The daughters of a prominent music industry figure were visibly distressed during the opening day of his federal trial in New York, exiting the courtroom on multiple occasions as prosecutors detailed a series of alleged violent and exploitative acts.
The three young women, two 18-year-old twins and their 19-year-old sister, left their seats at least twice during proceedings on Monday. One departure coincided with testimony from a male escort, who described being paid to engage in sexual acts with the defendant’s former long-term partner while the music mogul allegedly watched. The witness further testified under oath that he saw the defendant physically assault the woman.
Prosecutors painted a stark picture, alleging the defendant operated a criminal enterprise behind his public persona as a celebrity and businessman. In opening statements, an assistant U.S. attorney recounted one alleged incident where the defendant instructed a sex worker to urinate into the mouth of his former partner, an act described as making the woman feel she was choking.
The defendant, who has been held in a federal detention center since last fall, appeared emotional upon seeing his family in the courtroom. Seated nearby were his three daughters and his 84-year-old mother, who remained for the entire day’s proceedings despite the lurid nature of the testimony.
The defense team acknowledged their client’s personal failings but vehemently denied the core charges of racketeering and sex trafficking. They argued the case revolves around the defendant’s deeply flawed private life and consensual relationships, not any organized criminal business. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The trial is expected to be lengthy, with the first day establishing a grim tone through graphic allegations that proved too much for the defendant’s immediate family to bear continuously.
