What charges did Diddy plead not guilty to? Everything to know about the amended indictment and his latest court appearance

Returning to federal court in New York City on Friday, March 14, Sean "Diddy" Combs entered a not guilty plea to the most recent indictment. It accused him of s*x trafficking offenses spanning two decades.

As per The Guardian's March 13 report, he also entered a not guilty plea to the fresh indictment, which claimed that the hip-hop entrepreneur forced workers to put in long hours and threatened to penalize anyone who did not participate in the s*x trafficking conspiracy.

At a hearing in federal court in Manhattan, Diddy, 55, pleaded not guilty to the new indictment before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian. Prior to this, Combs entered a not guilty plea to charges of s*x trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution.

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Diddy pleaded not guilty to the recent indictments

According to a report from USA Today from March 14, 2025, prosecutors and Diddy's legal team were able to contest the rapper's trial on a number of grounds during the hearing in Manhattan federal court, including the jury selection process, the evidence that was presented, and the trial's schedule.

Additionally, as per the same source, Combs was charged with a second indictment and arraigned in court. The indictment claims that Combs intimidated, threatened, and enticed women into his orbit by using the "power and prestige" he possessed as a music tycoon, often under the guise of a s*xual relationship.

According to the indictment, he then coerced victims, including three women named in the court documents, into performing commercial s*x acts by using force, threats, and coercion. It also claimed that he verbally abused his victims and threatened them with violence, financial loss, and damage to their reputation.

NBC News' stated in their report from the same day that according to the superseding indictment, Combs allegedly coerced at least one employee into having s*x with him and had them work excessive hours under threat of physical and reputational harm.

It claimed that Diddy and his colleagues "maintained control" over a few workers by making them work long hours without much sleep, threatening to use physical force, and causing them to suffer financial, psychological, and reputational harm.

The document also read:

“On multiple occasions, Combs threw both objects and people, as well as hit, dragged, choked and shoved others... On one occasion, Combs dangled a victim over an apartment balcony.”

The latest indictment detailed what prosecutors referred to as the "forced labour" that Diddy sought in relation to the 20-year alleged racketeering scheme, although it did not add any new counts.

According to the New York Times' March 14 report, Diddy's attorneys have claimed that the rap mogul has never coerced anyone into having s*x and that the case is about his girlfriends' consenting relationships. Prosecutors, according to defense attorneys, attempted to demonize s*xual activities between consenting adults with the charges.

All the charges against him in the federal case and the numerous civil cases that have been brought against him in recent months have also been "vehemently" denied by his attorneys.

Judge Subramanian informed attorneys that hundreds of potential jurors will receive questionnaires at the end of April, allowing for the start of questioning on May 5 and the anticipated opening statements on May 12.

One of the topics of discussion in court on Friday was the video that was shown on CNN last year showing Diddy striking his ex-girlfriend and protégé, R&B singer Cassie Ventura, and hurling her to the ground in a hotel hallway.

The footage, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitzi Steiner, was "critical to the case." It was "deceptive and not in accordance with the actions that took place," according to defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo.

As per The Guardian's report from the same day, the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office prosecutors claimed that between 2004 and 2024, Combs s*xually abused women through his record company, Bad Boy Entertainment, and business empire.

Diddy was further accused of abusing women by forcing them to participate in "freak offs," which were recorded s*xual performances, with male s*x workers, who were occasionally moved between states.

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The court announced on Friday that opening statements would be made on May 12 and jury selection would begin on May 5.