The Trial of Sean Combs

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4.5 • 52.8K Ratings

🗓️ 11 May 2025

⏱️ 26 minutes

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Summary

Sean Combs who was once at the forefront of hip-hop music and fashion is now on trial for sex trafficking. The hip-hop mogul launched the careers of numerous stars and grew his business empire to a reported $1 billion dollars in 2022. A fortune that has since shrunk considerably as he faces multiple civil lawsuits, a crumbling media empire and the prospect of years behind bars.

With his trial set to begin tomorrow, today on The Sunday Story NPR Music reporter Isabella Gomez Sarmineto shares how Sean Combs went from music intern to media mogul and how it all came crashing down.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Aisha Roscoe, and this is a Sunday story, where we go beyond the news to bring you one big story.
0:10.9	This is Sean Combs, aka P Diddy.
0:15.3	You might also know him as Puff Daddy, Love, or Puffy.
0:19.2	And back in 2023, when he was performing this medley at the VMAs, he was at the height
0:25.0	of his fame and power.
0:27.0	He received a global icon award at the ceremony, and around the same time, Mayor Eric
0:32.9	Adams awarded Combs a gold key to New York City.
0:36.9	I want to thank you for this honor and just recognizing me being from New York, giving me the key
0:42.2	to the city.
0:43.0	Diddy finally has the key to the city!
0:47.5	Twelve months later, Combs was in jail and facing criminal charges for sex trafficking
0:52.5	and racketeering conspiracy.
0:55.3	The hip-hop artist Sean Combs, better known as Puff Daddy or P. Diddy, was arrested late last day.
1:00.8	Sean Diddy Combs was arrested late Monday night in New York and indicted on federal charges of
1:06.4	sex trafficking and racketeering. This is just the latest. Tomorrow, Combs' trial will begin in New York City.
1:14.2	Today on the show, NPR music reporter Isabella Gomez, Sarmiento,
1:19.0	joins us to talk about the rise and fall of one of hip-hop's biggest stars.
1:24.4	A warning, this episode contains discussion of sexual assault, violence, and drug use.
1:31.2	Stay with us.
1:38.6	Tariffs, recessions, how Colombian drug cartels gave us blueberries all year long.
1:44.5	That's the kind of thing the Planet Money podcast explains.
1:48.0	I'm Sarah Gonzalez, and on Planet Money, we help you understand the economy and how things
	...

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