(Zero Hedge)—The high-profile sex trafficking case against Sean “Diddy” Combs has taken a stunning turn; one of the prosecution’s key witnesses has mysteriously gone missing just days before opening statements are set to begin.
Federal prosecutors told a Manhattan judge this week that they’ve been unable to reach “Victim 3,” a central figure expected to deliver bombshell testimony against the hip-hop mogul.
The missing woman, who does not reside in New York, had planned to testify without using a pseudonym and was prepared to detail “very personal and explosive” abuse she allegedly endured at the hands of Combs, according to the Daily Mail.
Maurene Comey – daughter of former FBI Director James Comey and a member of the prosecution team – informed U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian that efforts (or ‘efforts’) to contact the woman and her lawyer have so far failed.
Prosecutors admitted that if they can’t locate her soon, Victim 3 may not take the stand at all.
Combs’ defense attorney, Teny Geragos, demanded clarity by week’s end, pressing the court for a final decision on whether the witness will be called to testify.
Two other accusers, identified as Victim 2 and Victim 4, have been cleared to testify under pseudonyms during the upcoming trial.
Combs, 55, faces a mountain of federal charges alleging he ran his businesses like a criminal empire — orchestrating a slew of serious crimes including kidnapping, arson, bribery, and sex trafficking.
Prosecutors say the Bad Boy Records founder used his star power and deep pockets to trap young women in nightmarish abuse, including so-called “Freak Offs” — drug-fueled orgies where women were allegedly coerced into sex acts with male sex workers as Combs recorded the encounters.
If convicted on all counts, Combs could spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Sources say the hip-hop mogul turned down a plea deal from prosecutors last week.
Jury selection for the blockbuster trial is ongoing, with both sides expected to finalize which jurors they’ll strike from the pool by Friday.
Stay tuned…
