What’s next in the federal investigation into Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and his alleged accomplices?

By Eric Levenson, CNN

New York (CNN) — Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was arrested this week on charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, pleaded not guilty Tuesday and was ordered to remain in custody pending his federal trial in New York.

What now awaits the 54-year-old music mogul? And what about the anonymous employees and associates accused of conspiring with him?

Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York who filed the charges, was vague when asked whether Diddy and others could face more charges.

“I can’t dismiss anything. Anything is possible,” he said. “Our investigation is very active and ongoing, and I think a lot of you who cover this office know that when we say things like that, those developments are certainly foreseeable, but I can’t predict them as I sit here today.”

Several witnesses who worked for Combs have met with prosecutors, a source familiar with the federal investigation told CNN. At least one male sex worker is expected to testify before the grand jury in the coming days, the source said, adding that the witnesses’ allegations go beyond the details in this week’s indictment.

Prosecutors have previously said they have interviewed more than 50 victims and witnesses in the case.

CNN spoke with several legal experts to try to understand what lies ahead for Combs and those close to him. The experts do not expect a settlement for the music mogul, and note that the allegations against him could continue to grow.

“I’m very curious, especially since he’s being held without bail, to see if that gives other survivors the courage to come forward,” said Shea Rhodes, executive director of the Villanova Law Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation.

As for the people suspected of being involved in Combs’ criminal activities, experts highlighted the difficult questions facing the prosecution: Should they be charged or should they testify against him?

“The prosecution is going to have to deal with witnesses who have a serious past or who admit to criminal activity,” said trial attorney Misty Marris. “You have a lot of people with dirty hands in an extortion case.”

What’s next for Combs?

Combs’s course of action has been determined by a series of legal rulings in recent days.

Combs, 54, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to federal charges of racketeering, conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. The indictment alleges that he “abused, threatened and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct.” It also says he operated a criminal enterprise that involved “sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice.”

He faces up to life in prison if convicted of the racketeering and conspiracy charges. The sex trafficking charge carries a statutory minimum of 15 years.

He will remain in federal custody ahead of his trial after his lawyers failed Wednesday to appeal a judge’s decision to deny him bail. In his ruling, Judge Andrew Carter said there were no conditions that would reduce the risk of witness tampering or obstruction.

Combs’ attorney Marc Agnifilo told CNN he will again appeal the ruling.

While many federal cases result in settlements, Agnifilo said that’s unlikely between Combs and prosecutors here and said he plans to take the case to trial. “I believe he’s innocent of the charges, and he’s going to go to trial, and I believe he’s going to win,” he told CNN on Tuesday.

Marris said a plea agreement is unlikely, in part because of the mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years for the sex trafficking charge.

“I think the defense is basically saying, ‘Okay, we’re going to take this to trial because a plea deal probably wouldn’t be that beneficial,'” she said. “We’re talking about charges that carry a minimum of 15 years. The idea that a plea deal is something that doesn’t carry a very severe sentence is just not in this case.”

Combs could also face more allegations of misconduct. Prosecutors have said the investigation remains “active and ongoing.” And they have issued a public appeal for potential victims to contact authorities.

Rhodes said it will be difficult for victims to come forward in this case, especially given the allegations of violence against those who have tried to come forward in the past.

“It’s a shame and a fear of whether or not you’re going to be believed. (And) if these allegations about how he just had his entire organization involved in covering up what was going on, who’s behind bars that can use additional intimidation tactics or instill additional fear in survivors who do want to come forward?” she said.

Don’t expect more charges to be filed against Combs, however, according to CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig. That’s because the racketeering and conspiracy charges are so broad that they cover a wide range of misconduct, including, according to the indictment, “sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice.”

What is going to happen to the people around him?

The federal indictment against Combs alleges he was part of a vast conspiracy involving staff, assistants, supervisors and associates to commit racketeering from 2008 to the present.

According to the indictment, the “Combs Enterprise” consisted of Combs, its leader; business units, including his record label Bad Boy Entertainment; and employees and partners, including security personnel, housekeepers, personal assistants and high-level supervisors.

“Members and employees of the Combs Enterprise engaged in, among other things, sex trafficking, forced labor, interstate transportation for the purpose of prostitution, coercion and enticement to engage in prostitution, drug offenses, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice,” the indictment said.

Despite these serious allegations, he is the only one being charged. Why?

Several legal experts said the lack of charges against people close to Combs indicates they may be cooperating with prosecutors.

“There are other people who you could consider his accomplices, who are not being monitored by the government, but who want to help the government prove their case,” said CNN legal analyst Joey Jackson.

According to Marris, prosecutors could choose to grant these alleged accomplices immunity or a non-prosecution agreement so they can testify against Combs.

“The reason prosecutors would do that is because the target in this case is Diddy,” Marris said. “In order to have an ironclad case against him, the information is needed, the testimony is needed.”

Furthermore, the boundaries between victim, witness, and perpetrator can be surprisingly blurred. Rhodes called this the “victim-perpetrator overlap,” noting that it is particularly pronounced in cases of sexual assault and sex trafficking.

In the Ghislaine Maxwell human trafficking case, several women who testified as victims said they also recruited others to participate in the sexual encounters.

“Just because a prosecutor can charge someone as an accomplice doesn’t mean they should,” Rhodes said. “(Prosecutors) could have charged one of those victims as an accomplice in recruitment, but that’s not appropriate.”

Were some of Combs’ alleged accomplices also victims of other violence? Combs’ indictment indicates as much, stating that one of the goals of the criminal enterprise was “to secure the absolute loyalty of members of the Combs Enterprise, including through acts of violence and threats.”

The best guide to Combs’ future path is to study another recent extortion case.

Nadia Shihata, a former federal prosecutor who brought the racketeering case against singer R. Kelly, told CNN that more people could be charged in Combs’ case.

“Certainly, there could be more people charged. It’s also possible that there are more people who have already been charged, have pleaded guilty and are cooperating in the case,” she said. “However, the fact that it’s a racketeering charge based on an enterprise doesn’t necessarily mean that there are more people who will be charged.”

For example, in R. Kelly’s case—which Shihata said bore some significant similarities to Diddy’s—no one else was charged with racketeering. Several of his former employees testified against him during the trial, including a general assistant and a tour manager. Kelly was ultimately found guilty.

According to Honig, prosecutors generally have discretion in how far they cast their nets in extortion cases.

“You can choose to attack everybody. Or you can choose to just target the top players,” he said. “(You can say) ‘I’m going to focus my resources and attention on the bosses, the heavyweights, and not compound this charge with more peripheral players.'”

CNN’s Elizabeth Wagmeister contributed to this report.