Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking trial: Prosecution rests its case amid wild “Freak Off” and secret text revelations

The prosecution officially rested its case Tuesday in the federal sex trafficking trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, closing out over six weeks of dramatic testimony, explicit allegations, and shifting legal strategies.

The milestone moment arrived after the cross-examination of Homeland Security Special Agent Joseph Cerciello, the final witness to testify for the government.

The courtroom was abuzz as defence attorney Teny Geragos grilled Cerciello on text exchanges between Combs and two former girlfriends, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and a woman identified only as “Jane.”

Geragos argued that the decades-spanning messages demonstrated mutual enthusiasm for what the defence called “multiday sex marathons” — encounters that sometimes included male sex workers. These, Geragos insisted, were part of a consensual swingers lifestyle, not evidence of trafficking or criminal conspiracy.

The government, however, has framed the so-called “freak offs” as core to its charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, pointing to testimony from 34 witnesses, including ex-staff from Combs’ Bad Boy Entertainment and both former girlfriends.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Officially Waived His Right to Testify in Open Court

One of the more unexpected developments came when Combs himself declined to take the stand. Speaking for the first time in open court, the 55-year-old hip-hop icon confirmed his decision with notable calm and composure.

“We have discussed it thoroughly. That is my decision. That is totally my decision,” he stated, before complimenting Judge Arun Subramanian on “doing an excellent job.”

Combs, who has pleaded not guilty, has been held without bail in a Brooklyn federal detention centre since last autumn, after multiple judges deemed him a potential threat to the community.

Interestingly, the defence — which had originally indicated plans to call at least three witnesses, including a psychological expert — has pivoted, now opting to rely on submitted exhibits instead of additional testimony.

As closing arguments loom, the trial of one of hip-hop’s most influential figures enters its final act, with the jury soon to weigh the wild, often lurid testimony against the star’s denial of all charges.