One month before Sean Combs’ racketeering and sex trafficking trial is set to begin, prosecutors filed a superseding indictment against Combs Thursday that brings two additional criminal counts against him.
In the new indictment, obtained by Rolling Stone, prosecutors have charged Combs with one additional charge of sex trafficking and one additional charge of transportation to engage in prostitution; Combs was previously charged with one count each of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
The new count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion alleges that Combs “recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, and maintained Victim-2, and attempted, aided and abetted, and willfully caused Victim-2, to engage in commercial sex acts, knowing and in reckless disregard of the fact that Victim-2 was engaging in commercial sex acts as a result of force, fraud, and coercion.”
The additional count of transportation to engage in prostitution is also tied to allegations brought forth by Victim-2; the previous sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution counts were in connections to allegations from Victim-1. The extensive racketeering case against Combs remained the same in the newly filed indictment.
Following the superseding indictment, a lawyer for Combs tells Rolling Stone, “These are not new allegations or new accusers. These are the same individuals, former long-term girlfriends, who were involved in consensual relationships. This was their private sex life, defined by consent, not coercion.”
Combs appeared in court last month to plead not guilty to two superseding indictments that were unveiled against him in January and earlier last month. Combs spoke confidently as he addressed U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, marking the first time he directly spoke to the court after he was arraigned in September on sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution charges. He pleaded not guilty.
The previous superseding indictments broadened the scope of prosecutors’ investigation, dating the timeframe of the alleged conspiracy back to at least 2004. (The prior start date was 2008.) Prosecutors added a Victim-2 and Victim-3 to the case, alleging Combs forced an additional two women into commercial sex acts with male sex workers. “The government has added the ridiculous theory that two of Mr. Combs’ former girlfriends were not girlfriends at all but were prostitutes,” Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, previously said.
Despite the superseding indictment, prosecutors are still aiming to begin the federal trial against Combs on its tentative start date of May 5, with the jury selection process occurring in the coming weeks.
Update Apr. 4, 3:15 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to include a statement from Combs’ legal team.
From Rolling Stone US
