The Trial: USA – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to The Trial of Diddy. Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs had it all. In the 90s and 00s, he produced global hits for the hottest stars in the world, including Biggie, Mary J. Blige and J Lo.  Then came the business deals, from vodka to media companies - everything Diddy touched turned to gold. Now, he faces multiple federal charges in New York, including sex trafficking and allegedly running a criminal enterprise. Join dailymail.com journalist Marjorie Hernandez who, over the last six months, has been investigating this incredible story and speaking to the people in the eye of the storm. Launched in the UK in 2022, The Trial is an award-winning, chart-topping podcast with over 30million downloads that goes behind the headlines of some of the biggest trials in the world. We take you into the courtroom, bringing you the detail as the evidence unfolds, examining key moments and carrying out exclusive interviews with detectives, victims, and experts. Follow us on X @thetrialpodcast Contact us at thetrial@mailmetromedia.co.uk Leave a comment on Spotify or even send us a voice note on WhatsApp - +447796657512 (start your message with 'Trial') A Daily Mail Production. Seriously Popular. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the night of Monday September 16, 2024 music business mogul, hip hop pioneer and cultural icon Sean “Diddy” Combs was taken into custody in New York. Just one day later Combs was inside a federal courthouse in downtown Manhattan. He has since been denied bail. Prosecutors are alleging that he created and ran a “criminal enterprise” via a business empire that engaged in sex trafficking, forced labour, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice. On September 27, new sexual assault allegations arose when a woman filed a lawsuit in New York saying she was repeatedly raped and drugged at Diddy’s homes - becoming pregnant after one of the encounters. On Tuesday October 1, Houston-based attorney Tony Buzbee launched a class action lawsuit saying more the than 50 alleged victims he’s representing have "gut-wrenching" stories about what went down at the alleged "freak offs”. Buzbee alleges "mind-boggling" violations alongside "debauchery and depravity, exacted by powerful people." In the first episode of this special series of The Trial, DailyMail.com’s West Coast News Editor Marjorie Hernandez breaks down how Combs’ rise up through the music industry saw him grow from a teenager obsessed with hip hop and street style into a man whose endless funds, fame and power unleashed what some say was a terrifyingly abusive side. Follow us on instagram @thetrialpod Email us thetrial@mailmetromedia.co.uk Whatsapp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’) Guests: Gerrick Kennedy - author and former Los Angeles Times reporter Greg Kading - A retired LAPD homicide detective. In 2006 he was recruited to reinvestigate the murder Christopher Wallace, AKA Biggie Smalls. Pam Lewis-Rudden - A music licensing specialist. She worked for Diddy as his assistant at Uptown Records in the early 1990s Mark Curry - an author, rapper and artist who was signed to Bad Boy Records by Diddy in 1997.   Presenter: Marjorie Hernandez Editor: Sam Morris Producer Rob Fitzpatrick Executive Producer: Lucy Vallance   A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sean “Diddy” Combs' meteoric rise to fame also brought a huge weight of controversies. As his past alleged indiscretions began to catch up with him, multiple former employees began detailing his alleged abusive behaviour. But the most explosive allegations came from his long-time partner, Cassie Ventura who, in 2023, filed a federal lawsuit alleging Diddy raped and abused her for years. The truly shocking and violent video that emerged not only rocked the world - it spelled the beginning of the end of Combs’ multi-million dollar empire.  In the second episode this special series of The Trial, DailyMail.com’s West Coast News Editor Marjorie Hernandez covers Combs’ explosive rise through the music industry, the East Coast vs West Coast tensions that led to the tragic deaths of Biggie and Tupac, Diddy’s extravagant White Parties and more, never losing focus on the individual at the heart of it all whose seemingly impenetrable protective bubble was about to be cracked, revealing the Bad Boy for who, some say, he really is. Guests Greg Kading is a retired LAPD homicide detective. In 2006 he was recruited to reinvestigate the murder Christopher Wallace, AKA Biggie Smalls. Gerrick Kennedy is an author and former Los Angeles Times reporter. Follow us on instagram @thetrialpod Email us thetrial@mailmetromedia.co.uk Whatsapp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’)   Writer and Presenter: Marjorie Hernandez Editor: Sam