(NewsNation) — Two former mobsters — Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano and Michael Franzese — aren’t convinced a jury will convict Sean “Diddy” Combs of racketeering, based on their own understanding of so-called RICO laws.
Both joined “Banfield” on Wednesday to discuss the latest testimony in the federal trial of Diddy, who is also charged with sex trafficking.
If Franzese has reservations, the former high-ranking Mafia member said, it’s that Diddy is charged alone, whereas multiple organized-crime members typically were indicted together as the feds sought to break up criminal enterprises using RICO charges.
In the latest witness testimony, Bryana Bongolan, a friend of Diddy’s ex-partner Cassandra “Cassie” Venture, testified the music mogul dangled her from a 17th-floor apartment balcony in 2016.
“I think it’s horrible, it’s disgusting,” Gravano said, “but I don’t see it as a RICO thing. … How is that part of a criminal enterprise?”
Franzese said Diddy’s defense team may be able to sway jurors that the celebrity’s actions aren’t admirable, but they don’t constitute racketeering.
