30 Posts
Cassie Ventura’s lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, is responding to comments made by Sean “Diddy” Combs’ defense attorney, Marc Agnifilo, who characterized Ventura as the “winner” in this case after she secured a multi-million dollar settlement following her 2023 civil lawsuit against Combs.
Wigdor disagreed, telling CNN this morning, “Obviously, Cassie Ventura, at that point in time and today, is not the winner.”
“She endured 10 years of abuse where she had to engage in days long sexual acts with UTIs, she alleged that she was she was raped,” Wigdor said. “And so to call her a winner, even though she did get $30 million part from, as she testified, part from Sean Combs, part from the hotel, no amount of money is going to ever undo what she had to endure and what she had to go through.”
Wigdor added, “Both she and I didn’t really take well to that as her being ‘a winner.’”
Ventura, who was eight months pregnant when she testified and is now a mother of three, has focused on her family since giving her testimony early in the trial.
“She is really trying to look forward,” he said.
Remember: Combs was found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and acquitted of the most serious charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, one count of which directly pertained to Ventura.
Cassie Ventura’s lawyer Douglas Wigdor told CNN following the verdict in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial that “there was a lot of mixed emotions in that courtroom” this morning as the verdict was read.
“Obviously, we would’ve liked to have seen convictions on the RICO charges and the sex-trafficking charges, but Cassie prompted this investigation by the Southern District and now Sean Combs stands before this court as a convicted felon of two crimes,” he added.
Widgor added that while this is “not the exact outcome that we wanted,” he and Ventura are grateful to the jury for finding Combs guilty the two counts.
Combs was found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and acquitted of the most serious charges of sex trafficking — one count of which directly pertained to Ventura — and racketeering conspiracy.
Wigdor touched on how the defense presented their case, saying that he thought their arguments were “repugnant.”
“Calling those sorts of behaviors as a modern-day relationship, you know, saying that she enjoyed sex, you know, saying she was a gangster, things like that — I don’t think that even with the jury verdict that they would have given that any credit,” he said, adding he also doesn’t believe “anyone who actually listened to the testimony and watched the testimony would either.”
“I thought that those were sort of gratuitous comments that really weren’t based on any real facts,” Widgor said.
Ventura, however, is “comforted in knowing that not only has she played a role in the criminal prosecution but that she shined a light on this behavior by Sean Combs.”
Ventura filed a civil lawsuit against Combs in 2023, outlining many of the allegations that she testified to during the criminal federal trial.
Filing that civil suit, Wigdor said, has “given her some agency in life, where for 10 years, (Combs) told her what had to be done and she had no choice.”
“This was her ability to say, ‘No, I’m not going to accept this eight-figure settlement. I’m going to file this lawsuit.’ And that’s what she did,” Wigdor said. Ventura, he added, “is really gratified in knowing that other people have come out since the filing of the civil lawsuit.”
Jay Clayton, the US attorney for New York’s southern district whose office prosecuted Sean “Diddy” Combs for this trial, and Ricky Patel, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations’ New York field office, released this statement after the verdict:
“Sex crimes deeply scar victims, and the disturbing reality is that sex crimes are all too present in many aspects of our society. Victims endure gut-wrenching physical and mental abuse, leading to lasting trauma. New Yorkers and all Americans want this scourge stopped and perpetrators brought to justice.
“Prosecuting sex crimes requires brave victims to come forward and tell their harrowing stories. We and our law enforcement partners recognize the hardships victims endure and have prioritized a victim-centered approach to investigating and prosecuting these cases.
“Today we recognize the important work of the SDNY’s Civil Rights Unit as well as the tireless efforts of the women and men at HSI who are devoted to combatting human trafficking. We thank the Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of New York, Digital Forensic Unit and the Complex Analytics and Social Media Enhancement (CASE) Team at the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. We would also like to thank our partners at the NYPD for their assistance in this matter and for sharing our victim-centered approach to combatting sex crimes.”
The New York Police Department’s presence outside the courthouse has increased in the past hour following the verdict in the Sean “Diddy” Combs trial, according a CNN reporter at the scene.
Combs was found guilty by a federal jury on charges of transportation to engage in prostitution but was acquitted of the most serious charges in a case that featured salacious allegations that he coerced women into sexual encounters with other men called sometimes referred to as “Freak Offs.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs has “won” this case and defeated the Southern District of New York, said Elie Honig, senior CNN legal analyst and former assistant US attorney for the SDNY.
“He has defeated the Southern District of New York, which, I worked there — they don’t like losing in court. They don’t lose in court a lot. And there’s no way to spin this. This is a devastating setback for the SDNY,” Honig said.
Combs “was looking at the possibility of a 15 year mandatory minimum, potentially up to life based on what — based on the more serious charges where the jury found not guilty. Now he’s looking at a much, much lower sentence. And to that point there is a realistic chance that (the) judge lets Sean Combs walk out today or maybe tomorrow, if it takes some time to post bail,” Honig added.
Doug Wigdor, a lawyer for Cassie Ventura, is sitting down with CNN’s Elizabeth Wagmeister now.
Earlier today, following the verdict in the Sean “Diddy” Combs trial, Wigdor released a statement describing how Ventura “paved the way” for Combs to be convicted on some of the counts against him.
“By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice,” he said in the statement.
Sean “Diddy” Combs was sitting with his hands clasped in his lap when the reading of the verdict began.
When “not guilty” was announced for the racketeering conspiracy charge, he put his head in his hand.
He did a subtle fist pump when “not guilty” was announced for the second of the two sex trafficking charges — the last of the most serious charges to be read.
When a deputy polled the jurors about whether the verdict read in court was correct, Combs craned his neck to look at them.
