Witness: Derek Ferguson

Derek Ferguson’s Testimony in Sean 'Diddy' Combs’ Sex Trafficking and Racketeering Trial: Day 15 Highlights On June 3, 2025, during Day 15 of Sean 'Diddy' Combs’ federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial in Manhattan, Derek Ferguson, the former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Bad Boy Entertainment, testified at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. Courthouse in New York. Ferguson, the prosecution’s 24th witness, provided insight into Combs’ financial operations from 1998 to 2017, detailing his roles as CFO of Bad Boy Entertainment and later as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Revolt Media & TV. His testimony aimed to support the prosecution’s racketeering conspiracy charge by illustrating how Combs allegedly used business resources to facilitate criminal activities, though Ferguson stated he never witnessed Combs commit crimes. Ferguson began by outlining his tenure with Combs’ enterprises, testifying that he joined Bad Boy Entertainment in 1998 as CFO, a role he held until 2012, before transitioning to COO of Revolt Media & TV until 2017. He told the jury he was testifying under subpoena and had limited contact with Combs since leaving, with their last communication being a 2024 text from Combs that Ferguson did not respond to. He described Bad Boy Entertainment as a collection of companies with offices in New York City and Los Angeles, where he managed budgets, accounts receivable and payable, record-keeping, and deal-making. Ferguson also confirmed he occasionally handled Combs’ personal finances, which varied between third-party and internal management. Prosecutor Christy Slavik focused on financial records to highlight potential misuse of business funds. Ferguson verified bank accounts, real estate holdings, and credit cards tied to Combs Enterprises, confirming that both he and Combs were signatories on business accounts. A key piece of evidence was a $20,000 transaction from December 2011, shown through bank statements. The jury saw a wire transfer on December 14 from an account managing Combs’ Alpine, New Jersey home to Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura, followed by a $20,000 payment from Ventura’s father, Rodrick Ventura, to Combs on December 23, and a 'return of funds' transfer of $20,000 on December 27. This aligned with earlier testimony from Ventura’s mother, Regina Ventura, who claimed Combs demanded the payment to 'recoup' money spent on Cassie after her relationship with rapper Kid Cudi, threatening to release explicit videos of her. CNN analyst Misty Marris noted this transaction pointed to possible illegal conduct, though Ferguson did not comment on its purpose. Ferguson also discussed Combs’ business dealings, including his long-term partnership with Diageo for liquor products like Cîroc Vodka and DeLeon Tequila. He testified that Combs oversaw creative direction while Diageo provided funding, but tensions arose over marketing and distribution, with Combs feeling the products were disproportionately targeted at urban areas. This led to a lawsuit against Diageo, settled in 2024. Ferguson noted that security personnel were paid through the company for Combs’ personal safety, a point the prosecution used to suggest business resources supported Combs’ personal activities. However, Ferguson clarified he was unaware if Combs’ security carried cash for him, stating, 'That’s not something I paid any attention to.' During cross-examination by defense attorney Marc Agnifilo, Ferguson emphasized the legitimacy of Combs’ business operations. He testified that a team reviewed expense statements monthly to distinguish between business and personal expenditures, and he never intentionally allowed fraud at the company during his 19-year tenure. Agnifilo presented organizational charts to highlight corporate oversight, noting Ferguson’s Harvard Business School education to bolster his credibility. Ferguson agreed that employing personal assistants and security was standard in the entertainment industry, supporting the defense’s argument that Combs’ operations were typical for a celebrity of his stature. Agnifilo asked a series of rapid-fire questions to undercut the racketeering charge: 'Did you see anyone help Sean Combs commit crimes?' Ferguson responded, 'No.' He also denied seeing anyone enhance Combs’ or the business’s reputation through prostitution, sex trafficking, forced labor, or emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, nor did he witness acts of violence or threats to strengthen the company. When asked if he thought highly of Combs, Ferguson paused for several seconds before saying, 'I don’t know how to respond to that,' prompting Agnifilo to withdraw the question after a prosecution objection. On redirect, Slavik sought to clarify Ferguson’s distance from Combs’ day-to-day activities. Ferguson confirmed he primarily worked in the New York office while Combs was often in Los Angeles or traveling, and his interactions with Combs decreased over time as professional management was introduced. He described working long hours with talented people to build businesses from scratch, emphasizing the demanding nature of his role but not implicating Combs in criminal activity. Ferguson’s testimony concluded, and Judge Arun Subramanian dismissed the jury for the day.

Compiled from news sources and summarized by Grok.

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