Diddy supporters criticised for pouring baby oil over themselves following verdict

Diddy supporters criticised for pouring baby oil over themselves following verdict

Supporters of Sean “Diddy” Combs have been criticised after pouring baby oil over themselves following the verdict.On Wednesday (2 July), jurors in the high-profile sex-trafficking case of rapper Diddy reached a verdict, finding him guilty on two of the five counts he was charged with.The music mogul was found guilty of two charges of transportation for purposes of prostitution.For the most serious charge of racketeering, the 55-year-old was found not guilty, and it appears to have given his supporters cause for celebration.After the verdict was read out, Diddy fans and bloggers who had gathered outside the courthouse in New York began celebrating by pouring baby oil over one another.Baby oil became infamous following police raids on Diddy’s homes, when large quantities of baby oil seized were believed to have been used in his so-called “freak off” parties.A reporter for NBC News shared a video on X/Twitter of fans in New York jubilating outside court.“Combs’ supporters are spraying baby oil on each other outside of the courthouse,” he wrote.Other clips recorded from YouTube Live also showed fans with their shirts off and their bodies covered with baby oil.One person wrote: “Diddy’s supporters turned the courthouse steps into a full-blown spectacle, rubbing on baby oil and partying hard after the verdict was announced.“The energy was wild, raw, and completely unapologetic.”Another wrote: “Incredibly weird, embarrassing, gross individuals.”Someone else said: “America the worst reality show there is.”Diddy was denied bail by the judge, meaning he would not walk free from prison.

7/4/2025 7:06:00 PM

Sean 'Diddy' Combs Cleared of Most Serious Charges, Remains in Jail for Now

Sean "Diddy" Combs' will remain behind bars for now, a judge ruled on Wednesday, after the music mogul was cleared of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have put him behind bars for life but found guilty of lesser prostitution-related offenses.In rejecting the defense's request for bail, U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian said prosecutors had presented ample evidence at Combs' trial that he had committed violent acts and should remain in jail until his sentencing on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution."It is impossible for the defendant to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that he poses no danger," Subramanian said during a hearing in Manhattan federal court hours after the verdict.The seven-week trial focused on allegations that Combs forced two of his former girlfriends to partake in drug-fueled, days-long sexual performances sometimes known as "Freak Offs" with male sex workers in hotel rooms while Combs watched, masturbated and occasionally filmed.Both women - the rhythm and blues singer Casandra "Cassie" Ventura, and a woman known in court by the pseudonym Jane - testified that he beat them and threatened to withhold financial support or leak sexually explicit images of them.As Subramanian denied bail, Combs stared straight ahead and one of his family members in the courtroom gallery hung their head.It was a far cry from the jubilant reaction after the verdict.“I’m gonna be home soon,” Combs said, prompting applause and cheers from his family and supporters. “Thank you, I love you.”The 12-member jury unanimously acquitted Combs of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking Ventura and Jane. The Bad Boy Records founder could have faced life in prison if convicted on those counts.Combs, once famed for hosting lavish parties for the cultural elite in luxurious locales like the Hamptons and Saint-Tropez, had pleaded not guilty to all five counts.The verdict was overall a win for Combs, a former billionaire known for elevating hip-hop in American culture."It's a great victory for Sean Combs, it's a great victory for the jury system," defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo told reporters.Under federal law, Combs faces up to 10 years in prison on each of the two prostitution counts. But prosecutors acknowledged in a court filing that federal sentencing guidelines appeared to recommend a sentence of at most 5-1/4 years total, well below the statutory maximum.Combs' lawyers argued that two years would be the outer limit.The judge suggested sentencing Combs on October 3, but will consider a defense request for an earlier date.Prosecutors argued Combs should remain in jail because he remained a danger, pointing to Jane's trial testimony that he assaulted her in June 2024 while aware he was under investigation."He's an extremely violent man with an extraordinarily dangerous temper who has shown no remorse," prosecutor Maurene Comey said in court.The jury's acquittal on the most serious charges signaled that the prosecution failed to draw a direct line between Combs' abuse of Ventura and Jane and their participation in the sexual performances.The defense acknowledged that Combs engaged in domestic violence, but argued that Ventura and Jane were strong, independent women who consensually took part in the sexual performances because they wanted to please Combs.Sarah Krissoff, a former federal prosecutor in Manhattan, said the jury may have viewed Combs' conduct as evidence of toxic romantic relationships, but not sex trafficking.In a statement after the verdict, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel said sex crimes were "all too present" across society and that Americans wanted it to stop.Combs still faces dozens of civil lawsuits accusing him of abuse. Ventura sued him in November 2023 for sex trafficking, and they settled a day later for $20 million.Combs, once feted for turning artists like Notorious B.I.G. and Usher into stars, has denied all wrongdoing.After the verdict, Ventura's lawyer Douglas Wigdor said in a statement that she had "paved the way" for Combs' conviction on the prostitution counts.

