Warning: This story contains details of sexual abuse and domestic violence.
Pop megastar and hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs once wielded so much power, he demanded on national television that a group of aspiring musicians walk from Manhattan to Brooklyn, a 6-hour-long round trip by foot, to get him a piece of cheesecake.
Since September, Combs has not only lost his autonomy to public servants who've never had the money, status, or influence that he did, he now wakes, showers and eats on a schedule, and they're unlikely to be his meals of choice.
From Tuesday (Monday, May 5 US time), Combs is on trial.
He's the latest figure in the entertainment industry to face a reckoning almost two decades after the #MeToo movement began raising a lid on inappropriate behaviour in Hollywood, and almost a decade after it gained popularity.
The onus will be on the prosecution to prove that Combs is guilty, as his legal team fights to exonerate the star.
It's a case that will be watched closely over what it could potentially unearth, how we got here and the greater implications for popular culture.
What is Combs charged with?
Combs is facing federal charges of racketeering conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). It essentially means engaging in a criminal enterprise. He also faces two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of transporting people across state lines to engage in prostitution.
Prosecutors allege that Combs was backed by his business empire when, between 2004 and 2024, he forced women to engage in elaborate sex acts with male sex workers that he referred to as "freak-offs".
Combs allegedly supplied drugs such as ketamine and ecstasy to the women as he watched on. It is also alleged he recorded many of the encounters and masturbated to the performances.
Prosecutors also alleged that Combs used the recordings as blackmail to silence people and would intimidate them by displaying weapons.
Combs is also accused of kidnapping and arson.
It is alleged that alleged victims were promised help to progress their careers in the entertainment industry.
Through his lawyers, Combs has denied all allegations, saying any sex acts were consensual.
When Combs's homes were raided in March 2024, police say they found weapons, ammunition and 1,000 bottles of baby oil, as well as videos and images of freak-offs.
Four witnesses are expected to testify, three of them anonymous.
His former girlfriend and protégé, R&B singer Casandra Ventura, known professionally as Cassie, is expected to take the stand.
What do we know about Ventura's testimony?
While the four alleged victims testifying in Combs's federal case remain anonymous, prosecutors say one will testify under her real name.
This is widely expected to be Ventura.
In November 2023, Ventura brought a civil lawsuit against Combs that accused him of rape and repeated physical abuse during their 10-year professional and romantic relationship.
Combs denied all the allegations and an undisclosed settlement was reached within a day.
About six months later, in May 2024, CNN broadcast hotel surveillance footage from 2016 that shows Combs assaulting Ventura in scenes that match the descriptions given in the papers she filed.
Combs took to social media to apologise for the actions that were caught on tape.
Ahead of the trial, the video was ruled as admissible evidence and can be shown to jurors.
In addition to Combs's federal case, he is accused of sexual abuse in dozens of civil lawsuits.
He denies all wrongdoing.
In a nutshell, who is Combs?
Combs, 55, has been known by various names throughout his career, including Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Diddy and Love.
He dropped out of the prestigious Howard University, one of more than 100 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the United States, to enter the music business.
In 1993, he co-founded Bad Boy Records and is often credited with being behind the success of artists such as the Notorious B.I.G (Biggie Smalls) and Mary J Blige.
Combs is a Grammy Award-winning artist in his own right.
His 1997 tribute to Biggie, who was killed in a drive-by shooting, I'll Be Missing You, samples Every Breath You Take by The Police.
He's also had successful ventures in fashion, liquor and television and has starred in film.
Since Combs's arrest, his estimated wealth has dropped from $US1 billion ($1.55 billion) to $US400 million ($618 million).
Where is Combs being held?
Since Combs's September arrest, he has traded his mansions in Miami and Los Angeles for Brooklyn's notorious Metropolitan Detention Center, which has housed inmates such as Ghislaine Maxwell and R Kelly.
The jail is infamous for poor conditions including power outages, overcrowding, understaffing and violence.
Combs has been denied bail four times.
Who are the A-listers who've partied with Combs?
At his peak, fellow musicians, actors, politicians and athletes wanted to be part of Combs's inner circle.
He hosted star-studded parties where the dress code was often white.
Some of the parties took place at his East Hampton waterfront home.
He's found himself in the company of Donald Trump, Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mariah Carey, Paris Hilton, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Harvey Weinstein and even princes Harry and William, to name a few.
Who are Combs's alleged enablers?
Prosecutors allege Combs had help from a network of associates and employees who were complicit and turned a blind eye.
Last year, in a press conference, Damian Williams, the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, said Combs did not act in isolation and his associates booked hotel rooms, arranged for them to be cleaned when damaged, stocked the hotel rooms with freak-off supplies including controlled substances and lubricant, facilitated the travel arrangements of sex workers and delivered large quantities of cash to these sex workers as payment for freak-offs.
His employees also allegedly helped conceal his crimes.
However, only Combs is named as a defendant.
When is the trial and for how long?
The high-profile celebrity court case is expected to run for 8-10 weeks at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan courthouse in Manhattan, New York and will begin with jury selection. Peremptory strikes will be exercised on May 9. In the US, a peremptory challenge allows attorneys to remove a certain number of potential jurors without needing a reason.
Combs's criminal indictment and civil cases have received widespread media coverage including numerous documentaries and podcasts.
The defence usually seeks a blank slate, but attorneys say Combs's team will be hard-pressed to find anyone who hasn't heard about the case.
A panel of 12 jurors and six alternates will determine Combs's fate.
Opening statements will begin on Monday, May 12 (US time).
Unlike other high-profile cases, the Combs trial will not be televised.
What's the maximum penalty if found guilty?
For someone whose image was built on being a "Bad Boy for life", Combs's alleged misdeeds could put him in jail for just as long — for life.
Last week, Combs rejected the offer of a plea deal.
His lawyers say there's nothing criminal about Combs and his longtime girlfriends occasionally bringing in a third person to their relationships as part of a "swingers" lifestyle.
