Sean “Diddy” Combs faced a legal challenge as he gears up for trial in his racketeering and sexual crimes case next year.

On Monday, Judge Arun Subramanian announced a decision reported by YSL News, rejecting Combs’ request from October for a hearing to explore claims that the government leaked case details, including a video allegedly showing him assaulting his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, in 2016.

Judge Subramanian stated, “Combs has not proven that the government leaked (the video) to CNN. He suggests that ‘the most likely source of the leak is the government,’ but doesn’t provide adequate evidence to support this claim.” He also mentioned that arguments linking the Department of Homeland Security to the leaked footage shown on CNN were unconvincing.

The judge supported the prosecution’s argument that they had no access to the footage before it was aired by CNN.

YSL News has contacted Combs’ representative for a statement.

In their October submission, the team representing the 55-year-old hip-hop artist alleged that the government had been “strategically leaking sensitive grand jury materials and information, including the 2016 video, to sway public opinion and potential jurors against Mr. Combs” since March.

This action has allegedly fostered “public hostility towards Mr. Combs ahead of the trial,” they claimed.

In response to Combs’ lawyers expressing concerns over unidentified sources mentioned in media reports about the criminal proceedings, the judge stated that such claims were irrelevant because these comments did not disclose “specific facts from the grand jury proceedings,” which are kept confidential.

Additionally, he noted that “only government attorneys or agents with whom grand jury materials are shared must adhere to the confidentiality rules.”

Judge emphasizes no ‘trial by media’ for Diddy’s case

Judge Subramanian concluded his ruling by emphasizing that all involved must comply with the laws that prevent attorneys, investigators, and government officials from disclosing grand jury proceedings or private information that could compromise a fair trial. He warned, “Action will be taken” if “evidence emerges showing that they leaked restricted information.”

The judge acknowledged Combs’s apprehension regarding news reports claiming to reveal inside information sourced from unidentified ‘federal law enforcement sources involved in the investigation.’ He indicated that previous measures had been implemented to address these concerns and expressed willingness to consider specific requests for relief as the case moves forward.

He reiterated, “Whether or not the government can prove Combs’s guilt will depend on the evidence presented at trial, not through a ‘trial by media.'”

Three weeks earlier, the same judge denied Combs’ request for release on bond.

Combs remains incarcerated and has a trial set to begin on May 5, 2025. He has consistently proclaimed his innocence against over two dozen growing civil lawsuits filed in the past year, accusing him of rape, trafficking, and sexual misconduct spanning from the 1990s to 2022. In September, he entered a not guilty plea to charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution.

If you or anyone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline provides free, confidential support 24/7 for victims and their families in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org, and en Español RAINN.org/es.