Key witness in Diddy's trial codenamed "Victim-3" goes missing after pledging to testify against the rapper

Diddy's s*x trafficking trial began with jury selection on May 5, 2025. The case has made headlines once again, with one of the key witnesses in the case having gone missing.

According to a report by Deadline dated April 11, 2025, as of April 10, 2025, the U.S Attorney's office for the Southern District of New York was unable to re-establish contact with the key witness, referred to as Victim-3.

The publication mentioned that Victim-3 had pledged to testify against Sean "Diddy" Combs in the trial. She was expected to address the jury on how the rapper allegedly s*xually exploited her, according to her claims.

As per Fox News' report dated May 10, 2025, the prosecution lost communication with the victim and made significant efforts to locate her.

Attorney John J. Perlstein commented on the situation and told Fox News Digital that the disappearance of an important victim at trial "is crippling for the prosecution." The attorney added:

"I doubt it impacts other counts; however, it will severely impact the one relating to the AWOL victim. A lot of times, people reconsider wanting to be involved in such a high-profile matter. Good prosecutors will adapt and, hopefully, their case is not dependent on the cooperation of one person."

As per Deadline's May 11, 2025, report, law enforcement sources suggested that Victim-3 might have disappeared owing to concern for her safety. Meanwhile, the defense refused to comment on what her absence might mean for the outcome of the trial.

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What happened on the first day of Diddy's s*x trafficking trial? Details explored

Sean Combs' high-profile trial, in which he faces felony charges of s*x trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for pr*stitution, began on May 12, 2025. The prosecutors claimed that there was another side to the rapper, accusing him of running "a criminal enterprise", as reported by The Guardian.

The prosecution further alleged that Diddy "committed crime after crime" over more than 20 years. They mentioned that their strategy comprises accounts by 3 women, including the rapper's former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, and 2 Jane Does.

A key element of the prosecution's case is the 2016 assault on Ventura by Sean Combs in a Los Angeles hotel. The surveillance footage of the incident was released by CNN in May 2024.

It was alleged that the rapper's chief of staff tried to "broker a deal" with the hotel to suppress the footage. Additionally, one of the women expected to testify is a former employee of the rapper who has accused Sean Combs of s*xually assaulting her on multiple occasions.

Meanwhile, Diddy's lawyer, Teny Geragos, began her opening statement by dubbing her client "a complicated man", adding that the case wasn't complicated.

"Sean Combs is a complicated man. But this is not a complicated case. This case is about love, jealousy, infidelity and money," she said.

Geragos argued that prosecutors were trying to portray Sean Combs' consensual s*xual relationships as s*x trafficking. She further added that the rapper and his girlfriends had a "swingers lifestyle."

Commenting on the prosecution's strategy, Geragos said:

“It will not work. This case is about Sean Combs’s private, personal s*x life, which has nothing to do with his lawful businesses.”

Diddy's lawyer further mentioned how the women in his life were strong, capable, and in love with him. She acknowledged that the evidence may depict Sean Combs as a "very flawed individual." However, she argued that it won't showcase "a racketeer, a sex trafficker or somebody transporting for prostitution”.

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Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges levied against him. Additionally, he rejected a plea deal offered during his final pre-trial hearing. If convicted, Diddy might face the punishment of life imprisonment.