In a sign of how serious the disgraceful entrepreneur is making assets forfeiture efforts, his lawyer hired former senior Justice Department official, USA Today, as a consultant.
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Sean Combs’ ex-girlfriend, Kathy, was in the position on the third day of the trial, explaining Combs’ physical, sexual and psychological abuse.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ 1997 hit “It’s All a Benjamins” sums up the good life of rap moguls and the greedy thirst of rich wealth.
Becoming a successful entrepreneur in music, fashion, liquor and other fields made Combs a big name. He bought everything, including private jets, exotic cars, mansions on both coasts.
Now, Combs is facing a ju trial that allows him to be sent to prison for life, and is fighting the Imperial Department of Justice forfeiture that he claims to have been used as part of a criminal assault company from 2008 to the present.
Combs and his defense team have denied all allegations against him, characterising them as unfounded “money hands.” He pleaded not guilty to federal charges of sex trafficking, assault and transport to engage in prostitution.
However, amid signs that disgraceful entrepreneurs are making efforts to confiscate assets, his lawyer hired former vice chief of the Department of Justice’s Asset Formulation and Money Laundering section, USA Today learned.
Stephen Caserra, who served as an expert witness and consultant in law enforcement and authored two books on the topic, trained thousands of prosecutors and federal law enforcement agencies in the United States and abroad.
Cassella said she could not comment on the details of the case due to involvement in the case. But broadly speaking, he told USA Today that by charging combs under the Racketeer-influenced organizational law, or the corrupt organizational law, influenced by Rico, the government is taking a proactive approach to seizing as many combs assets as possible.
“The Rico confiscation is intended to be very broad and therefore has important consequences for the comb,” Cassella said in an exclusive interview. “So it’s going to be summed up in something that can prove they’re part of a company.”
Prosecutors declined to comment, citing the ongoing case.
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“A very widely spoken claim of forfeiture.”
In many RICOs, prosecutors have very specific allegations of “tools” being used as part of a suspected company.
However, amidst ominous signs of the prosecutor’s intentions, he said that the court documents related to Combs’ indictment essentially target all his business and personal assets.
“They are writing very widely spoken claims of forfeiture,” Trusty said. “It’s so vague and so broad that you’d think the defense will push for the detailed bill,” or a more specific explanation of what the Fed is looking for.
One thing that’s certain is that the flashy cars, houses and planes that Combs has accumulated are in the crosshairs of prosecutors, and that any of his companies can be broadly interpreted as part of an assaulting company in a small way.
For example, if the attack occurred in a record studio, it could represent that not only the studio, but also the record company combs were paying for music artists.
If Combs is convicted, the ju judge must decide how much of his empire is subject to forfeiture, according to the collapse of the Cassella, Trusty, Department of Justice Act by Cornell Law School’s Institute of Legal Information, as well as the RICO and Asset Formulation Act.
So how much is a comb worth? What does the government explicitly want? And after years of comb, is his assets trying to protect himself from the growing accusations of criminal misconduct?
Still wealthy, but now worth almost half of it: Forbes
In 2024, Forbes Magazine estimated Combs’ net worth was $400 million. This is a significant drop from the 2019 $740 million figure. Both Combs and his team claimed he was a billionaire, he said, despite Forbes not providing documents to support his claim.
According to published documents and news reports, Combs’ most valuable personal ownership could be a 17,000-square-foot, 10-bedroom mansion in Los Angeles’ Tony Holmby Hills section, a 17,000-square-foot 10-bedroom residence valued at over $61 million. It was attacked as part of a criminal investigation and was sold last September.
Combs also owns a 9,600-square-foot home on Lake Toluca, just northwest of the Hollywood Sign. And he owns a $48 million mansion on 2 West Star Island in Miami and an adjacent facility on 1 West Star Island. On August 20, 2024, Combs paid off his $18.9 million mortgage, so he could secure two Weststars as collateral in his failed efforts to get bail and leave prison while awaiting trial, documents show.
Combs also owns a G550 jet worth more than $25 million, known as Loveair, and he also seeks sales to pay huge legal fees.
