Key Witness Missing Ahead of Diddy Trial

Federal prosecutors in the high-profile criminal trial against Sean “Diddy” Combs are facing a major complication just as opening arguments loom: one of their key witnesses has reportedly vanished.

According to Deadline, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York has lost contact with a crucial witness, identified in court documents as “Victim-3,” who is expected to testify about her alleged sexual exploitation by the music mogul.

Law enforcement officials suggest the witness may be intentionally avoiding court proceedings, potentially out of fear for her safety.

The absence of Victim-3 could pose serious consequences for the prosecution. As one of the central figures in the government’s case, her testimony was expected to support several of the most severe allegations against Diddy, who is facing charges including sex trafficking, racketeering, and transporting individuals across state lines for prostitution.

The Bad Boy Records founder has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

Defense attorneys may seize the opportunity to request a delay or even a mistrial, arguing that the disappearance of such a critical witness upends the prosecution’s case and hampers their ability to prepare an effective defense.

Legal experts say any shift in witness availability this late in the process could force both sides to recalibrate their trial strategies.

The issue was raised in court on May 9 during jury selection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey informed Judge Arun Subramanian that the prosecution would update the court by the end of the day regarding whether the witness had been reached and would appear.

However, there has been no public filing confirming whether that follow-up took place.

Judge Subramanian, who successfully narrowed the initial pool of 150 jurors down to 43, expressed concern about proceeding without clarity on the witness’s status. \

“We need some certainty that you’re not going to have to re-do jury selection,” he said, highlighting the disruption that a missing witness could cause.