Diddy prosecution faces ‘major blow’ as key accuser may not testify

The federal trial of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs is hitting a major obstacle as prosecutors have trouble getting a key witness to testify. This witness, referred to in court documents only as “Victim 3,” was supposed to give important testimony claiming that Combs pressured her into sexual acts, which is a key part of the prosecution’s case.

The prosecution team has openly admitted they are having a hard time reaching either Victim 3 or her lawyer. These problems started coming up during the third day of jury selection, according to TMZ. Prosecutors said they have not been able to find Victim 3 or get in touch with her legal representative. One reason given for this lack of contact is that Victim 3 does not live near New York City, where the trial is taking place, making it difficult to get her to appear.

Even if they manage to serve her with a subpoena, prosecutors are not sure she would actually show up in court. Making things more complicated, the prosecution also mentioned that Victim 3’s lawyer has been handling some undisclosed “personal issues,” making communication even harder.

The Diddy prosecution’s best witness can’t be found

This news is a big setback for the prosecution, which had previously said Victim 3’s testimony would be very important to their case. The prosecution team, led by Maurene Comey, is now working to fix the situation. Both the defense and the judge have urged the prosecution to share their plan for dealing with this issue by the end of the week and to do everything possible to contact Victim 3 and her attorney. The judge also pushed prosecutors to make every effort to reach out to them.

If Victim 3 does not testify, it could hurt the prosecution’s overall strategy. The charges against Combs, filed by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2024, include a long list of serious accusations, such as abuse, threats, coercion, and racketeering involving sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice. These alleged crimes reportedly happened “between 2008 and the present.” Combs has denied all the accusations.

While Victim 3’s testimony was seen as crucial, the prosecution still has other witnesses ready to testify. Three more women are prepared to speak against Combs, though two will use fake names. The prosecution has already named their first three witnesses, who will take the stand on Monday and Tuesday, with one witness expected to testify over both days. A fifth accuser will also be allowed to testify, even though the charges against Combs do not directly involve her.

Her testimony is being permitted because her experiences are said to be similar to the forced sex accusations made by other victims. One of the witnesses set to testify is Combs’ former girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie.

Victim 3’s absence changes the trial in a big way. Her testimony was considered essential to the prosecution’s argument, and without it, there is a major hole in their case. The prosecution is moving forward, but the missing witness creates a serious challenge in proving their case against Combs. The judge expects jury selection to finish by Friday, with a final jury of twelve members and six alternates.