Judge Denies Diddy's Claim of Gov Leaking Assault Video to CNN, Warns

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Hip hop mogul turned criminal defendant Sean “Diddy” Combs appeared in federal court in Manhattan on Wednesday. He wore a khaki inmate jumpsuit during his status conference as he prepared for a May 2025 trial on charges related to sex trafficking and racketeering.

The indictment against Combs revolves around an alleged sex trafficking scheme involving “freak offs”—elaborate sex performances that included male sex workers and women who were either coerced or forced into participation, according to prosecutors. The government claims that Combs orchestrated and took part in these illicit activities, which involved the exploitation and manipulation of vulnerable individuals.

During the hearing, Judge Arun Subramanian requested the defense team have updates in the motion schedule in place by Jan. 3 “to avoid any kind of surprise at the last minute.” This hearing marked Combs’ first appearance in court since his bail hearing in November.

Earlier this week, Judge Subramanian ruled against Combs’ claim that the prosecution had leaked surveillance footage of an assault on singer Cassie Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel in 2016. Combs had requested an evidentiary hearing, alleging that the Department of Homeland Security had improperly shared the video with CNN. The video, which depicts a brutal physical altercation between Combs and Ventura, has been a focal point in the case.

Ventura sued Combs last year, the first of more than a dozen civil cases against the Bad Boy Records founder. Ventura’s lawsuit alleging abuse was settled the day after she filed it for an undisclosed amount.

In an October filing, Combs’ defense wrote that they believed the government has been:

…strategically leaking confidential grand jury material and information, including the 2016 Intercontinental videotape, in order to prejudice the public and potential jurors against Mr. Combs.

However, Subramanian found that Combs failed to present sufficient evidence to substantiate the claim that the government was the source of the leak, writing:

As to the Intercontinental Hotel video, Combs has not carried his burden to show that the government leaked it to CNN. Combs argues that ‘the most likely source of the leak is the government’ but he doesn’t point to any sound basis for this conclusion.

He added that none of Combs’ arguments for the DHS being the source of the video leak were “convincing.”

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At a prior hearing, Combs was allowed to appear in court without being shackled despite having been chained during earlier proceedings. His legal team argued that shackles could create “juror bias, “Judge Subramanian accepted this reasoning, allowing Combs to appear without shackles in the courtroom.

In addition, Judge Subramanian has granted Combs limited access to a laptop while in jail, allowing him to review discovery materials related to the case as he prepares for his upcoming trial. The laptop access is restricted to only legal materials and does not permit general internet use.

Since his September arrest, Combs has remained incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Judge Subramanian denied Combs’ bail request last month, citing concerns that he posed a risk of witness tampering. Combs has pleaded not guilty to all counts, and has also withdrawn his appeal for bail and will spend the holiday season behind bars.

Combs will return to court on March 17.