Diddy Trial
Messages Show Hotel Planning, Cleanup Concerns
… Flight Arrangements for Freak-Offs
Published
On the 24th day of Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ federal racketeering and sex trafficking trial in NYC, a paralegal specialist took the stand to testify about evidence showing the travel arrangements for participants in alleged “freak-offs.”
Ananya Sankar is asked about a December 2019 message from Kristina Khorram — Diddy’s former chief of staff — in response to Ryan Lopez, a former Diddy assistant, who texts KK about spotting a male escort — who he calls “one of the cowboys” — in a hotel lobby, which KK replies with four “laughing” emojis, and the message “how long is he going to stay awake?”
The prosecution plays an audio file in court they say was recorded on January 30, 2023 … and Sankar is asked to read transcripts back and forth of a conversation between Khorram and another former assistant, Dave Shirley, about a trip to a Four Seasons hotel location. KK writes, “Heads up, he’s about to do wild king tonight.” Dave Shirley responds about picking up some money … and says he needs “to reup on baby oil.”
One of Khorram’s messages says, “Ask them if they can bring up 15 bath towels.” More messages are read, including about preparations for a flight for “Jane” — a former Diddy girlfriend who testified for a week under a pseudonym to protect her identity. They discuss bringing cash to the hotel.
Another text exchange between Khorram, Diddy, and “Jane” reads … “Your damage charges on the one hotel are always high.” More exchanges show further travel arrangements for Jane, and more references to picking up cash.
Other former Diddy assistants have testified about setting up hotel rooms with items like baby oil and candles for freak-offs … which the prosecution alleges were marathon, drug-fueled sex sessions involving Diddy, his girlfriend at the time, and male sex workers.
In May, a hotel manager testified about the booking profile system used to track clients, which notes Diddy’s rooms often need extra cleaning … noting spilled candle wax and “excessive amounts of oil.”
Texts shown to the jury this morning included a December 2023 exchange — Jane texted Khorram and told her Diddy threatened had threatened to release sex tapes featuring Jane … “He said that he would expose me and send them to my child’s father.” Regina Ventura, mother of Cassie Ventura — one of Diddy’s freak-off girlfriends — has previously testified about Diddy’s alleged threats to expose Cassie’s sex tapes to the public.
Sankar is a paralegal specialist at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York … the prosecution asks her why she worked on this particular case, and she says she was asked to verify the accuracy of hundreds of pages of evidence.
Before the jury was seated Monday morning, Judge Arun Subramanian ordered the dismissal of Juror Number 6 after an issue arose last week over discrepancies about his place of residence. That juror was replaced by an alternate, reportedly a 57-year-old Westchester County resident, who is apparently married with two kids.
