What to know about the sex trafficking trial
- Prosecutors began today by calling Eddy Garcia to the witness stand. Garcia worked as a security supervisor at the Los Angeles hotel where Combs was filmed attacking his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, in March 2016. Garcia said he received $100,000 for himself and two other employees for helping Combs keep the video under wraps.
- Derek Ferguson, the former chief financial officer of Combs Enterprises, also testified about his time working for the mogul from 1998 and 2017. Prosecutors showed financial records from a Combs bank account, including a $20,000 wire transfer from Ventura’s father Dec. 23, 2011. Ventura’s mother previously testified that Combs demanded the family pay $20,000 to keep him from releasing sexually explicit videos of Ventura.
- Combs faces five criminal counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs has vociferously denied the allegations against him.
- This live briefing may include graphic descriptions of sexual violence. For resources on sexual assault, call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline.
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Jury done for the day as attorneys hash out details for the week
The jury has been dismissed as attorneys stay back to discuss additional details on how the rest of the week will go.
Prosecutors are concerned for the identity of Victim-2, who is referred to under the pseudonym "Jane." They are requesting that her face isn't shown in the public overflow rooms to avoid publicly outing her as "Mia" was this last week.
"Jane" is expected to take the stand Thursday.
Combs' attorneys are once again asking for more time with him without a dividing screen because they wish to go over text messages between him and "Jane" that will likely be entered into evidence.
Ferguson was never in Combs' home or hotel rooms, he says
The prosecution offered a brief redirect of Ferguson, where the former finance chief was asked to qualify his time with Combs after the defense questioned him on observations of criminal conduct — or lack thereof.
Ferguson testified that he worked in the New York office for Combs' company and had not spent time in his hotel rooms or private residences with him.
Former CFO says he didn't see evidence of alleged crimes
Combs' former chief financial officer said he doesn't know of any specific crimes his ex-boss might have committed.
Defense lawyer Agnifilo asked Ferguson several questions, inquiring if the witness had ever seen Combs commit an act of violence, sexual assault, use coercion or enlist the help of an employee to commit an illegal act.
Each time, Ferguson said no.
Ferguson probably gave the prosecution all it really needed from him earlier in his testimony when he confirmed that a $20,000 payment was made from Ventura's family to Combs.
Combs' ex-finance chief says he tried to keep track of company taxes
Amid questioning from Agnifilo, Ferguson said Combs' personal and business expenses were kept separate, and that tax records were closely monitored
"I would do everything I could to make sure it [financial impropriety] did not happen," Ferguson said.
Former Bad Boy CFO said he wanted to work for Combs as a Bronx native
Combs' defense attorney Marc Agnifilo took up cross-examination for Ferguson, who worked for Combs between 1998 and 2017.
Ferguson was asked why he was interested in working for Combs' Bad Boy companies, which included the production company and record label. The former CFO told the court that he felt interested in Combs' companies because he felt it hired from communities where he was from.
A Bronx native, Ferguson testified that he felt that Combs and his brands gave young executives from those types of communities opportunities.
Financial records show $20K wire from Ventura's father
Prosecutors showed financial records from a Combs bank account, including a $20,000 wire transfer from Ventura's father Dec. 23, 2011.
Ventura's mother, Regina Ventura, previously testified that Combs demanded the family pay $20,000 to keep him from releasing sexually explicit videos of Ventura after he learned she was seeing rapper Scott Mescudi, also known as Kid Cudi. She also told the court she received the money back days later.
Prosecutors pointed out two other $20,000 transfers that same month while questioning Combs' former CFO.
The first was an outgoing transfer to Ventura on Dec. 14, 2011, and another to an unspecified entity Dec. 27, 2011.
Government seeks action against outlet reporting the ID of 'Mia'
The true name and identity of key prosecution witness "Mia" are being reported, according to prosecutors who want to ban the outlet that made the information public from court.
Judge Subramanian asked prosecutors to draft a possible court order, and he'd consider it.
Court returns from lunch
The court is back in session after the lunch break, and Ferguson is expected to return to the witness stand for direct questioning by prosecutors.
Court adjourns for lunch break
The courtroom will empty out for a lunch break, with U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian instructing everyone to return at 1:10 p.m. ET.
Prosecutors say they have about 20 minutes of direct questioning left for Ferguson, who has been going over how Combs' financials were managed.
Charting out the trail of money
Although most of Ferguson's early testimony has been procedural, it is potentially crucial to the government's case.
He's been asked to verify a laundry list of bank accounts, real estate holdings, credit cards and other financial records connected to Combs Enterprises, and confirm that the defendant had signatory power over these funds.
Though most of the headline-grabbing testimony so far this trial has dealt with sexual abuse and other incidents of alleged acts of violence, Combs' real problems would be any evidence that he might have run a criminal enterprise to pull off these suspected crimes.