Morris Producer: Rob Fitzpatrick Executive Producer: Lucy Vallance    A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sean “Diddy” Combs managed to live a fully charmed life for many years, forever protected by his star power. However, his past alleged indiscretions – from his notorious temper directed towards employees and paparazzi to dodging criminal charges stemming from an infamous Manhattan nightclub shooting incident that wounded three people – would ultimately come back to haunt him. By 2006, Combs had rebranded three times - from Puff Daddy to P. Diddy to Diddy - but the luster of Bad Boy as a platinum record hit making machine was long gone and while the label still had bankable acts like Machine Gun Kelly, French Montana and Janelle Monet, it was no longer the money-making juggernaut it had been in the early aughts. Puff’s Icon Era was coming to a calamitous end. In the third episode of this special series of The Trial, DailyMail.com’s West Coast News Editor Marjorie Hernandez covers Combs’ ever-mounting business troubles, his multiple law-suits and the growing allegations around his alleged dark and abusive sexual encounters known as “freak offs”. Guests Gerrick Kennedy is an author and former Los Angeles Times reporter. Pam Lewis-Rudden is music licensing specialist. She worked for Diddy as his assistant at Uptown Records in the early 1990s Mark Curry is an author, rapper and artist who was signed to Bad Boy Records by Diddy in 1997. Lou Shapiro is a state and federal criminal law attorney based in Los Angeles. Follow us on instagram @thetrialpod Email us thetrial@mailmetromedia.co.uk Whatsapp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’)   Writer and Presenter: Marjorie Hernandez Editor: Sam Morris Producer Rob Fitzpatrick Executive Producer: Lucy Vallance    A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Beginning the new, weekly episodes of The Trial of Diddy with the show’s writer and host DailyMail.com’s West Coast News Editor Marjorie Hernandez and Manhattan-based Kayla Brantley, reporter-at-large and TV correspondent at Daily Mail. Each week Kayla and Marjorie will be exploring each and every new development in this story, bringing in guests and looking at what may - or may not - be coming next for Diddy. Follow us on instagram @thetrialpod Email us thetrial@mailmetromedia.co.uk Whatsapp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’) Presenters: Marjorie Hernandez and Kayla Brantley Editor: Sam Morris Producer: Rob Fitzpatrick Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Lucy Vallance    A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On Tuesday September 17, Sean “Diddy” Combs appeared in a Manhattan federal court. The 54-year old Bad Boy mogul had a decades-long history of dodging major criminal allegations, but the time had come for him to face the music regarding some very serious felony charges. In a 14-page indictment, prosecutors alleged Combs used his music empire to transport women and male prostitutes across states and forced them to perform demeaning sexual acts while he masturbated and recorded what he called “Freak Off” parties. Prosecutors went on to say they had found 1000 bottles of baby oil - and lube - during their raid of the rapper’s home. On October 1st, Texas attorney Tony Buzbee made a bombshell announcement that he will represent 120 victims in lawsuits against Diddy. Buzbee added 25 of the alleged 120 victims are minors, the youngest 9-years old at the time of the incident.  In the fourth episode of this special series of The Trial, DailyMail.com’s West Coast News Editor Marjorie Hernandez and guests look at Combs’ ever-mounting business troubles, consider the statements by Cassia Ventura and Denise Richard and ask if Diddy’s seemingly unlimited power and super elevated status have contributed to his downfall. Guests Lisa Bloom is a Los Angeles based civil rights attorney known for representing sexual assault victims against celebrity defendents like Bill Cosby. Gerrick Kennedy is an author and former Los Angeles Times reporter. Greg Kading is a retired LAPD homicide detective. In 2006 he was recruited to reinvestigate the murder Christopher Wallace, AKA Biggie Smalls. Lou Shapiro is a state and federal criminal law attorney based in Los Angeles. Follow us on instagram @thetrialpod Email us thetrial@mailmetromedia.co.uk Whatsapp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’)   Writer and Presenter: Marjorie Hernandez Editor: Sam Morris Producer Rob Fitzpatrick Executive Producer: Lucy Vallance    A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back to our new, weekly episode of The Trial of Diddy. The show is hosted by DailyMail.com’s West Coast News Editor Marjorie Hernandez and Manhattan-based Kayla Bratley, reporter-at-large and TV correspondent at Daily Mail. Each week Kayla and Marjorie will be exploring each and every new development in this story, bringing in guests and looking at what may - or may not - be coming next for Diddy. This week we look at the seven new lawsuits announced since our episode last week and check in on Diddy’s response. We’re also featuring an exclusive interview with Precious Muir, a London-born British TV personality, who, as a young model, lived in New York and attended parties at both the late Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Mansion and Diddy’s White Parties in the Hamptons.  