Diddy trial recap: Judge threatened to remove Sean Combs for ‘unacceptable attempts’ to interact with jury
Long-awaited testimony of alleged Sean Combs sex-trafficking victim is expected after the defense wraps up its cross-examination of Cassie Ventura’s friend, Bryana Bongolan
Judge Arun Subramanian threatened to bar Sean “Diddy” Combs from the courtroom after he “vigorously nodded” at jurors during testimony on Thursday.
“Your client was looking at jurors and nodding vigorously,” Subramanian told Combs’s attorney. “This can't continue or I will give a limiting instruction you won't like, or other measures, including barring your client from the courtroom. Do you understand?”
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo told the judge that it wouldn’t happen again. The incident followed further testimony from Cassie Ventura’s close friend, Bryana Bongolan, who testified Combs once dangled her over a 17th-floor balcony. The defense accused Bongolan of lying, which she rejected.
A woman named “Jane,” who is testifying under a pseudonym to protect her identity, was called to the stand on Thursday afternoon. Jane was in a relationship with Combs from 2021 to 2024, she said in court. Her testimony could last up to five days.
Combs is facing sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution, and racketeering conspiracy charges. Combs was arrested in September 2024 as federal authorities alleged he threatened, abused, and coerced victims “to fulfill his sexual desires” between 2004 and 2024. Combs has denied any accusations of wrongdoing.
Judge lashes out at Diddy and threatens to boot him from the courtroom for ‘nodding vigorously’ at jury
Diddy dangled Cassie Ventura’s friend off 17th-floor apartment balcony, jury told
Diddy trial recap: Cassie’s longtime friend testifies about abuse and balcony fight with Combs that has left her traumatized
Diddy supporter dragged out of courtroom by cops after profanity-laden outburst
Court adjourned
Court is adjourned for today.
Jane’s testimony will continue tomorrow morning.
Wednesday recap: Diddy 'dangled Cassie Ventura’s friend off 17th-floor balcony'
Sean “Diddy” Combs dangled Cassie Ventura’s longtime friend off a 17th-floor balcony before tossing her into some patio furniture, the mogul’s trial heard.
Bryana Bongolan, a 33-year-old creative marketing director, testified Wednesday afternoon about the September 2016 incident with Diddy that she claims left her with injuries and trauma.
Bongolan told the jury how she and her ex-girlfriend were sleeping on a couch at Ventura’s Los Angeles apartment when they heard Diddy banging on the door in the early hours, waking them both up.
Ventura was in her bedroom, and Bongolan recalled rushing her ex to the bathroom, putting a finger over her mouth, signaling for her to stay quiet. She then went onto Ventura’s balcony to “act casual” and smoke.
Kelly Rissman has the details:
Diddy dangled Cassie Ventura’s friend off 17th-floor apartment balcony, jury told
Combs's ex-girlfriend set to become third alleged victim to take stand
Sean “Diddy” Combs’s ex-girlfriend is set to become the third alleged victim of sex trafficking to testify against the music mogul.
“Jane,” a pseudonym to protect her identity, is a single mother who prosecutors say was abused during the Combs’s marathon sex sessions, known as “freak-offs.” Her testimony could last up to five days.
Jane is expected to take the stand after the defense wraps up its cross-examination of fashion designer Bryana “Bana” Bongolan.
The celebrities mentioned during Diddy’s trial
The sex-trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs continues in Manhattan federal court, where jurors heard testimony that mentioned a few A-list stars.
At the start, jurors were given a list of 190 celebrities, spanning beloved Hollywood actors and elite musicians who may be referenced during the trial, including Michael B. Jordan and Kanye West, among others, according to Variety.
Other big names, including Britney Spears and 50 Cent, have also popped up with the trial approaching its halfway mark.
Isabel Keane outlines the celebrities featured in the list, and others who have come up in the trial:
The celebrities mentioned during Diddy’s sex trafficking trial
Forensic video expert took jurors through Cassie hotel assault footage
For at least the eighth time since the beginning of the trial, jurors watched the surveillance footage of Sean Combs throwing Cassie Ventura to the ground and hitting her in a Los Angeles hotel almost a decade ago.
Though this time, it was in a compilation form created by Frank Piazza, the forensic video expert.
On Wednesday, Piazza explained to jurors how he used different angles from cameras to cut the video into a longer format to see the event unfold.
He testified that the footage had not been altered.
Defense to wrap cross-examination of fashion designer Bryana Bongolan
Fashion designer Bryana “Bana” Bongolan, a friend of Cassie Ventura, is set to return to the stand this morning after delivering bombshell testimony Wednesday, alleging that she had been left having “night terrors” after Sean Combs held her over a 17-story balcony.
The defense is expected to continue its cross-examination of Bangolan this morning, which is expected to last about half an hour.
In sketches: Day 16 of witness testimony in Diddy's New York trial
Hearing to start – and end – later today
Rather than its usual 9 a.m. start, Thursday’s testimony is expected to begin at 11 a.m. Proceedings are due to wrap at about 4 p.m., an hour later than the typical 3 p.m. finish.
Will radio personality Enrique Santos testify today?
Radio personality Enrique Santos was due to make a very brief appearance at the stand today after the defense finishes its cross-examination of Bryana Bongolan. He was supposed to serve the purpose of setting up testimony for “Jane”: the third (and potentially final) alleged victim of Sean Combs to testify.
However, with the trial running marginally behind schedule, the government said it is uncertain whether he will testify.
Where did yesterday's hearing leave off?
Defense attorney Nicole Westmoreland did a great job casting doubt around the balcony incident and whether it even happened, pointing out the inconsistencies in Bryana Bongolan’s legal demands, civil complaint, and meetings with the government, wrote reporter Kelly Rissman from the courthouse on Wednesday.
Bongolan, a friend of Cassie Ventura, said “I don’t remember” about a dozen times when asked about what she said previously.
We did, however, see photos of a large bruise on her leg as well as a photo of bandages covering her back and a neck brace from September 2016 — the same time she alleges the incident occurred.