Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs arraigned on new charges ahead of May 5 trial

Music mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs made a notable courtroom appearance on Friday at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in Manhattan for a pretrial hearing. The conference, presided over by US District Judge Arun Subramanian, addressed several key legal issues, including jury selection, submitted evidence, and the trial's court timeline.

Combs, who faces charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution, appeared gray-haired, surprising attendees with his altered appearance. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Trial proceedings

Throughout the 35-minute hearing, Combs maintained mostly good spirits, smiling and waving to a small group of family and friends in attendance. However, he also appeared frustrated at times, shaking his head and whispering to his attorney, USA Today reported.

During the session, prosecutors and Combs' legal team debated the trial schedule and evidence submissions. The court also reviewed the jury selection process ahead of the trial, which is set to begin on May 5.

New indictment adds forced Labor allegations

At the conference, Combs was arraigned on a new indictment, which expanded allegations against him. The revised charges include claims that he forced employees to work long hours and threatened retaliation against those who refused to assist in his alleged sex trafficking scheme.

The indictment is the latest in a series of legal challenges for Combs, following numerous lawsuits and accusations of rape, sexual assault, and physical abuse spanning three decades.

Additional allegations and prosecution's case

Earlier this month, prosecutors filed a second superseding indictment, which updated an amended indictment from January. This latest filing added three unnamed women to the case, alleging they were victims of Combs' purported sex trafficking operation.

Prosecutors claim that Combs subjected employees to forced labor under inhumane circumstances as part of a broader criminal enterprise.

Trial set for May 5

With his trial scheduled to begin on May 5, Combs faces significant legal hurdles as his defense team prepares for the upcoming court battle. As proceedings move forward, the case continues to attract widespread public and media scrutiny.