7/3/2025 9:30:00 AM

Australia says it cancelled Kanye West's visa over 'Heil Hitler' song

Kanye West, also known as Ye, has had his Australian visa cancelled after he released “Heil Hitler”, a song promoting Nazism, the country’s home affairs minister said on Wednesday.The U.S. rapper released the song that praised the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler across social media and music streaming platforms in May this year.The song came a few months after West made a string of antisemitic posts on X, which included comments such as "I love Hitler" and "I'm a Nazi".Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said that while previous offensive comments made by West had not affected his visa status, officials “looked at it again” after the song’s release.“It was a lower level (visa) and the officials still looked at the law and said you're going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism, we don't need that in Australia," he told national broadcaster ABC on Wednesday."We have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry."Burke added that West had family in Australia and had been a longtime visitor prior to the visa cancellation. The singer married his wife Bianca Censori, an Australian architect, in December 2022.Burke's office declined to comment on the exact date of the visa cancellation. West's management did not respond immediately to a request for comment outside U.S. business hours.In October 2024, U.S. conservative influencer Candace Owens was also barred from entry into Australia. Burke said “Australia's national interest is best served when Candace Owens is somewhere else”.

7/2/2025 1:22:00 PM

Jury considers verdict in Sean Combs sex trafficking trial

Jurors on Monday started deliberating on whether Sean "Diddy" Combs used his celebrity, wealth and business empire to set up a decades-long criminal ring that allegedly saw him force women into drug-fueled sexual performances with escorts.After the judge completed his instructions, the jury in New York began the task of weighing evidence from phone and financial records, and 34 people who testified against Combs over the past seven weeks.Combs, 55, faces life in prison if convicted on five federal charges that include racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation for purposes of prostitution.The producer and entrepreneur, once one of the most powerful people in the music industry, denies the charges.On Friday, his lawyer vied to skewer the credibility of his accusers -- namely two women he dated for years -- saying they were out for money, while rejecting any notion that the musician led a criminal ring.But in their final argument, prosecutors tore into the defense, saying Combs's team had "contorted the facts endlessly."Prosecutor Maurene Comey told jurors that by the time Combs had committed his clearest-cut offenses, "he was so far past the line he couldn't even see it.""In his mind he was untouchable," she told the court. "The defendant never thought that the women he abused would have the courage to speak out loud what he had done to them.""That ends in this courtroom," she said. "The defendant is not a god."Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo scoffed at the picture painted by prosecutors of a violent, domineering man who fostered "a climate of fear."Combs is a "self-made, successful Black entrepreneur" who had romantic relationships that were "complicated" but consensual, Agnifilo said.The defense has conceded that Combs at times beat his partners -- but insisted the domestic violence does not amount to the sex trafficking or racketeering he is charged with.Key to the prosecution's case were witnesses Casandra Ventura and a woman who testified under the pseudonym Jane, both of whom described abuse, threats and coercive sex in wrenching detail.In their closing arguments the defense dissected their accounts and at times even mocked them, insisting the women were adults making choices that were best for them.Prosecutor Comey snapped back at that notion, saying the women were "manipulated" into "brazen" acts of sex trafficking.Ventura and Jane both said they experienced emotional manipulation and threats that made them feel obliged to meet Combs's sexual demands.Throughout the trial, jurors were shown voluminous phone records, including messages from both women that Agnifilo argued implied consent.But prosecutors said those messages did not paint the whole picture, and referenced testimony from a forensic psychologist who explained to jurors how victims become ensnared by abusers.Central to their case is the claim that Combs led a criminal enterprise of senior employees who "existed to serve his needs" and enforced his power with offenses including forced labor, kidnapping, bribery, witness tampering and arson.But Agnifilo underscored that none of those individuals testified against Combs, nor were they named as co-conspirators.Many witnesses were given immunity orders so they could speak without fear of incriminating themselves.To convict Combs on racketeering, jurors must find that prosecutors showed beyond reasonable doubt that he agreed with people within his organization to commit at least two of the eight crimes forming the racketeering charge.The eight men and four women must reach a unanimous decision, reaching either a guilty or not guilty verdict on each count.

