A lodge safety guard on Tuesday instructed the jury in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex-trafficking and racketeering trial that the rap mogul paid him $100,000 in an try to safe his silence and bury a video that’s now the central piece of proof within the legal case that threatens to ship him to jail for all times.
Within the video captured in 2016 by safety cameras on the Intercontinental Resort in Los Angeles — and proven to the jury through the testimony of three totally different witnesses — Combs is seen kicking and dragging his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. Ventura, a musician who testified as the government’s star witness, mentioned she was attempting to flee Combs and one in every of his drug-fueled orgies, known as “freak-offs.”
“Once I selected to go away, I grabbed what I might and I obtained out,” Ventura testified through the second week of the trial. “Sean adopted me into the hallway earlier than the elevators and grabbed me up, threw me on the bottom, kicked me, [and] tried to pull me again to the room.”
Resort safety guard Eddy Garcia testifies throughout Sean “Diddy” Combs’ intercourse trafficking trial in New York Metropolis, June 3, 2025 on this courtroom sketch.
Jane Rosenberg/Reuters
Combs has pleaded not responsible to the fees within the case. His attorneys have mentioned that Combs takes “full accountability” for the home violence captured within the video however argue that the rap mogul has not dedicated the intercourse trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and prostitution alleged by federal prosecutors.
Resort safety guard Eddy Garcia testified Tuesday that Combs frantically labored to verify the CCTV video by no means noticed the sunshine of day, paying $100,000 to acquire what Combs thought was the one copy of the recording.
“He was involved this video would get out and it might break his profession,” Garcia testified. In accordance with Garcia, Combs promised “he would handle me” and ended up paying $100,000 in money to the person he later known as “Eddy my angel.”
When the video was obtained by CNN final 12 months, the condemnation was swift and led to Combs providing a public apology, saying he was “actually sorry” for his conduct and that he “sought skilled assist” after the incident.
Prosecutors have argued that Combs’ $100,000 cost to Garcia was a bribe and one of many underlying crimes on the coronary heart of their allegation that the hip-hop famous person is responsible of racketeering conspiracy. They allege that Combs realized the episode might reveal years of legal conduct and would possibly pull again the curtain on how the mogul used his enterprise empire to coerce girls into intercourse, threaten them into silence, and defend his public fame.
The trial is about to renew Wednesday when three extra witnesses are anticipated to take the stand.
Frank Piazza, a video professional, is predicted to be the primary witness adopted by Bryana Bongolan, who has alleged Combs threatened to kill her by dangling her over a balcony within the presence of Ventura. Bongolan made related allegations in a civil case, which Combs has denied.
Sean “Diddy” Combs listens as lodge safety guard Eddy Garcia testifies throughout Combs’ intercourse trafficking trial in New York Metropolis, June 3, 2025 on this courtroom sketch.
Jane Rosenberg/Reuters
A girl being known as “Jane” is predicted to take the stand on Wednesday afternoon and to testify for so long as 5 days, based on prosecutors. Jane is predicted to be the third and ultimate alleged sufferer to testify in opposition to Combs.
Safety guard testifies about Combs’ alleged effort to bury assault video
Garcia testified Tuesday that he heard in regards to the assault shortly after he clocked in for his shift on the InterContinental Resort on March 5, 2016. Garcia instructed the jury he understood regulation enforcement was not contacted on the time as a result of Ventura didn’t request medical or police consideration.
About an hour into his shift, Garcia defined to jurors that he obtained an surprising name on his work telephone from Combs’ assistant Kristina Khorram, who requested a replica of the safety video. Regardless of telling her she would want to contact lodge administration or get a subpoena to view the footage, Garcia testified Khorram arrived within the lodge foyer an hour later to look at the recording.
“She was asking in regards to the video and if there was any method she might see it,” he mentioned. “She wished to know what they have been coping with.”
Garcia mentioned he apologized and mentioned he couldn’t present it to her, although he testified he warned her, “Off the file: it is dangerous.”
That night, Garcia testified he as soon as once more acquired a name on his private cell from Khorram. He instructed the jury inside seconds, a noticeably “nervous” Combs got here on the opposite finish of the road, attempting to clarify his actions.
Sean “Diddy” Combs listens as lodge safety guard Eddy Garcia testifies throughout Combs’ intercourse trafficking trial in New York Metropolis, June 3, 2025 on this courtroom sketch.
Jane Rosenberg/Reuters
“He requested me if I knew who he was. I mentioned sure,” Garcia mentioned. “Mr. Combs sounded very nervous. Simply was speaking actually quick. Was simply saying that he had a bit an excessive amount of to drink and that I knew how issues was with girls when one factor led to a different.”
Garcia testified, “He acknowledged that I appeared like a great man, that I appeared like I wished to assist, that one thing like this might break him. He was involved this video would get out and it might break his profession.”
He mentioned he additionally remembered Combs telling him, “he would handle me.” After Garcia knowledgeable Combs that he would settle for $100,000 in trade for the video, Garcia testified that Combs “sounded excited” and “referred to me as ‘Eddy my angel.'”
