Brian Buckmeyer

Criminal cases could put him in jail. Civil cases could cost him money. But there's one that may be more important than any other, and that's the civil case since settled brought by Cassie Ventura, his former girlfriend, because that's the one that caught the eye of federal prosecutors.

Criminal cases could put him in jail. Civil cases could cost him money. But there's one that may be more important than any other, and that's the civil case since settled brought by Cassie Ventura, his former girlfriend, because that's the one that caught the eye of federal prosecutors.

Federal prosecutors do what you and I do, right? They read stuff. They read the papers. They watch TV. And if they look at something and they say, man, what's alleged here? This could be criminal. So the prosecutors are reading these things and it does give them at least at the outset, a place to start.

Federal prosecutors do what you and I do, right? They read stuff. They read the papers. They watch TV. And if they look at something and they say, man, what's alleged here? This could be criminal. So the prosecutors are reading these things and it does give them at least at the outset, a place to start.

And that's when they start to figure out with, in this case, federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations, where they need to search, what they need to look for, and where it all might be.

And that's when they start to figure out with, in this case, federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations, where they need to search, what they need to look for, and where it all might be.

Freak offs. Freak offs.

Freak offs. Freak offs.

And yet it does do an injustice because the freak-offs, which the defense and prosecutors characterize certainly in different ways, are either these orgies that women are forced to participate in, or it's a prudish government snooping into somebody's private bedroom activities.

And yet it does do an injustice because the freak-offs, which the defense and prosecutors characterize certainly in different ways, are either these orgies that women are forced to participate in, or it's a prudish government snooping into somebody's private bedroom activities.

Yep. And the case in some ways turns on how our sensibilities about sexual assault have evolved, right? Because we now have a more discerning sense of what it means to consent or not, or to be put in situations where consent is possible or not. And I think we as a society may look differently upon that type of argument than we would have 20 years ago.

Yep. And the case in some ways turns on how our sensibilities about sexual assault have evolved, right? Because we now have a more discerning sense of what it means to consent or not, or to be put in situations where consent is possible or not. And I think we as a society may look differently upon that type of argument than we would have 20 years ago.

According to prosecutors, there was no consent. These women had no choice. They were drugged. They were held against their will. There's a kidnapping that's part of this. There's an awful lot of deviant behavior that's described in the indictment.

According to prosecutors, there was no consent. These women had no choice. They were drugged. They were held against their will. There's a kidnapping that's part of this. There's an awful lot of deviant behavior that's described in the indictment.

And just the idea that he's charged with racketeering conspiracy means federal prosecutors are treating him like a mob family. He is an entity, a criminal entity in the eyes of prosecutors unto himself. And the whole purpose of this criminal enterprise that they allege Sean Combs to be is to gather up women and use them, coerce them for Combs' own sexual pleasures.

And just the idea that he's charged with racketeering conspiracy means federal prosecutors are treating him like a mob family. He is an entity, a criminal entity in the eyes of prosecutors unto himself. And the whole purpose of this criminal enterprise that they allege Sean Combs to be is to gather up women and use them, coerce them for Combs' own sexual pleasures.

And it's a pretty powerful example, not only of the control that Diddy could allegedly exert, but also the power that he had to give orders.

And it's a pretty powerful example, not only of the control that Diddy could allegedly exert, but also the power that he had to give orders.

You have to believe Cassie Ventura is the star witness, right? Because there she is on video being punched and kicked and dragged in the hallway of a hotel in Los Angeles by Sean Combs. And that, to prosecutors, is almost where the case starts and ends. But the defense is saying that that video does not depict what we think it does. It depicts the end of an otherwise loving relationship.

You have to believe Cassie Ventura is the star witness, right? Because there she is on video being punched and kicked and dragged in the hallway of a hotel in Los Angeles by Sean Combs. And that, to prosecutors, is almost where the case starts and ends. But the defense is saying that that video does not depict what we think it does. It depicts the end of an otherwise loving relationship.