The Brief

Day one of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial included testimony from a male escort who alleged he was paid to have sex with Cassie Ventura while Combs watched.
Prosecutors introduced a binder of 13 male escorts allegedly hired by Combs, including Ash Armand—a former Gigolos star and convicted killer—prompting 50 Cent to call him out on Instagram.
Armand, whose real name is Akshaya Kubiak, is serving 8 to 20 years in prison for the 2020 killing of Herleen Dulai, a woman he killed while under the influence of psychedelic mushrooms.

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NEW YORK, NY – Day one of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial opened with shocking allegations, which have now gained even more attention after rapper 50 Cent took to social media to spotlight one of the male sex workers named in the proceedings.

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RELATED: Diddy trial begins: Cassie video shown, male escort testifies

What we know:

Combs is facing multiple federal charges, including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transporting individuals for prostitution. Prosecutors allege he ran a criminal network that exploited women for sex, often using coercion and intimidation. The case centers on disturbing claims from several witnesses, including his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, who says Combs forced her into sex acts with male escorts and controlled her through abuse and drugs.

He has pleaded not guilty.

What they’re saying:

Witnesses began testifying last Monday, including male escort Daniel Phillip, who told jurors he was initially hired to strip at Manhattan’s Gramercy Park Hotel. But the evening turned into something more disturbing, he said, when he was allegedly paid to have sex with Cassie Ventura—Diddy’s former longtime girlfriend—as the music mogul watched. Ventura, who dated Combs publicly for six years, alleges he subjected her to years of abuse, drug coercion, and forced sexual acts with other men.

One of the most dramatic moments came when prosecutors introduced a binder during Ventura’s testimony filled with headshots of 13 male escorts who Ventura claimed she recruited at Combs’ behest for “freak offs” in Las Vegas, Miami and Los Angeles.

RELATED: Cassie says it’s ‘impossible’ to know how many ‘freak offs’ there were

Among them was Ash Armand, a former reality TV personality on Showtime’s Gigolos, whose real name is Akshaya Kubiak. After discovering his background, rapper 50 Cent took to Instagram, calling out Armand and his criminal history in a post captioned: “This s### is a movie. One of the sex workers caught a body.”

The backstory:

Armand, once known for his “zen master” persona on Gigolos, was arrested in Las Vegas in July 2020 for the brutal killing of 29-year-old Herleen Dulai, a friend and alleged client. Armand called 911 himself, admitting, “It is going to sound insane because it is insane,” and told dispatchers he and Dulai had taken psychedelic mushrooms together before the fatal incident.

Dulai, who had moved to Las Vegas in 2017 to pursue graduate studies after earning a biology degree from Temple University, died from blunt force trauma and strangulation. Armand claimed he blacked out after she attacked him in an attempt to “steal his soul” while they were both under the influence.

He later pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and mayhem, and in 2021, was sentenced to 8 to 20 years in prison, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal. His case was recently revisited in the March 2025 Paramount+ docuseries Sin City Gigolo, which includes interviews with producers of the docuseries, a local journalist, a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department detective, former Gigolo castmates, his former girlfriends, and family members.

The revelation that Armand was allegedly hired for Combs’ private sex parties has added a sensational layer to the already high-profile trial.

What’s next:

The proceedings are expected to continue for several weeks, with more testimony expected from individuals tied to Combs’ inner circle and alleged criminal operations.

FOX 5 New York is providing live, real-time coverage of the trial on their YouTube channel and website. 

The Source

Sources for this story include 50 Cent’s Instagram account, FOX 5 New York, KTNV-TV Channel 13 Las Vegas, Las Vegas Review-Journal and Paramount+ (all links above). The author of this story reported on the death of Herleen Dulai while working in Las Vegas.