Federal prosecutors are scrambling to locate a key witness scheduled to testify against Sean “Diddy” Combs in his highly anticipated sex trafficking trial, which began with opening statements on Monday, according to Deadline.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) reported that as of Sunday, they had not yet made contact with Victim-3, who was scheduled to testify Monday with detailed allegations of sexual exploitation by the rapper and entrepreneur. Authorities now suspect she may be missing. Inside Edition noted that her identity would have been made public once she took the stand.
With her unexpected disappearance, Combs’ legal team is preparing to seize the moment, potentially filing for a mistrial or requesting a delay in proceedings. When contacted by Deadline on Sunday regarding Victim-3’s whereabouts and the possible legal ramifications if she fails to testify, a spokesperson for the SDNY declined to comment, the outlet noted. Law enforcement sources believe the woman may have gone off the radar due to concerns for her safety, but have not provided further details. Meanwhile, Combs’ defense team has not responded to inquiries about the potential impact of her absence on the case.
Juror consultant Renato Stabile told Inside Edition in an interview shared May 9, that Victim-3’s disappearance may not throw a major wrench in the case.
“People just get nervous, and this person could just be nervous and just has had second thoughts,” Stabile told reporter Les Trent. “I don’t think it’s going to have a tremendous effect. The prosecution is going to call several alleged victims. So look, this is just one less.”
Victim-3 isn’t the only individual showing signs of hesitation. A juror has requested to be excused from the panel, citing concerns about their “personal well-being ” in an email to the judge, Inside Edition reported. However, early morning Monday, 12 jurors were sworn in ahead of opening statements, CNN reported. The panel consists of eight men and four women.
Meanwhile, prosecutors have revealed that Victim-1—identified as Diddy’s former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura—is currently pregnant with her third child. Due to her advanced pregnancy, she has asked the judge to allow a break every 90 minutes while she testifies.
As previously reported, Combs entered a not-guilty plea to charges of racketeering, conspiracy, and sex trafficking. Prosecutors allege that Combs, with the assistance of associates, engaged in a pattern of coercion and abuse spanning several years, using threats, violence, and blackmail to intimidate and silence his victims, allegedly both women and men. If found guilty on all counts, Combs could face a life sentence.
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