Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been the subject of a seven-week trial, and a jury has now reached a verdict.
The verdict follows seven weeks of testimony featuring 34 witnesses, video evidence, and emotional accounts from Combs’ ex-partner, Cassie Ventura, and others.
Ventura, the 38-year-old 'Me & U' singer, told the court that Combs forced her into “freak-offs,” which prosecutors described as days-long, drug-fueled sex sessions with male prostitutes, sometimes recorded by Combs.
She testified that the "freak offs" took place in Combs’ homes, her own homes, and in hotel suites worldwide, with Combs allegedly finding escorts on Craigslist and paying them between $1,500 to $6,000.
Ventura also described a 2013 incident where Combs allegedly kicked her off a yacht at the Cannes Film Festival after accusing her of drug use, later threatening to release explicit videos to control her, and a 2016 incident where he was caught on camera assaulting her in a Los Angeles hotel.
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Additionally, another former girlfriend, known in court as “Jane,” testified she was forced to participate in sex-fueled parties under threats that Combs would stop paying her rent and cut off financial support if she did not comply.
The Manhattan federal jury, after 13 hours of deliberation across three days, delivered the mixed verdict:
- Not guilty of Count 1: Racketeering conspiracy
- Not guilty of Count 2: Sex trafficking of Cassie Ventura
- Guilty of Count 3: Transportation for prostitution of Cassie and others
- Not guilty of Count 4: Sex trafficking of Jane
- Guilty of Count 5: Transportation for prostitution of Jane and others
Per CNN, Combs faces up to 20 years in prison, with each transportation conviction carrying a maximum 10-year sentence. Had he been convicted on the more serious racketeering or sex-trafficking charges, he could have faced a life sentence.
Robert Mintz, a former federal prosecutor focused on organised crime, told the BBC: "There's no other way to characterise this as but a win for the defence and a stinging defeat for prosecutors.
"The judge more or less has complete discretion in terms of what the sentence will be," Mintz says. "I think we’re going to see a sentence more in the five-to-10-year range."
Following the verdict, Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, argued for the rapper’s release from federal detention, where he has been held since his September 2024 arrest after being denied bail.
Agnifilo highlighted that since Combs had been acquitted on the more serious sex-trafficking and racketeering charges, continued detention was “unnecessary,” emphasizing that the transportation charges are “vastly” different from the initial allegations.
He noted that this is Combs’ first conviction and proposed he be allowed to return to his home in Florida.
However, prosecutor Maurene Comey opposed the request, stating the government plans to seek the maximum 20-year sentence for Combs.
Following the verdict, Cassie’s lawyer, Douglas H Wigdor, released a statement per Sky News: “This entire criminal process started when our client Cassie Ventura had the courage to file her civil complaint in November 2023.
“Although the jury did not find Combs guilty of sex trafficking Cassie beyond a reasonable doubt, she paved the way for a jury to find him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution.
“By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice.”
Wigdor praised Ventura, who testified while heavily pregnant just three weeks before giving birth, saying she displayed “unquestionable strength” and “brought attention to the realities of powerful men in our orbit.
“We must repeat, with no reservation, that we believe and support our client, who showed exemplary courage throughout this trial.”