6/30/2025 7:38:58 PM

Brad Pitt's 'F1' cruises to top of N.America box office

"F1: The Movie," starring Brad Pitt as a washed up Formula One driver who gets one last shot at redemption, sped to the top of the North American box office in its debut weekend with $55.6 million in ticket sales, industry estimates showed Sunday."This is an outstanding opening for an original action sports drama," said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research, noting that both critics and audiences have loved the racing film from Apple and Warner Bros."How to Train Your Dragon," Universal and DreamWorks Animation's live-action reboot of the popular 2010 film, slipped to second place with $19.4 million, according to Exhibitor Relations.The family-friendly film tells the story of a Viking named Hiccup (Mason Thames) who strikes up a friendship with Toothless the dragon.In third place was Disney/Pixar Animation's latest original film "Elio," at $10.7 million in the United States and Canada."Elio" tells the story of a young boy who is mistaken by aliens as an intergalactic ambassador for Earth. The voice cast includes Oscar winner Zoe Saldana."M3GAN 2.0," the sequel to Universal's 2022 film about a murderous doll, opened in a disappointing fourth place with $10.2 million. "The idea of a child-sized humanoid robot doll powered by AI generated a lot of interest the first time, but that interest has fallen apart," Gross said.In fifth place was Columbia Pictures' zombie sequel "28 Years Later," which took in $9.7 million.Critics' reviews and audience ratings have been strong for the Danny Boyle-directed threequel, which picks up -- as the title suggests -- more than a generation after the initial outbreak of the Rage Virus.

6/30/2025 8:53:00 AM

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Diddy supporters criticised for pouring baby oil over themselves following verdict

Supporters of Sean “Diddy” Combs have been criticised after pouring baby oil over themselves following the verdict.On Wednesday (2 July), jurors in the high-profile sex-trafficking case of rapper Diddy reached a verdict, finding him guilty on two of the five counts he was charged with.The music mogul was found guilty of two charges of transportation for purposes of prostitution.For the most serious charge of racketeering, the 55-year-old was found not guilty, and it appears to have given his supporters cause for celebration.After the verdict was read out, Diddy fans and bloggers who had gathered outside the courthouse in New York began celebrating by pouring baby oil over one another.Baby oil became infamous following police raids on Diddy’s homes, when large quantities of baby oil seized were believed to have been used in his so-called “freak off” parties.A reporter for NBC News shared a video on X/Twitter of fans in New York jubilating outside court.“Combs’ supporters are spraying baby oil on each other outside of the courthouse,” he wrote.Other clips recorded from YouTube Live also showed fans with their shirts off and their bodies covered with baby oil.One person wrote: “Diddy’s supporters turned the courthouse steps into a full-blown spectacle, rubbing on baby oil and partying hard after the verdict was announced.“The energy was wild, raw, and completely unapologetic.”Another wrote: “Incredibly weird, embarrassing, gross individuals.”Someone else said: “America the worst reality show there is.”Diddy was denied bail by the judge, meaning he would not walk free from prison.

