According to federal prosecutors, during an April 25 hearing in New York City, lawyers representing Sean Combs rejected a plea deal for the entertainer’s sex trafficking lawsuit, and in their denial of the plea bargain also argued that Combs participates in a “swinging” lifestyle. Both Combs and his lawyers have previously argued that the sexual activity described in the allegations was consensual.
According to Reuters, federal prosecutor Madison Smyser, who disclosed the plea offer and Combs’ rejection of it, did not give any details about the offer that the federal prosecution extended to the mogul.
In an appearance in front of U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, Marc Agnifilo, Combs’ lead attorney, made his argument that Combs’ belief in polyamourous relationships and his willingness to hire escorts meant that it was not his intention to commit illegal acts.
“It’s relevant to the defendant’s intent that there’s a lifestyle called swingers, call it whatever you will, that he was in, that he might have thought was appropriate,” Agnifilo said during his remarks. “Part of the reason people think it’s appropriate is because it’s common.”
As Variety reported, Combs previously pled not guilty to the five counts outlined in the case against him, some accusing him of using threats of violence and intimidation in order to force women to participate in what Combs described as “freak-offs.”
Combs’ lawyers requested that video of him violently attacking his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura at a hotel in 2016 be excluded from the trial, echoing previous arguments that they believed that the footage had been edited by news outlets, namely CNN.
Before his attorneys made that argument, Combs, however, apologized after footage of the incident went viral and the multi-hypenate assured that he was not begging for forgiveness while also invoking the forgiveness and mercy of God in a video he made addressing the footage.
Ventura is expected to testify, on the record at the trial, which is slated to begin on May 12 and run for approximately eight to 10 weeks.
Cassie, as she is known professionally, was confirmed by People Magazine by their sources to be the “Victim-1” referred to in a motion filed by federal prosecutors on April 4.
According to the motion, “She (Victim-1) is prepared to testify under her own name. Victim-2, Victim-3, and Victim-4 have asked that their identities not be revealed to the press or the public,” the filing stated.
The prosecution also requested that the anonymous victims be referred to using pseudonyms and that the defense not share any details about them due to the public nature of the trial.
“This case has already received an exceptional amount of media coverage, which will presumably only increase as trial proceeds,” prosecutors argued at the time. “Permitting these measures will prevent unnecessary public disclosure of the victims’ identities, and the harassment from the media and others, undue embarrassment, and other adverse consequences that would almost certainly follow if these women were forced to reveal their true names publicly at trial.”
RELATED CONTENT: Federal Prosecutors Intend To Reveal Alleged ‘Freak Off’ Videos From Diddy To Jurors