Inside Diddy’s ‘toxic strategy’ to get out of human trafficking charges

After Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ trial wrapped up its second day, DailyMail.com is taking a look at the ‘toxic’ legal strategy that the disgraced hip-hop mogul may be taking in hopes of avoiding conviction on the most serious charges filed against him.

According to a top legal analyst, the 55-year-old rapper may be attempting to admit to lesser crimes that could be charged in court in hopes of avoiding more serious sex-trafficking and racketeering charges filed against him in federal court.

As Diddy’s alleged strategy may be coming into focus, day two of his trial in federal court in New York City featured shocking testimony from his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, 38, in which she divulged the names of Diddy’s associates who allegedly helped arrange his infamous ‘freak off’ sex parties.

Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Bobby Taghavi, Legal Expert and Managing Partner of the Sweet James law firm, explained why the defendant may be admitting to a history of ‘domestic abuse’ in his relationship with Cassie.

‘Given the volume of video evidence, testimony, and public allegations, the defense’s decision to acknowledge Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ history of violence — particularly acts of domestic abuse — comes as no surprise,’ he said.

According to Taghavi, Diddy may be willing to risk the possibility of future charges in hopes of getting out of the more serious crimes he is accused of.

After Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ trial wrapped up day two, DailyMail.com looks at the ‘toxic’ legal strategy the disgraced rap mogul may be taking to avoid conviction on his most serious charges; (L–R) Diddy, US District Judge Arun Subramanian and prosecutor Emily Johnson seen in a courtroom sketch from Monday

Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Bobby Taghavi, Legal Expert and Managing Partner of the Sweet James law firm, says Diddy may claim his alleged victims consented to ‘toxic’ relationships in exchange for fame and fortune; Diddy pictured with Beyoncé and Jay-Z in 2004 in NYC

He said the defense’s strategy ‘appears to be a calculated effort to get ahead of the most damaging evidence and to frame those acts as issues that may warrant state-level domestic violence charges, rather than the far more serious federal charges of racketeering conspiracy and human trafficking that carry significantly harsher penalties.’

Taghavi says Diddy’s legal team appears to be trying to paint Cassie and other alleged victims’ involvement in his freak offs as consensual choices they made by suggesting they may have craved the access they received to ‘travel, sex, drug use’ and ‘fame and luxury.’

‘The strategy is to recast these events as toxic but voluntary relationships,’ Taghavi continued. 

‘The defense will argue that the women were not forced or trafficked, but rather participated willingly in a high-profile, if dysfunctional, environment.’

However, the attorney thinks the federal prosecutors trying Diddy will have to navigate the overwhelming din of the record executive’s fame and the ‘complex personal dynamics’ involving him if they hope to prove that Cassie and other alleged victims had more than just a ‘series of unhealthy relationships.’ 

‘They will need to show that Combs operated a deliberate, structured system of exploitation — one that qualifies under the legal standards for racketeering and human trafficking.

‘That distinction is critical, and threading that legal needle will be the central battle of this case,’ Taghavi said.

Cassie, who was heavily pregnant when she took the stand to testify, was seen Tuesday in the presence of her ex for the first time since 2018, when she attended the funeral of another of his exes, Kim Porter, who was the mother of three of Combs’ children.

Taghavi also suggests Diddy’s lawyers would concede to a history of ‘domestic abuse’ in hopes of claiming his alleged victims were consenting participants; Diddy watches Cassie testify in a courtroom sketch from Tuesday

The attorney says Diddy’s lawyers may hope to only deal with less-serious state charges and avoid more serious racketeering and sex-trafficking charges; Diddy seen in 2004 with (L–R) Jay-Z, Usher and Mariah Carey in NYC

According to Taghavi, the defense will claim that Diddy’s alleged victims consented to relationships with him in exchange for ‘travel, sex, drug use’ and ‘fame and luxury’; (L–R) Will Smith, Jay-Z, Ashton Kutcher and Diddy seen in 2004 in LA

Cassie, who teared up and dabbed at her eyes with tissues during her testimony, described under oath the alleged routines of Diddy’s freak off parties.

She alleged that he had a ‘wet’ fetish, hence his reported obsession with baby oil. 

She claimed the sex parties, in which she was allegedly forced to have sex with male escorts, began with her getting covered in oil, before she and the escort would touch each other sexually, followed by performing oral sex that would escalate to penetrative intercourse.

‘First sex act, masturbating and looking at each other — I would be looking at the escort and they would be looking at me. I would describe what I saw in detail. That is what turned [Combs] on… his fantasy,’ she said on the witness stand.

‘It was always awkward… sitting describing someone’s penis to another male was pretty awkward and humiliating but eventually it became normal. It would lead to intercourse.’

Cassie alleged that Diddy and the male escorts would sometimes have sex with her in the same session, or the rapper would have her perform oral sex on him while an escort was having sex with her.

At other times, he would only watch her and an escort have sex.

According to Cassie, the male escorts would only ejaculate if given the OK from Diddy, whom she referred to by his first name, Sean.

Cassie, who was heavily pregnant when she took the stand to testify, was seen Tuesday in the presence of her ex for the first time since 2018 ; pictured in February 2022 in LA

She said under oath that Diddy required her to be covered in baby oil at freak offs, before having sex with male escorts. She alleged that he sometimes joined in, but at other times he only watched; pictured in 2012 in LA 

Daniel Phillip, 41, (pictured in a courtroom sketch) claimed on Monday that he worked as a male escort and had sex with Cassie at freak offs. The defense tried to attack his credibility after he said he would not ask her for money afterward, and would sometimes go unpaid

She alleged that she would then have to take some of the escorts’ semen into another room, where Diddy had been watching their sex acts, and put it ‘on his chest, on his nipples.’

Cassie also claimed that any escort who ejaculated without Diddy’s permission would be paid less at the conclusion of the party.

On Monday, Daniel Phillip, a male escort, also testified in Diddy’s trial, claiming that he was a part of some of Diddy’s freak offs.

Diddy’s lawyers tried to go after his credibility during cross-examination after Phillip said he sometimes went without payment after his encounters with Cassie. 

‘In my head, I was just excited I was in this world and happy to be involved with people of such notoriety,’ he said.