7/4/2025 7:06:00 PM

Sean 'Diddy' Combs Cleared of Most Serious Charges, Remains in Jail for Now

Sean "Diddy" Combs' will remain behind bars for now, a judge ruled on Wednesday, after the music mogul was cleared of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have put him behind bars for life but found guilty of lesser prostitution-related offenses.In rejecting the defense's request for bail, U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian said prosecutors had presented ample evidence at Combs' trial that he had committed violent acts and should remain in jail until his sentencing on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution."It is impossible for the defendant to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that he poses no danger," Subramanian said during a hearing in Manhattan federal court hours after the verdict.The seven-week trial focused on allegations that Combs forced two of his former girlfriends to partake in drug-fueled, days-long sexual performances sometimes known as "Freak Offs" with male sex workers in hotel rooms while Combs watched, masturbated and occasionally filmed.Both women - the rhythm and blues singer Casandra "Cassie" Ventura, and a woman known in court by the pseudonym Jane - testified that he beat them and threatened to withhold financial support or leak sexually explicit images of them.As Subramanian denied bail, Combs stared straight ahead and one of his family members in the courtroom gallery hung their head.It was a far cry from the jubilant reaction after the verdict.“I’m gonna be home soon,” Combs said, prompting applause and cheers from his family and supporters. “Thank you, I love you.”The 12-member jury unanimously acquitted Combs of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking Ventura and Jane. The Bad Boy Records founder could have faced life in prison if convicted on those counts.Combs, once famed for hosting lavish parties for the cultural elite in luxurious locales like the Hamptons and Saint-Tropez, had pleaded not guilty to all five counts.The verdict was overall a win for Combs, a former billionaire known for elevating hip-hop in American culture."It's a great victory for Sean Combs, it's a great victory for the jury system," defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo told reporters.Under federal law, Combs faces up to 10 years in prison on each of the two prostitution counts. But prosecutors acknowledged in a court filing that federal sentencing guidelines appeared to recommend a sentence of at most 5-1/4 years total, well below the statutory maximum.Combs' lawyers argued that two years would be the outer limit.The judge suggested sentencing Combs on October 3, but will consider a defense request for an earlier date.Prosecutors argued Combs should remain in jail because he remained a danger, pointing to Jane's trial testimony that he assaulted her in June 2024 while aware he was under investigation."He's an extremely violent man with an extraordinarily dangerous temper who has shown no remorse," prosecutor Maurene Comey said in court.The jury's acquittal on the most serious charges signaled that the prosecution failed to draw a direct line between Combs' abuse of Ventura and Jane and their participation in the sexual performances.The defense acknowledged that Combs engaged in domestic violence, but argued that Ventura and Jane were strong, independent women who consensually took part in the sexual performances because they wanted to please Combs.Sarah Krissoff, a former federal prosecutor in Manhattan, said the jury may have viewed Combs' conduct as evidence of toxic romantic relationships, but not sex trafficking.In a statement after the verdict, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel said sex crimes were "all too present" across society and that Americans wanted it to stop.Combs still faces dozens of civil lawsuits accusing him of abuse. Ventura sued him in November 2023 for sex trafficking, and they settled a day later for $20 million.Combs, once feted for turning artists like Notorious B.I.G. and Usher into stars, has denied all wrongdoing.After the verdict, Ventura's lawyer Douglas Wigdor said in a statement that she had "paved the way" for Combs' conviction on the prostitution counts.