After defense attorney Marc Agnifilo argued in favor of releasing Combs prior to sentencing, the judge asked, “Mr. Combs does not want to go back to the MDC?” — a reference to New York City’s Metropolitan Detention Center.
Combs vigorously nodded his head ‘no,’ and made prayer hands.
Dream Hampton, executive producer of “Surviving R. Kelly,” said she wonders about the broader conversation that will follow Sean “Diddy” Combs’ acquittal on the most serious charges in this case.
“My heart, in this moment, is going out to Cassie. I can’t imagine what she’s feeling, you know. This was a woman who could have had a career. You know, and some of the testimony that she gave near the end about being 10 years into this relationship with Puff and still wanting to go to the studio but feeling like her job was to do the sex work,” Hampton told CNN’s Laura Coates outside the courthouse.
Hampton also expressed concern about what the ultimate takeaway will be now that Combs has been cleared of the most serious charges.
“And I’m afraid that with, you know, Puff walking from the more serious charges that he’s, not only him, the whole entire discourse, I just wonder what we’re going to learn from this. I wonder when it will end. I wonder when we’ll cease to look at women as disposable and as property. I wonder when these men will cease to tell themselves these stories. I mean, his defense — the closing arguments by his attorney were absurd, that this was like a Bonnie and Clyde love affair. No, it wasn’t. You’re talking about someone who endured a decade of abuse,” Hampton said.
Cassie Ventura “paved the way” for a jury to find Sean “Diddy” Combs guilty on some of the counts against him, her lawyer Doug Wigdor said in a statement.
“This entire criminal process started when our client Cassie Ventura had the courage to file her civil complaint in November 2023. Although the jury did not find Combs guilty of sex trafficking Cassie beyond a reasonable doubt, she paved the way for a jury to find him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution,” Wigdor said.
He continued: “By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice.”
Wigdor said Ventura “exemplary courage throughout this trial,” and “brought attention to the realities of powerful men in our orbit and the misconduct that has persisted for decades without repercussion.”
“This case proved that change is long overdue, and we will continue to fight on behalf of survivors,” he said.
Before he was lead out of the courtroom out by marshals, Sean “Diddy” Combs knelt down in front of his chair and bowed his head like he was praying.
When he stood up, Combs faced the gallery and clapped, prompting the gallery to clap and cheer.
Combs’ attorneys all exchanged hugs as the gallery continued to cheer for them.
Combs faced his family his face beaming. He said, “Thank you. Love you mom. I love you. I love you. I love you.”
His family and friends erupted into applause. Some family members wiped tears from their eyes.
After Combs left the courtroom, the family section starting chanting “dream team” to the lawyers who slapped each other on the back and embraced. Defense attorney Teny Geragos hugged members of Combs’ family with tears rolling down her cheeks.
In discussing a motion to release Sean “Diddy” Combs from custody on Wednesday, defense attorney Marc Agnifilo told told Judge Arun Subramanian that Sean “Diddy”Combs was looking at potentially spending the rest of his life in prison but he was acquitted of those charges.
“Mr. Combs has been given his life by this jury,” he said.
Agnifilo said Combs would be “nothing short of a fool” if he violated any condition set by the court if he was released.
“He treasures, I assure you, the opportunity that he has been given, and he will not run afoul of anything this court imposes on him,” he said.
Judge Arun Subramanian asked the the defense attorneys and prosecutors to submit letters on their positions about the possibility of releasing Sean “Diddy” Combs. The letters are due by 1 p.m. ET.
The judge would make a decision afterward.
Assistant US Attorney Maurene Comey said the government opposes the motion.
She said the trial showed evidence of extensive abuse and prolific drug use that the defense did not contest. Sean “Diddy” Combs “continued to commit a litany of crimes” after he knew he was under investigation, she said. Comey argued that Combs does not respect the law and would likely commit new crimes if released.
Comey also confirmed the government intends to seek a sentence of incarceration, and that Combs still faces up to 20 years in prison for the two counts he has been convicted of.
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo says that Sean “Diddy” Combs “should be released on appropriate conditions” in light of the fact that Combs has been acquitted on racketeering and sex trafficking.
He says Combs would go back to his house in Miami and abide by conditions set by the court. Combs does not have access to his plane, and his entire family is here, Agnifilo said, and “any three of them, any five of them can sign onto a bond.”
Agnifilo wants him released today.
The judge asked, “Is your proposal that he leave this courtroom and walk outside?” Agnifilo said it is.
Judge Arun Subramanian thanked the jurors for their “tremendous sacrifice” over the course of the trial.
“I want you to know that it is inspiring to all of us. You listened, you worked together, you were here every day, rain or shine. You did so with no reward, other than the reward that comes from answering the call of public service. That should give all of us hope,” he said.
The judge said he would meet the jurors to thank them personally for their service.
The jury is now leaving the courtroom.
Judge Arun Subramanian told the jurors that members of the press and others will likely try to speak with them about the case now.
“There is an important reason to respect the privacy of your deliberations,” he said. “That being said, the choice of whether to speak to others about the case and your personal views is up to you.”
He told them not to speak about other jurors’ views or how the deliberations played out.
Sean “Diddy” Combs was found guilty by a federal jury on charges of transportation to engage in prostitution but was acquitted of the most serious charges in a case that featured salacious allegations that he coerced women into sexual encounters with other men called sometimes referred to as “Freak Offs.”
Combs, 55, was charged with five counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy and two counts each of sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.
He was found not guilty on racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking.
He faces a sentence of up to 10 years.
The judge’s deputy read the counts and the jury foreperson answered the verdict for each count.
The jury is entering the courtroom now. The judge asked the jury foreperson to confirm that the panel has reached a verdict. The foreperson confirmed they’ve reached a unanimous verdict.
The judge cautioned everyone in the courtroom and overflow rooms to maintain order.
