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Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial updates: 'Jane' testifies on 'hotel nights' with Combs: 'Lonely and sad'

The hip-hop mogul is charged with sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.

This story may contain accounts and descriptions of actual or alleged events that some readers may find disturbing.

This is week four of testimony in the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs.


Sean Combs trial reaches an end with mixed verdict

The highly anticipated trial of hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs has reached an end.

The jury found Sean Combs not guilty of racketeering conspiracy, the most serious charge.

The jury found Combs guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution (in connection with his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura) and guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution (in connection with his ex-girlfriend who testified under the pseudonym "Jane").

He was found not guilty of both charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion in connection with Ventura and "Jane."

Combs was accused of being the ringleader of an alleged enterprise that "abused, threatened and coerced women" into prolonged, drug-fueled sexual orgies with male prostitutes, which he called "freak-offs," and then threatened them into silence. Combs has said that all of the sex was consensual and that while his relationships sometimes involved domestic violence, he wasn't engaged in trafficking.

Combs' lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, said Combs was simply part of the swinger lifestyle and that he "vehemently denies the accusations made by the SDNY."


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Defense questions Bongolan about continued relationship with Combs after alleged violent incident

Further questioning the veracity of Bryana Bongolan’s account of Sean Combs allegedly holding her over a balcony and causing her injuries by throwing her on to furniture, defense attorney Nicole Westmoreland asked her why she agreed to attend a concert featuring Combs about a week after the alleged incident.

“Weren’t too scared to do that?” Westmoreland asked.

“No, I was helping as best as I could,” Bongolan testified. “I don’t think I was around him most of the time.”

The next night, Bongolan testified, she went to a club Combs had rented.

“You’re testifying that Mr. Combs caused you significant injuries?” Westmoreland asked.

Yes,” Bongolan told the court.

“And about a week or so later, you go to Mr. Combs’ private party, true?” Westmoreland asked.

“Yes,” Bongolan testified.

“You weren’t too fearful enough to not go to Mr. Combs event, were you?” Westmoreland asked.

“I know I always had that feeling inside but yes, I went,” Bongolan testified.

“Did you have that neck brace on?” the defense lawyer asked, referring to a photo previously shown to the jury of Bongolan wearing a neck brace and with bandages on her back.

“Probably not,” Bongolan testified. “I don’t think I’d want to be seen in that.”

The jury then saw a text exchange from a few nights after the club event in which Ventura invited Bongolan to her apartment for a sleepover.

“Less than two weeks after you say Mr. Combs caused you significant injuries and terror, you’re willing to go back to the exact same apartment and spend the night?” Westmoreland asked, her tone incredulous.

Yes,” Bongolan testified in response.

“Isn’t that true that you continued to hang out with Mr. Combs and you continued to spend the night in Ms. Ventura’s house because Mr. Combs did not cause you those injuries?” Westmoreland asked, emphasizing the last several words.

“Part of that statement is correct and part of that statement I can’t agree with,” Bongolan testified.


Defense continues to question Cassie Ventura friend over alleged groping, balcony-dangling incident

The cross-examination of Bryana Bongolan began with the jury seeing two text messages that she sent to her friend and Sean Combs ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura that included photos of drugs.

Bongolan sent Ventura the photos about two weeks after she said Sean Combs threatened her.

“He came up really close to my face and said something on the lines like ‘I'm the devil and I could kill you,’" Bongolan told the jury Wednesday regarding the incident.

“You were just continuing on dealing with Cassie, right?” defense attorney Nicole Westmoreland asked.

“Yes,” Bongolan testified in response.

“You weren’t too scared to do that?” Westmoreland followed up.

“I guess not,” Bongolan testified.

The defense also sought to cast more doubt on Bongolan’s claim that Combs held her over a balcony at Ventura’s 17th-floor apartment in Los Angeles.

“You testified that Mr. Combs held you over the balcony?” Westmoreland asked.

“Yes, he hung me over the balcony,” Bongolan testified.

“You said that Cassie Ventura witnessed this?” Westmoreland asked.

“I said I heard her voice,” Bongolan told the court.

“You’re not saying that Cassie Ventura saw this?” Westmoreland asked.

“I don’t know,” Bongolan testified. “I can’t speak for her.”

Federal prosecutors contend that the alleged incident on the balcony is further evidence of what they say is Combs’ coercion of Ventura, because it helped make her aware of what he was capable of.

Westmoreland also questioned Bongolan regarding her claim in her civil lawsuit that Combs allegedly groped her while lifting her over the balcony.

“When you spoke to the government, you told them he grabbed your breast, right?” Westmoreland asked.

“I told them where he placed his hands,” Bongolan testified.

