Sean “Diddy” Combs was sharply reprimanded by a U.S. federal judge for attempting to influence the jury through nonverbal gestures during his ongoing sex trafficking trial.
The courtroom moment came as tensions rose during a critical witness cross-examination.
Courtroom Conduct Called Into Question
Presiding Judge Arun Subramanian did not mince words while addressing Combs’ courtroom behavior. According to the judge, the music mogul had been making exaggerated expressions and nodding in response to testimony, directly toward members of the jury—an act strictly prohibited during trial proceedings.
“I was very clear, there should be no facial expressions to the jury,” Judge Subramanian stated firmly to Combs’ legal team. “I could not have been clearer. There was a line of questioning where your client was nodding vigorously and looking at the jury.”
Calling the behavior “unacceptable,” the judge warned that any further attempts to engage or communicate with jurors—even silently—could have serious consequences. “There should be no efforts to have any interactions with this jury. If it happens again, I will give an instruction to the jury, or it could result in the exclusion of your client from the courtroom,” he said.
Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, responded immediately, promising it would not be repeated: “Not going to happen again.”
Key Witness Returns to Stand
The warning came during the continued testimony of Bryana Bongolan, a longtime friend of Cassie Ventura, Combs’ former partner. Bongolan was called back for further questioning, where she reaffirmed her prior statement that Combs once dangled her over a 17th-floor balcony in 2016.
The incident allegedly took place in Ventura’s Los Angeles apartment. According to Bongolan, the music executive, who faces multiple federal charges, lifted her and placed her atop the railing in a moment of rage. “Combs came behind me, lifted me up and had me on top of the rail,” she testified on June 4. “I was trying not to slip, pushing back on him because I was scared I was going to fall.”
She added that Combs was yelling aggressively: “He was yelling at me. He was saying, ‘You know what the f–k you did.’ I had no idea what he was talking about. I said, ‘I don’t know what I did.’ He was yelling loud.”
Defense Disputes Timeline
Combs, who has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and other serious offenses, has denied the allegations. His defense team attempted to discredit Bongolan’s claims, suggesting through attorney Nicole Westmoreland that Combs was in New York at the time of the alleged balcony incident.
Still, Bongolan stood by her testimony. “I have no doubt,” she told jurors, reinforcing that Combs was the one who held her over the railing.
High-Stakes Trial Continues
The trial is drawing nationwide attention, with prosecutors aiming to prove that Combs was at the center of a network involved in sex trafficking and coercion. As witness testimony continues, the judge’s warning indicates that the courtroom will remain tightly controlled, with no tolerance for attempts to sway the jury—overt or otherwise.
Combs remains free on bond but risks removal from the courtroom should he repeat the behavior that prompted the judge’s stern warning.
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