7/3/2025 9:30:00 AM

Australia says it cancelled Kanye West's visa over 'Heil Hitler' song

Kanye West, also known as Ye, has had his Australian visa cancelled after he released “Heil Hitler”, a song promoting Nazism, the country’s home affairs minister said on Wednesday.The U.S. rapper released the song that praised the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler across social media and music streaming platforms in May this year.The song came a few months after West made a string of antisemitic posts on X, which included comments such as "I love Hitler" and "I'm a Nazi".Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said that while previous offensive comments made by West had not affected his visa status, officials “looked at it again” after the song’s release.“It was a lower level (visa) and the officials still looked at the law and said you're going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism, we don't need that in Australia," he told national broadcaster ABC on Wednesday."We have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry."Burke added that West had family in Australia and had been a longtime visitor prior to the visa cancellation. The singer married his wife Bianca Censori, an Australian architect, in December 2022.Burke's office declined to comment on the exact date of the visa cancellation. West's management did not respond immediately to a request for comment outside U.S. business hours.In October 2024, U.S. conservative influencer Candace Owens was also barred from entry into Australia. Burke said “Australia's national interest is best served when Candace Owens is somewhere else”.

7/2/2025 1:22:00 PM

Jury considers verdict in Sean Combs sex trafficking trial

Jurors on Monday started deliberating on whether Sean "Diddy" Combs used his celebrity, wealth and business empire to set up a decades-long criminal ring that allegedly saw him force women into drug-fueled sexual performances with escorts.After the judge completed his instructions, the jury in New York began the task of weighing evidence from phone and financial records, and 34 people who testified against Combs over the past seven weeks.Combs, 55, faces life in prison if convicted on five federal charges that include racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation for purposes of prostitution.The producer and entrepreneur, once one of the most powerful people in the music industry, denies the charges.On Friday, his lawyer vied to skewer the credibility of his accusers -- namely two women he dated for years -- saying they were out for money, while rejecting any notion that the musician led a criminal ring.But in their final argument, prosecutors tore into the defense, saying Combs's team had "contorted the facts endlessly."Prosecutor Maurene Comey told jurors that by the time Combs had committed his clearest-cut offenses, "he was so far past the line he couldn't even see it.""In his mind he was untouchable," she told the court. "The defendant never thought that the women he abused would have the courage to speak out loud what he had done to them.""That ends in this courtroom," she said. "The defendant is not a god."Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo scoffed at the picture painted by prosecutors of a violent, domineering man who fostered "a climate of fear."Combs is a "self-made, successful Black entrepreneur" who had romantic relationships that were "complicated" but consensual, Agnifilo said.The defense has conceded that Combs at times beat his partners -- but insisted the domestic violence does not amount to the sex trafficking or racketeering he is charged with.Key to the prosecution's case were witnesses Casandra Ventura and a woman who testified under the pseudonym Jane, both of whom described abuse, threats and coercive sex in wrenching detail.In their closing arguments the defense dissected their accounts and at times even mocked them, insisting the women were adults making choices that were best for them.Prosecutor Comey snapped back at that notion, saying the women were "manipulated" into "brazen" acts of sex trafficking.Ventura and Jane both said they experienced emotional manipulation and threats that made them feel obliged to meet Combs's sexual demands.Throughout the trial, jurors were shown voluminous phone records, including messages from both women that Agnifilo argued implied consent.But prosecutors said those messages did not paint the whole picture, and referenced testimony from a forensic psychologist who explained to jurors how victims become ensnared by abusers.Central to their case is the claim that Combs led a criminal enterprise of senior employees who "existed to serve his needs" and enforced his power with offenses including forced labor, kidnapping, bribery, witness tampering and arson.But Agnifilo underscored that none of those individuals testified against Combs, nor were they named as co-conspirators.Many witnesses were given immunity orders so they could speak without fear of incriminating themselves.To convict Combs on racketeering, jurors must find that prosecutors showed beyond reasonable doubt that he agreed with people within his organization to commit at least two of the eight crimes forming the racketeering charge.The eight men and four women must reach a unanimous decision, reaching either a guilty or not guilty verdict on each count.

6/30/2025 7:38:58 PM

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