By T.L. Reigns

The Scoop Digital Newspaper: June 2025

Sean “Diddy” Combs, known professionally as Diddy, is currently facing a federal trial in Manhattan, New York, on charges of Racketeering Conspiracy, Prostitution, and Sex Trafficking. The trial began on May 5, 2025

Understanding the Differences: Sex Trafficking, Domestic Violence, and Racketeering Conspiracy

This trial has so many people asking about the charges. Why is it sex trafficking and not domestic violence? What does RICO have to do with Sean “Diddy” Combs? 

Explanation of Sex Trafficking

Sex trafficking and domestic violence are both forms of abuse, but they differ in scope, intent, and legal classification. Sex trafficking involves the exploitation of individuals, often through force, fraud, or coercion, for the purpose of commercial sex. Under U.S. federal law, any commercial sex act involving a minor automatically qualifies as sex trafficking, even if no coercion is involved. Victims are frequently manipulated through threats, violence, drugs, or false promises, and traffickers may be strangers, acquaintances, or even family members. This crime often intersects with organized criminal networks and can span across state and national borders.

Explanation of Domestic Violence

In contrast, domestic violence refers to a pattern of abusive behavior within a personal relationship, such as between spouses, partners, or family members, used to maintain power and control. It can take many forms, including physical harm, emotional manipulation, sexual abuse, and financial control. While both sex trafficking and domestic violence involve control and harm, sex trafficking typically includes a third-party benefiting from the victim’s exploitation, while domestic violence is rooted in personal relationships and control dynamics.

RICO

What Is Racketeering?

Racketeering is when a person or group does illegal things over and over again to make money. It’s not just one crime, it’s a pattern of crimes done as part of a bigger plan or organization, like a gang or a group pretending to run a business.

Here are some examples of racketeering:

Selling illegal drugs

Stealing money or property

Threatening people to get money (called extortion)

Forcing people to do things against their will (like sex trafficking)

Bribing officials or lying to make money

Fraud

Kidnapping

Money Laundering and more

If someone does at least two serious crimes within a 10-year period while participating in the operations of an enterprise, they can be charged with racketeering under a law called RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act). RICO was designed

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