“You never told the government, never claimed that Mr. Combs grabbed your breast in any shape, form or fashion, did you?” Westmoreland asked.

“I don’t remember,” Bongolan told the court in response.

“You kept repeating that lie about grabbing your breast,” Westmoreland said. “You continued to accuse Mr. Combs of sexually assaulting you even though you knew that wasn’t true.”

Bongolan testified, “The way that you’re asking the question, I don’t agree with all of it.”

“Ma’am, did you believe, did you believe, that the only way for you to file a lawsuit was to say that Mr. Combs sexually assaulted you?” Westmoreland asked.

“I don’t recall,” Bongolan testified.


'Jane' expected to testify today about alleged lies, drugs and forced 'freak-offs'

The alleged victim testifying under the pseudonym “Jane,” a central figure in the government’s second sex trafficking count against Sean Combs, is expected to tell the jury starting today that he allegedly used lies, drugs and threats to force her into participating in so-called "freak-off" sexual encounters.

According to prosecutors, “Jane” initially agreed to one "freak-off," thinking it would make Combs happy and help turn what began as a secret relationship with him into something more meaningful. Instead, she “spent years in hotel rooms for forced sex,” according to prosecutor Emily Johnson.

“'Jane' will tell you about those nights in detail, how she wanted the escorts to wear condoms but many times the defendant did not let them. And Jane will tell you how he had her take drugs to stay awake and aroused for days,” Johnson previously told the court.

“Jane's” testimony will follow that of Bryana Bongolan, whose cross-examination will continue when court resumes at 11 a.m. ET.

Bongolan, a friend of Cassie Ventura’s, Combs' ex-girlfriend, testified Wednesday that Combs allegedly dangled her from Ventura’s 17th floor balcony while yelling, “You know what the f--- you did.”

Combs, who denies the allegation, shook his head during Bongolan’s testimony.

During their cross-examination Wednesday, the defense asserted that Bongolan's testimony differed from how she described the alleged incident in a 2024 civil lawsuit that seeks $10 million in damages.

Bongolan on Wednesday also testified during cross-examination that Rob Holladay, a music producer close to Combs, called her on behalf of Combs to discuss a settlement. During a sidebar, prosecutors said Holladay offered Bongolan $1 million not to go public with her claim.


Defense attempts to discredit Bongolan's testimony of alleged violent Combs incidents

On cross-examination, a defense attorney sought to cast doubt on Bryana Bongolan’s account of Sean Combs allegedly bursting into ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura’s home and throwing a knife at her.

Bongolan testified during cross-examination that she didn't know how it happened, but she testified, “I just saw what I saw.”

In answer to defense questions, Bongolan couldn't explain where Combs allegedly found the knife and when he picked it up, nor where exactly in the apartment the alleged incident occurred.

“So you really don’t remember this incident, true?” defense attorney Nicole Westmoreland said.

“I just saw the knife get thrown and the knife get thrown back,” Bongolan testified.

“You didn’t call the police?” Westmoreland asked.

“Nope,” Bongolan testified.

“You didn’t leave the house?” Westmoreland asked.

“He left," Bongolan told the court, referring to Combs.

“You testified that Mr. Combs would just come over and he would get in the house, but you don’t know how?” the defense attorney asked.

“Yeah,” Bongolan testified.

In her relentless cross, Westmoreland also pointed out what she contended were inconsistencies in the way Bongolan testified about the balcony incident, the way she spoke about it to federal prosecutors in advance of trial, and the way it’s portrayed in her civil lawsuit.

“Today you testified that you were sleeping and that Combs came over?” Westmoreland asked.

“Yes,” Bongolan testified.

“Isn’t it true that in your first interview you told the government this was a party, not that you were sleeping?” Westmoreland asked.

“I don’t remember,” Bongolan told the court.

Asked to recall where she was on the balcony, Bongolan testified, “I was looking at the view.”

Westmoreland asked, “Do you recall telling the government in your first interview that you were looking at him and saw Mr. Combs charging across the room?” Bongolan testified that she didn't remember.

Bongolan's civil lawsuit accuses Combs of groping her breast. “You didn’t tell the government Mr. Combs tried to grope you?” Westmoreland asked.

“I don’t remember,” Bongolan testified.

“Isn’t it true that just two days ago you just don’t recall the details of the balcony allegation?” Westmoreland asked.

“I don’t remember,” Bongolan again testified.

“What drugs were you on that night?” Westmoreland asked.

“I don’t remember,” Bongolan told the court in response.

At one point, as the clock ticked well past 3 p.m., the usual time court has adjourned, Judge Subramanian intervened, asking, “Ms. Westmoreland, how much do you have left?”

She responded, “It’s going to be a while.”

Court is now adjourned for the day. Bana will be back for more cross-examination Thursday when court convenes at 11 a.m.