“He wished the video as quickly as potential,” Garcia instructed the courtroom. He defined he was then given an tackle a few 20-minute drive from the InterContinental Resort, the place he was to make the commerce.
Safety guard recounts getting $100,000 in money from Combs
As soon as he obtained to the designated location with a thumb drive containing what he mentioned was the one copy of the video, Garcia instructed the courtroom that somebody who launched himself as Combs’ bodyguard introduced him as much as an condo. He testified he recalled seeing Combs “smiling, excited” and looking out glad.
“Eddy my angel, he was smiling. He mentioned ‘are available,’ making me really feel snug,” Garcia testified Combs instructed him, including that Combs instructed Khorram to make him a cup of tea.
After Garcia assured Combs the drive had the one copy of the video, the rap mogul allegedly contacted Ventura on FaceTime so she might talk that she, too, wished the video to go away.
She was carrying a hoodie, and the lighting wasn’t that nice,” Garcia mentioned of Ventura. “Earlier than he handed the telephone over to me he mentioned, ‘Let him know that you really want this to go away too.'”
“And the way did Cassie reply?” prosecutor Mitzi Steiner requested.
“Once I obtained handed the telephone, I mentioned, ‘Hello’, she mentioned ‘Hello’ and she or he mentioned she had a film popping out and it wasn’t a great time for this to come back out and she or he wished it to go away,” Garcia responded.
Garcia instructed jurors that Combs demanded he signal a nondisclosure settlement, conform to a certification that there was just one copy of the video, and hand over his ID in addition to the identifications of his supervisor and coworker. Garcia then testified Combs left the room and returned with a brown bag and a cash counter, which Combs fed “stacks of $10,000 at a time.”
“In complete, on the finish it was $100,000,” he testified.
Garcia testified Combs and a bodyguard then accompanied him out of the suite and walked him to the valet the place his automobile was parked.
“He requested me how I’d spend the cash, and I mentioned I did not know,” Garcia testified. “He mentioned to not make any large purchases.”
Just a few weeks later, Garcia testified he acquired a message from Combs. “Glad Easter, Eddy my angel. God is nice,” Garcia remembered the message, saying Combs “proceeded to ask if anybody had requested in regards to the video.” He mentioned he had heard nothing.
Jury sees alleged paper path of 2011 extortion cost
Following Garcia’s testimony about accepting a $100,000 cost from Combs, prosecutors known as Combs’ longtime worker Derek Ferguson to drill down into the monetary construction of Combs’ enterprise empire. Prosecutors have argued that Combs’ corporations doubled as a legal enterprise that allowed the rap mogul to commit crimes for years with few repercussions.
Ferguson, who labored because the chief monetary officer for Dangerous Boy Leisure for 12 years, walked the jury by means of Combs’ financial institution accounts, monetary preparations, how the companies managed money and the way workers have been reimbursed for bills charged to their company playing cards. A number of of Combs’ private assistants testified about being tasked with buying provides for freak-offs, together with gallons of child oil, sexual lubricant, medication and alcohol.
Prosecutor Christy Slavik questions Derek Ferguson, the previous chief monetary officer for Sean “Diddy” Combs’ file label Dangerous Boy Data at Comb’s intercourse trafficking trial in New York Metropolis, June 3, 2025 on this courtroom sketch.
Jane Rosenberg/Reuters
Jurors additionally noticed paperwork displaying a sequence of wire transfers in 2011 to and from Cassie Ventura’s mom. Whereas Ferguson mentioned he didn’t know the rationale for the $20,000 cost, jurors final month heard immediately from Regina Ventura, who testified that she and her husband took out a house fairness mortgage to fund the cost. She testified Combs demanded to “recoup” cash he had spent on Cassie Ventura “as a result of he was indignant that she had a relationship with Scott Mescudi.” Mescudi can also be a well known rapper, performing underneath the title Child Cudi.
The jury noticed a Dec. 14 switch from an account set as much as handle Combs’ residence in Alpine, New Jersey, to Cassie Ventura for $20,000. On Dec. 23, the identical account took in $20,000 from Ventura’s father. 4 days later, on Dec. 27, the account transferred $20,000 for “return of funds.”
Regina Ventura testified that she determined to ship the cash as a result of she feared for her daughter’s security after Combs threatened to launch express movies of her. Combs finally returned the cash, she mentioned.
Throughout his cross examination, Combs’ legal professional Marc Agnifilo tried to make use of Ferguson’s 19 years of expertise working with Combs to forged doubt on the best way the prosecutors have described Combs’ enterprise empire. .
“Did you see anybody assist Sean Combs commit crimes?” Agnifilo requested.
“No,” Ferguson answered.
“Did you see anybody assist Sean Combs commit acts of violence?” Agnifilo requested.
“No,” Ferguson replied
“Did you see anybody make the corporate stronger by means of threats of violence?”
“No.”
