Sean "Diddy" Combs may still face conviction on racketeering charges even though federal prosecutors skipped calling key witnesses to the stand, according to a former federal prosecutor.
With closing arguments expected to begin Friday afternoon, legal analyst Neama Rahmani says the six-week trial has already laid enough groundwork to prove a criminal enterprise existed, regardless of whether the explosive sex trafficking allegations sway jurors.
Prosecutors May Not Need Sex Trafficking Conviction
"I think prostitution is in the bag," Rahmani told The US Sun, explaining that testimony and travel records clearly show "the entertainers were paid and they were flown across state lines," satisfying the federal threshold.
While sex trafficking is a core part of the government's case, Rahmani believes the prosecution's best shot is the racketeering (RICO) charge, which doesn't hinge on that count alone. "You can get to racketeering even if you lose on sex trafficking," he explained. "You can show a criminal enterprise and we have Bad Boy Entertainment with Diddy at the head of the enterprise."
More than 30 witnesses have testified, including Combs' former assistants, employees, and ex-girlfriend Cassandra "Cassie" Ventura and a woman identified only as Jane. Both described physical abuse and being coerced into orchestrated "freak-offs" – group sex encounters involving other men and women. Jane testified that she "opened Pandora's box" after agreeing to one of Combs' requests.
Missing Witnesses Could Complicate RICO Charge
Still, Rahmani questioned the government's decision not to compel Kristina Khorram, Combs' former chief of staff, or Damion "D-Roc" Butler, his longtime bodyguard, to testify, despite their names appearing repeatedly in testimony and filings.
"I think it was a mistake," Rahmani said, noting both could have been charged as co-conspirators. "Normally, you would expect the prosecution to lean on people like KK and D-Roc to flip."
One key alleged victim, referred to as Gina, also didn't take the stand, despite being mentioned over 100 times throughout the trial. "That's problematic," Rahmani said. "If they lose on any of these counts, the question will be: Were three victims enough, especially when those three stayed with Diddy?"
Even so, Rahmani believes the testimony of at least six assistants, who said they were sent to buy drugs, condoms, lube, and arrange hotel rooms, demonstrates a clear pattern of coordination. "There's plenty of evidence of agreement and participation," he said.
Jury deliberations could begin as early as Friday.
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