What is racketeering and why is Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs facing this charge?

The trial of the American music magnate SEAN “Diddy” Combs, which is accused of having managed a sprawling sex traffic operation, is almost finished.

The 12 jurors of a New York Federal Court announced that they had made one decision in four of the five counts met by Mr. Combs, although these decisions were not disclosed.

But the jurors are unable to decide on the accusation of racketeering, the most serious of the five, which bears a possible prison sentence to life.

Mr. Combs, 55, pleaded not guilty and denied all the allegations against him.

So, what is the racket load, which is more commonly used against gangsters – and what are the other charges confronted by the rapper?

Racket’s plot, or direct an illegal company under the law on influenced and corrupt organizations (Rico), is the official name of the accusation.

The law was created to face the mafia patterns, but it has since been used in other trials, including for sex trafficking – as in the case against the R&B singer in disgrace R Kelly.

It is also sometimes used against a group of defendants. US President Donald Trump and his allies were accused of plotting to cancel the results of the 2020 elections in Georgia – accusations Trump denied.

To condemn Mr. Combs on this accusation, prosecutors must prove that he used his faithful network of partners to manage a criminal business to commit crimes, including sexual traffic, kidnapping, drugs and obstruction to justice.

In this case, this network would include its employees, who, according to the prosecutors, played a role in the implementation of “freak-offs” at the center of the case.

These were prolonged sexual meetings to which the main witnesses of the accusation say that they were forced to have sex with male escorts while Mr. Combs looked.

During a raid on his manor of Los Angeles, the police found supplies which, according to them, were intended for use in monsters, including drugs and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil.

The defense sought to undermine the allegations of racketeering by asking witnesses if the employees of Mr. Combs have already witnessed the Freak-Offs.

Cassie Ventura, the star witness of the accusation, said that she did not think they were present.

Defense lawyers argue that the case cannot be considered a racketeering if Mr. Combs’ staff were not knowingly accomplices.

“Are you kidding? Are you kidding?” Said the defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo. “Did a witness go up on this witness position and said” yes, I was part of a racketeering company, I got involved in racketeering “?”

Robert Mintz, a criminal defense lawyer and former federal prosecutor, told the BBC that racketeering accusation would always be the most difficult for prosecutors to prove to a jury.

To obtain a conviction, lawyers had to prove that Combs established a coordinated plan between Combres and at least another person to commit at least two crimes over a period of several years, said Mintz.

“It is a very complicated accusation, generally used in the past in the proceedings against organized crime and it is therefore not surprising that it is the only accusation that we gave the most difficulty jury,” added Mr. Mintz.

In the New York case, Mr. Combs is accused of two sexual traffic leaders and two transport managers to engage in prostitution – in addition to the accusation of racketeering.

Furthermore, Mr. Combs faces a number of prosecution accusing him of rape and assault.

Tony Buzbee, a Texas lawyer with some of these cases, said that more than 100 women and men from throughout the United States had been prosecuted against the rap magnate or the intention of doing so.

In December 2023, a woman known in court documents under the name of Jane Doe allegedly alleged that she had been “raped gangs” by Mr. Combs and others in 2003, at the age of 17. She said that she had been given “large amounts of drugs and alcohol” before the attack.

Mr. Combs’ legal team rejected the burst of prosecution as “clear attempts to obtain advertising”.

Mr. Combs’ current legal problems began at the end of 2023 when he was chased by Ms. Ventura, also known as Cassie, for violence and rape.

This trial was settled for an amount not disclosed per day after his deposit, Mr. Combs retaining his innocence.

Since then, dozens of other people have filed prosecution accusing Mr. Combs of sexual assault, accusations dating back to 1991. He denied all statements.

Her controversial history with Ms. Ventura resurfaced in 2024, when CNN published images of disclosed video surveillance of 2016 showing that Mr. Combs gave a kick to her ex-girlfriend when she was lying on a floor of the hotel.

He apologized for his behavior, saying: “I take full responsibility for my actions in this video. I was disgusted so when I did it. I am disgusted now.”

In a declaration to the BBC on federal criminal accusations, Mr. Combs’ lawyer said: “In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted or trafficked person – man or woman, adult or minor.”

The lawyers of Diddy subsequently filed a request in rejection of part of the act of federal accusation in which he is accused of transporting to engage in prostitution. His team argued that he was unfairly targeted because of his race.

During a New York hearing a week before the start of the trial officially, his lawyers told court that the rapper had led the “lifestyle” of a “interchange” and was not a criminal.

They said he thought it was “appropriate” to have several sexual partners, including sex workers.

During the same hearing, prosecutors revealed that Mr. Combs had rejected a advocacy agreement.

Mr. Combs’ lawyers have always denied allegations against him in civil proceedings, describing them as “disgusting” and suggesting that they were made by “individuals looking for a quick salary”.

If he is found guilty of the accusation of racketeering, Mr. Combs risk for life.

He risks another minimum legal sentence of 15 years if he is found guilty of sexual traffic.

Transport for prostitution leads to a maximum sentence of 10 years.

Mr. Combs took place at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, since his arrest on September 16, 2024.

Critics describe prison as overcrowded and under-effective, with a culture of violence.

His lawyers pleaded for his release, citing the “horrible” conditions of the prison, but a federal judge from New York rejected the deposit for surety, describing Mr. Combs as a “risk of serious theft”.

M. Combs – who also brought the names Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love and Brother Love – emerged on the hip -hop scene in the 1990s.

His first success in a musical career included the launch of the careers of Mary J Blige and Christopher Wallace – alias Biggie Smalls, or The Notorious Big

His musical label Bad Boy Records has become one of the most important labels in rap and spread to include Faith Evans, Ma $ E, 112, Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez.

Mr. Combs also had a prolific commercial career outside music, including an agreement with the British drinks company Diageo to promote the French Vodka brand Cîroc.

In 2023, he released his fifth disc The Love Album: Off The Grid and obtained his first solo appointment at the Grammy Awards. He was also appointed global icon to MTV Awards.

Dozens of potential jurors have been verified by the court.

The process included potential jurors by browsing a long list of places and people who could be mentioned during the trial, with names like Kanye West and Kid Cudi.

Potential jurors also had to fulfill questionnaires who asked if they had “opinions on hip hop artists” or “feelings concerning violence, sexual assault”.

The judge recalled in court on several occasions the importance of choosing a fair and impartial jury.

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