What do we know about 'Gina,' alleged victim 3 in Sean 'Diddy' Combs indictment?
Both the prosecution and defense have rested their cases in the sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy case against music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. But jurors never heard from someone that prosecutors called a “main character” in the accusations that could land Combs in prison for the rest of his life if he's convicted.
Through six weeks of testimony, prosecutors sought to prove that Combs relied on an alleged criminal organization to use “force, threats of force, and coercion” to pressure three women into unwanted sex. Jurors, however, have only heard from two of those alleged victims.
The third – identified only as “Gina” – didn't take the stand, despite being mentioned more than 120 times since testimony began on May 12.
“Gina, though she will not be testifying, is a main character in this trial,” prosecutor Christy Slavik told the court in June.
Combs is charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution and has pleaded not guilty. His attorneys have said he's a “complex” man with a history of drug abuse and violence but isn't the criminal alleged in a federal indictment.
Gina was mentioned prominently in the testimony of the two other alleged victims in the case: Combs’ ex-girlfriend, who appeared under the pseudonym “Jane,” and the singer Cassie Ventura, a longtime companion of Combs'. Jane told jurors that Combs spending considerable time with Gina while they were together was a source of tension in their relationship, and Ventura described Gina as “the main problem” in her relationship with Combs.
Prosecutors have argued Gina was a victim of the same type of violence and marathon orgies as both Ventura and Jane. Defense lawyers, however, have attempted to capitalize on Gina’s absence at the trial, using her to bolster their insistence that Combs’ fits of rage stemmed from romantic jealousy and not a desire to coerce women into sex with male prostitutes to satisfy his voyeuristic urges.
“This jealousy is something that plagued their relationship, even the day of the InterContinental video in the elevator bank,” Combs attorney Teny Geragos told jurors in her opening statement. She was referring to the now-infamous 2016 closed-circuit TV recording that showed Combs beating Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel. Ventura has testified that she was trying to escape yet another marathon sex session when Combs assaulted her.
Lawyers for Gina have not responded to ABC News’ request for comment.
What do we know about Gina?
Similar to Ventura and Jane, Gina was allegedly coerced into participating in days-long sex parties known as “freak-offs” or “hotel nights,” prosecutors say.
“We know that there was violence against Gina and we know that Gina was in a long-term relationship with (Combs), that I think most witnesses have testified was extremely toxic,” prosecutor Slavik told the court.
According to lead prosecutor Maureen Comey, Combs began dating Gina in 2014 and their relationship became a regular point of friction with Ventura. She testified that she frequently got into fights with Combs after learning he was spending time with Gina. Jane, likewise, testified that the gifts and vacations Combs gave Gina made her jealous and angry.
“Fair to say that Gina was a source of jealousy and worry to Ms. Ventura?” prosecutors asked Ventura’s former best friend, Kerry Morgan.
“She was a big problem, yes,” Morgan replied.
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo argued in court that Gina is, in fact, not a victim of Combs' and that prosecutors have deliberately decided against calling her because her testimony could damage their case.
“Gina is not coming,” Agnifilo said. “The government can call Gina if it wants to. It might be difficult. It might be hard to do. They are the United States of America. They can get Gina into this courtroom if that is what they want to do. They are choosing not to.”
While prosecutors acknowledged they wouldn't be calling Gina – and have only made a few mentions of her in their case – they argued she's still relevant because she was discussed during witness testimony and in the grand jury’s indictment of Combs.
“Gina is very much a part of this case. We have heard plenty of testimony on Gina. She is certainly relevant. The jury has heard plenty about Gina. In fact, the defense has made her a central issue in the relationship between the defendant and Ms. Ventura,” prosecutor Slavik told the court.
What violence against Gina is alleged?
Jurors heard about one instance of alleged violence against Gina during the testimony of Combs’ former assistant, George Kaplan. He testified he witnessed Combs angrily throwing decorative apples at Gina in Combs’ Miami Beach mansion in 2015.
“She was trying to shield herself with her arms and she was moving away from him,” Kaplan told jurors.
He testified that he was “really taken aback” by the incident and decided to quit shortly afterward, notifying Combs’ then-chief of staff, Kristina Khorram, about it.
“The tension and anger in the room was scary and I had never seen or been a part of anything like this. I was naïve enough to think that these were like hyperbolized moments that happened in bad movies or something,” he testified. “I was unwilling to stand by the behavior.”
Prosecutors also discussed showing jurors text messages stemming from an alleged October 2015 incident between Combs and Gina. The text messages were between Combs and a man called “Uncle Paulie,” the former head of Combs’ security detail.
"If anyone called the police, the police [are] 100% going to lock you. Even if she begs them not to, it's the law,” Uncle Paulie texted Combs, according to prosecutors. “So, once they put the cuffs on you, your life and career is over. Puff, really all over her. Puff, really your family is going to go down the hill. ... newspapers and magazines will be paying her top dollar to tell everything.”