It is also potentially open to confiscation: Combs’ Bad Boy Records has been generating money from recording and music publishing rights since it launched its company in 1993.
Combs is not known to own “The Giant Size Picasso,” which he sings on his hits. However, he is believed to have an extensive art collection, including works by Jean Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring.
In 2018 he was revealed for $21.1 million as a mystery buyer for the famous painting “Age of the Past” by Kelly James Marshall.
His fleet of at least 20 luxury cars once included the super-luxury Mercedes known as the Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maybach.
His Empire’s 2023 “rebranding” became globally combs
In February 2023, Combs announced that it was “after 30 years of entrepreneurial success with a well-known brand.”.
Combs said “a groundbreaking acquisition of becoming a vertically integrated diverse operator owned by the largest minority in the cannabis industry” for $185 million, more accurately reflecting his ambitious vision for the future.
Founded in 2013, Combs Enterprises included New York-based Bad Boy Entertainment, Combs Wines and Spirits, Aquahydrate Water Firm, Revolt Media, Sean John Fashion and Fragrances, Capital Preparatory Charter Schools, and Sean Combs Foundation.
Over the years, we have expanded to include new business units and ventures such as Empower Global, a focus on R&B, our fair share, and Love Records.
“Combs Global is the next chapter in my journey as a business leader and represents a big vision to build the largest portfolio of leading black brands in the world,” says Combs. “I joined a world-class team of top executives, specialists and strategic partners to realize this new dream and put us in the best position to continue making history while leading this industry-wide 30 years of domination.”
The Combs Empire begins to collapse
In November 2023, Combs’ empire began to collapse following allegations of rape, beat and abuse by former girlfriend Cassie, also known as Casandra Ventura Fine.
Combs’ partnerships have also ended in Love Records, Capital Preparatory Schools, and Empower Global Online Black Business Marketplace. And the cannabis venture ultimately failed due to complications of the merger.
What does the government want?
Prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, or Manhattan, have not sealed the charges against the comb. The other alleged suspect, Cocon splicer, is being charged under seal.
However, the indictment also mentions Combs’ business, which is “headquarted at various times in Manhattan and Los Angeles,” under a variety of US-based corporate entities, including Bad Boy Entertainment, Combs Enterprises and Combs Global.
Collectively, all of these are called “Combs Business.” It also avoids certain entities, but includes, among other things, record labels, recording studios, apparel lines, alcohol spirits businesses, marketing agencies, television networks and media companies.
According to federal law, anything confiscated following a criminal conviction could be used to help some or all of those allegedly victimized by combs.
But both Cassella and Trusty said federal RICO laws are designed to punish convicted people rather than compensate victims. For example, it does not include headlines that earn millions of dollars headlines for the pain, suffering and reputational damage caused by the general defendant in a civil suit such as that brought about by Ventura Fine.
Instead, criminal cases victims are eligible to use the assets forfeiture funds for medical and funeral costs if death is involved.
“What they actually owes under the law is not a full picture of compensation,” he said. “The criminal law was “not as vast as the civil law” when it came to creating an entire victim of criminal activity.
Victims of COMB’s criminal acts can seek the percentage of assets that have been confiscated through civil lawsuits and prosecutions, Cassella said. To date, more than 70 lawsuits have been filed against Comb, many of whom alleged sexual abuse.
In the case of Combs, the prosecutors and FBI investigators may be looking for assets that the music mogul who fought in recent years may have hidden, especially as his legal issues have arisen.
Combs himself may have hinted at a 1997 hit that helped him start his rap career years later as a producer and Imprezario, and he may have hinted at a tendency to hide money.
“And leave your will that you don’t have now,” Combs sings in “Everything about Benjamin.” “But don’t knock me to try and fill the 7-zero in Rio de Jayneely.”
(This story has been updated to meet our standards.)
Josh Meyer is a veteran correspondent focusing on domestic, national and global security issues, including cross-border criminal organizations.. I’ll reach him with jmeyer@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @Joshmeyerdc and follow him on Bluesky at @joshmeyerdc.bsky.social.