Remember, we’ll be live every Friday. Follow us on instagram @thetrialpod Email us thetrial@mailmetromedia.co.uk Whatsapp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’) Presenters: Marjorie Hernandez and Kayla Bratley Editor: Sam Morris Producer Rob Fitzpatrick Executive Producer: Lucy Vallance    A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back to our new, weekly episodes of The Trial of Diddy. The show is hosted by DailyMail.com’s West Coast News Editor Marjorie Hernandez and Manhattan-based Kayla Brantley, reporter-at-large and TV correspondent at Daily Mail. Each week Kayla and Marjorie will be exploring each and every new development in this story, bringing in expert guests and looking at what may - or may not - be coming next for Diddy. This week we look at the raft of new abuse claims that have been announced since our episode last week and check in on Diddy’s own family’s response. We’re also featuring an exclusive interview with Lenny Levine, a former private investigator who, in 1998 was arrested by an FBI-Secret Service led Organized Crime Task Force. He was later charged with racketeering, securities fraud, obstruction of justice, and narcotics trafficking, and received a ten-year sentence in a federal prison almost exactly like the one Diddy is currently locked up in. Sean Combs has denied any criminal wrongdoing.  Follow us on instagram @thetrialpod Email us thetrial@mailmetromedia.co.uk Whatsapp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’) Presenters: Marjorie Hernandez and Kayla Brantley Editor: Sam Morris Producer Rob Fitzpatrick Executive Producer: Lucy Vallance    A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back to our new, weekly episodes of The Trial of Diddy. The show is hosted by DailyMail.com’s West Coast News Editor Marjorie Hernandez and Manhattan-based Kayla Brantley, reporter-at-large and TV correspondent at Daily Mail. Each week Kayla and Marjorie will be exploring each and every new development in this story, bringing in expert guests and looking at what may - or may not - be coming next for Diddy. This week we look at new allegations of “freak off” video evidence and Diddy’s 55th birthday spent in jail. We’re also featuring an exclusive interview with Deon Best, AKA D1. Best is a former member of the Crip set based in LA’s Mid-Wilshire area known as the Mansfield Crips. Best was one of the people Puff called in the late 1990s when he would come to LA and need “protection” due to his on-going beef with Suge and the Bloods. Best also managed a handful of hip-hop artists and signed a few to Bad Boy before he ended up going to prison. Best has now been out of the gang life for many years and leads a football league for kids in LA. He talks to Marjorie and Kayla about his friendship with Biggie and his potential lawsuit against Diddy’s mother, Janice Combs. Follow us on instagram @thetrialpod Email us thetrial@mailmetromedia.co.uk Whatsapp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’) Presenters: Marjorie Hernandez and Kayla Brantley Editor: Sam Morris Producer Rob Fitzpatrick Executive Producer: Jamie East   A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back to our new, weekly episodes of The Trial of Diddy. The show is hosted by DailyMail.com’s West Coast News Editor Marjorie Hernandez and Manhattan-based Kayla Brantley, reporter-at-large and TV correspondent at Daily Mail. This week we look at two new charges and other breaking news and updates since last week. We’re also featuring an exclusive interview with Rachel Kennedy, a former Playboy model who, in 2000, lived in Japan where she worked at a popular strip club frequented by A-List stars, including Diddy. Rachel talks in detail about the two shocking nights where she met Diddy and his entourage. Each week Kayla and Marjorie will be exploring each and every new development in this story, bringing in expert guests and looking at what may - or may not - be coming next for Diddy. Follow us on instagram @thetrialpod Email us thetrial@mailmetromedia.co.uk Whatsapp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’) Presenters: Marjorie Hernandez and Kayla Brantley Editor: Sam Morris Producer Rob Fitzpatrick Executive Producer: Lucy Vallance    A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices