Fame Under Fire

Cassie Ventura has said she is worried for her family’s safety ahead of Sean "Diddy" Combs sentencing this week. "I am so scared that if he walks free, his first actions will be swift retribution towards me and others who spoke up,” the R&B singer, who is Combs' ex-girlfriend, wrote in a victim impact statement to the judge. Combs was found guilty in July of transportation for prostitution of Ms Ventura and another ex-girlfriend "Jane", but was cleared on the more serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. Prosecutors have recommended 11 years, while the defence seeks 14 months, which including time served would mean an almost immediate release. His attorneys say he has changed his ways while being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York. Presenter Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty look ahead to the sentencing with BBC reporter Sakshi Venkatraman and resident trial attorney Shaun Kent. Plus, another update in the legal battle between right-wing influencer Candace Owens and the Macrons. The French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte are suing Owens for defamation. She has repeatedly told her millions of followers that Brigitte was born a man. Now Owens’ team are accusing the Macrons of breaking US federal law by hiring investigators, publicists and others to work on their behalf in the United States without registering under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). Passed in 1938 to counter Nazi propaganda, this law says, if you’re working in the US on behalf of a foreign government, you have to inform the US government what you’re doing. Anoushka and Shaun consider the strategy behind this move and discuss whether it will affect the lawsuit. Got questions? Send us a Whatsapp message on 0330 678 111 4. Subscribe to Fame Under Fire on BBC Sounds and turn on push notifications so you never miss an episode. We’ll let you know as soon as new episodes are available. Host: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty Series Producer: Vicky Farncombe Senior Impact Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith Production Coordinator: Tammy Snow Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Editor: Clare Fordham Assistant Commissioning Producer: Rechmial Miller Commissioning Producer: Adam Eland Assistant Commissioner: Will Drysdale Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts

Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, are planning to present photographic and scientific evidence in their US lawsuit to prove Mrs Macron is a woman. The French president and Mrs Macron will present the documentation in a defamation suit they have taken against the right-wing influencer Candace Owens after she promoted a theory that Brigitte Macron was born male. Ms Owens’ lawyers have responded with a motion to dismiss the claim. Speaking to the BBC’s Fame Under Fire podcast, the Macrons’ lawyer in the case, Tom Clare, said Mrs Macron had found the claims “incredibly upsetting” and they were a “distraction” to the French president. “I don't want to suggest that it somehow has thrown him off his game. But just like anybody who is juggling a career and a family life as well, when your family is under attack, it wears on you. And he's not immune from that because he's the president of country,” he said. Owens’ lawyers have responded with a motion to dismiss, arguing that the case was filed in Delaware, where her businesses are incorporated, rather than in Tennessee, where she lives. They claim forcing her to defend the case in Delaware would cause “substantial financial and operational hardship”. The BBC has approached Candace Owen’s legal team for a comment. She has previously said she believes what she is saying is true and there is nothing more American than free speech, the ability to criticise. Got questions? Send us a Whatsapp message on 0330 678 111 4. Subscribe to Fame Under Fire on BBC Sounds and turn on push notifications so you never miss an episode. We’ll let you know as soon as new episodes are available. Host: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty Series Producer: Vicky Farncombe Senior Impact Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith Production Coordinator: Tammy Snow Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Editor: Clare Fordham Assistant Commissioning Producer: Rechmial Miller Commissioning Producer: Adam Eland Assistant Commissioner: Will Drysdale Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts

It’s the end of Diddy on Trial, but the start of something new. Fame Under Fire is coming.

The trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is over. He has been cleared of sex trafficking and racketeering with conspiracy, and found guilty of transportation for prostitution. He is due to be sentenced at a later date. But discussions go on about power dynamics and working practices in the music industry, as well as about coercion, control and consent. Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty speaks to BBC investigations correspondent Rianna Croxford about her work with producer Larissa Kennelly hearing from people who worked for Sean Combs. And CNN anchor and former prosecutor Laura Coates tells Anoushka what she heard from one of the alternate jurors on the Diddy trial about the evidence that might have undermined the prosecution’s case. Details of organisations in the UK offering information and support with some of the issues raised are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline Presenter: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty Series Producer: Laura Jones Senior Digital Producer: Matthew Pintus Sound Design: Mark Burrows Exec Producer: Nik Sindle Senior Producer: Larissa Kennelly Production Coordinators: Hattie Valentine and Tammy Snow Editor: Clare Fordham Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Assistant Commissioner: Will Drysdale Commissioning Producer: Adam Eland Commissioning Assistant Producer: Rechmial Miller

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is denied bail after being found guilty of transportation for prostitution. He was cleared of racketeering and sex trafficking charges earlier on Wednesday, after the jury reached a partial verdict. Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty speaks to BBC New York digital reporter Sakshi Venkatraman and criminal defence attorney Shaun Kent. Details of organisations in the UK offering information and support with some of the issues raised are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline Presenter: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty Series Producer: Laura Jones Senior Digital Producer: Matthew Pintus Sound Design: Mark Burrows Senior Producer: Chrystal Genesis Production Coordinators: Hattie Valentine and Tammy Snow Editor: Clare Fordham Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Assistant Commissioner: Will Drysdale Commissioning Producer: Adam Eland Commissioning Assistant Producer: Rechmial Miller