Messages in Diddy Case Reference Event Planning, Clean-Up, and Travel Arrangements

On the 24th day of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal trial on racketeering and sex trafficking charges in New York City, a paralegal specialist took the stand to discuss evidence related to travel logistics for individuals allegedly involved in private events referred to as “freak-offs.”

Ananya Sankar was questioned about a December 2019 text exchange between Kristina Khorram, Diddy’s former chief of staff, and Ryan Lopez, a former assistant. In the messages, Lopez mentions seeing a male escort—described as “one of the cowboys”—in the hotel lobby. Khorram responded with four laughing emojis and asked, “how long is he going to stay awake?”

During court proceedings, the prosecution played an audio recording they say dates back to January 30, 2023. Paralegal specialist Ananya Sankar was then asked to read aloud portions of a transcript involving a conversation between Kristina Khorram, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former chief of staff, and former assistant Dave Shirley. The discussion centered around an upcoming stay at a Four Seasons hotel. In one message, Khorram wrote, “Heads up, he’s about to do wild king tonight.” Shirley responded with a note about collecting money and a remark that he needed “to reup on baby oil.”

Additional messages were read in court, including one from Khorram asking if 15 bath towels could be sent up to the room. Other texts referenced travel arrangements for “Jane,” a former girlfriend of Combs who testified under a pseudonym for privacy reasons. The messages included discussions about delivering cash to the hotel.

In another exchange, involving Khorram, Combs, and “Jane,” a message reads, “Your damage charges on the one hotel are always high.” Subsequent messages detail more flight and hotel planning for “Jane,” with repeated references to bringing cash.

Former assistants have testified that they were instructed to prepare hotel rooms with items such as baby oil and candles for private gatherings. Prosecutors allege these events were prolonged, drug-influenced encounters involving Combs, his girlfriend at the time, and male sex workers.

Separately, a hotel manager testified in May about a client tracking system used at the property, which reportedly flagged Combs’ bookings for requiring extensive cleanup. The manager cited examples such as spilled candle wax and “excessive amounts of oil” as reasons for the frequent extra cleaning.

During court proceedings this morning, the jury was shown a December 2023 text exchange in which “Jane” informed Kristina Khorram that Sean “Diddy” Combs had allegedly threatened to release explicit recordings involving her. In the message, Jane stated, “He said that he would expose me and send them to my child’s father.”

Similar allegations have been raised previously in the trial. Regina Ventura, the mother of Cassie Ventura—who has been identified as one of Combs’ former partners—testified that Diddy had allegedly threatened to release explicit material involving her daughter to the public.

Paralegal specialist Ananya Sankar, from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, testified about her role in the case. She explained that she was tasked with reviewing and confirming the accuracy of hundreds of pages of digital and text message evidence.

Earlier in the day, before the jury entered the courtroom, Judge Arun Subramanian dismissed Juror Number 6 due to unresolved questions concerning the juror’s stated residence. That individual was replaced by an alternate—a 57-year-old resident of Westchester County, reportedly married with two children.