Sean 'Diddy' Combs, Appearing Tired and Sporting a Gray Beard, Pleads Not Guilty to New 'Forced Labor' Charges

Mar. 15, 2025

Sean “Diddy” Combs.Photo:Steve Granitz/WireImage

Steve Granitz/WireImage

Sean “Diddy” Combsreturned to court Friday and pleaded not guilty to new federal charges accusing him of forced labor.

The billionaire hip hop mogul arrived in court in Manhattan in tan prison garb and sported noticeably grayer hair than he’s previously been seen wearing. He also has grown a gray beard behind bars. He hugged his attorneys as he entered the courtroom and waved to his children in the rafters.

The judge overseeing Diddy’s case, Arun Subramanian, pushed opening statements in Combs' upcoming trial back to May 12, even as jury selection will still begin as scheduled on May 5.

Prosecutors had pushed for jury selection to start on April 21 to prevent the trial from extending beyond the July 4 holiday. The defense, however, requested a May 5 start date, arguing that an earlier timeline would be unfair to their preparation.

Prosecutors also claimed Combs' defense team has not turned in any discovery, requesting the judge order the defense team to do so.

Also at issue on Friday was theinfamous tapeof Combs allegedly assaulting his ex Cassie Ventura in a hotel hallway.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’sfree True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Combs will be back in court for the next pretrial conference on April 25, ahead of jury questionnaires, Subramanian ruled.

Although the two swiftly settled the matter, it sparked off aseries of allegationsagainst Combs — ranging from sexual assault, to coercing women into performing orchestrated sex acts with male sex workers,anal rapeand usingphysical violence against his employees.

Combs is currently being held at theBrooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Centerafter being denied bail three times.

source: people.com