A federal judge on Wednesday denied a mistrial request from Sean “Diddy” Combs in his ongoing sex trafficking case, after the rapper’s legal team accused prosecutors of improperly implying his involvement in destroying evidence linked to an alleged arson.

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking, and faces a potential life sentence if convicted.

The mistrial motion came after testimony last week from rapper Scott Mescudi, known professionally as Kid Cudi, who told jurors that his car was set ablaze in 2012 shortly after Combs discovered his romantic involvement with Combs’ then-intermittent partner, singer Casandra Ventura.

On Wednesday, Combs’ attorney Alexandra Shapiro argued—outside the jury’s presence—that prosecutors’ questioning of a Los Angeles arson investigator implied Combs may have played a role in the destruction of fingerprint evidence tied to the incident.

However, US District Judge Arun Subramanian rejected the mistrial bid, stating, “There was absolutely no testimony from the witness that was prejudicial in any way, shape or form.” He further instructed jurors to disregard any mention of fingerprint destruction, calling it irrelevant to the charges at hand.

The high-profile trial, now in its third week in Manhattan federal court, centres on accusations that Combs orchestrated a years-long pattern of abuse and exploitation. Prosecutors allege that Combs used coercion, intimidation, and manipulation to compel women—including Ventura—to participate in multi-day, drug-fuelled sexual events with male sex workers, referred to as “Freak Offs.”

They argue that the 2012 arson was one of several acts of violence or intimidation intended to silence victims and prevent them from leaving Combs’ inner circle.

Although Kid Cudi acknowledged that no one witnessed Combs near the vehicle during the incident, he testified, “I knew he had something to do with it.”

During opening statements on May 12, defence attorney Teny Geragos told the jury that Combs had “nothing to do with the alleged arson.” His lawyers have conceded that Combs was at times abusive in past relationships but maintain that all participation in the so-called “Freak Offs” was consensual.

Faridah Abdulkadiri

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