND PARIS HILTON
Ms Ventura testified that Combs brought celebrities, including Britney Spears, to her 21st birthday celebration, where the fallen music mogul made his first move on the R&B singer. Also in attendance were Dallas Austin and Paris Hilton.
DRAKE AND FRENCH MONTANA
Ms Ventura said she was assaulted by Combs ahead of attending the Canadian rapper Drake’s 2013 OVO Festival in Toronto. A photo was shown to the court showing her at the music festival with French Montana. Her hair was styled across her face to cover a gash on her forehead caused by the attack from Combs.
BARACK OBAMA
A personal assistant for Combs said his boss kept a bag of drugs that including Viagra, weight loss pills, Percocet, ecstasy, water pills, and “sperm booster”. He said Combs had a preference for ecstasy pills shaped like then President Barack Obama’s face.
MICHAEL B JORDAN
The court heard evidence of a series of fights between Combs and Ms Ventura after he accused her of having an affair with Creed and Black Panther actor Michael B Jordan. Jordan and Ventura reportedly dated in 2016 during her break from Combs.
CHRIS BROWN
Diddy’s defence lawyer Anna Estevao asked Ms Ventura under cross examination if she remembered Combs taking her phone in 2013 after he suspected her of dancing with singer Chris Brown. Ms Ventura said she didn’t remember much about the incident “besides the fact that I wasn’t dancing with Chris Brown”.
WHITNEY HOUSTON
Diddy’s lawyer asked Ms Ventura if she remembered the night he overdosed on opiates in February 2012. “Was that around the time Whitney Houston died? I believe so,” Ms Ventura replied. “That evening, we had a ‘freak-off.’ We went to a sex club in San Bernardino. And then he had a party at the Playboy Mansion that night, and I went home.”
BRUCE WILLIS AND EDDIE MURPHY
Unlike other A-listers who successfully blended their families, Ms Ventura did not have a relationship with Combs’ kids despite dating him for more than a decade, the court heard. Ms Ventura confronted Diddy about the matter via text message that said: “As much as you think you’re Bruce Willis you aren’t. He’s married and before he was married, the family as a whole went on trips together or just him and his woman. Eddie Murphy and Paige took his kids away on their own.”
PRINCE
Ms Ventura said one of the couple’s worst fights happened when she was staying at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles and her friends invited her to a party at Prince’s house where he was performing a show for guests in his basement. A furious Combs followed her to the party and she fled after hearing he was there.
TINA TURNER
The court was shown a text message sent by Ms Ventura to Combs where she compared their relationship to that of Tina and Ike Turner. “Nothing good comes out of freak offs anymore you treat me like Ike Turner,” she said in reference to the abusive marriage Tina Turner escaped from.
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