Sean “Diddy” Combs on Thursday formally declined a plea deal from federal prosecutors that would have allowed him to avoid a lengthy prison sentence.
“Yes, I do, your honor,” Combs responded when U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian asked if he was rejecting the government’s offer.
Combs now faces trial beginning Monday, with jury selection set to start that morning. He stands accused of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and prostitution. Prosecutors allege the music mogul orchestrated a criminal enterprise that involved coercing women into extended sexual encounters he reportedly referred to as “freak-offs.”