US prosecutors have added two charges to the criminal racketeering and sex trafficking case against Sean “Diddy” Combs, according to a grand jury indictment unsealed Friday. The superseding indictment includes an additional charge of sex trafficking and an additional charge of transportation to engage in prostitution, relating to a woman identified by prosecutors only as “Victim-2.” The fresh charges could spell more prison time upon conviction.

Government attorneys requested that Combs be arraigned on the new charges on April 25, which is due to be the final pre-trial conference prior to the blockbuster trial set to begin in May. The hip hop magnate, 55, is accused of sexually abusing people and coercing them into drug-fueled sex parties using threats and violence, with prosecutors also alleging he forced employees to work long hours while demanding their silence. He has denied all charges thus far, insisting that any sex acts were consensual.

The highly anticipated trial is set to begin with jury selection on May 5, with opening statements expected to start May 12. Public allegations have been building against the Grammy winner since late 2023, when singer Cassie, whose real name is Casandra Ventura, alleged Combs subjected her to more than a decade of coercion by physical force and drugs as well as a 2018 rape.

Along with the federal criminal case, Combs faces a mountain of civil suits, complaints that allege harrowing abuse by the artist with assistance from a loyal network of employees and associates. The one-time rap superstar has been incarcerated since September, during which time he’s started to look noticeably aged, with a crop of salt-and-pepper hair. — AFP