Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Cleared of Sex Trafficking, Convicted on Prostitution Charges
New York: After a high-stakes, seven-week trial that gripped public attention and drew intense media coverage, music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has been acquitted of federal charges related to sex trafficking and racketeering. However, the 55-year-old was convicted on two counts of transporting individuals for the purpose of prostitution a felony under U.S. federal law.
The jury, comprised of eight men and four women, reached a mixed verdict after 13 hours of deliberation spread across three days. Combs now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. He remains in custody in a New York facility as the court awaits a bail decision from Judge Arun Subramanian.
As the verdict was announced in Manhattan federal court, Combs appeared visibly relieved, offering a smile and a handshake to one of his attorneys, and thanking the jury as they exited. Judge Subramanian praised the jury’s diligence, saying, “You listened, you worked together, you were here every day, rain or shine… You did so with no reward, other than the reward that comes from answering the call of public service.”
Jury Delivers Split Verdict
The charges stemmed from accusations that Combs orchestrated a criminal network involving sex trafficking, drug distribution, forced labor, and other serious offenses. Federal prosecutors portrayed Combs as the leader of a decades-long enterprise using his power and influence to commit numerous crimes.
To secure a racketeering conviction, jurors would have needed to confirm the existence of a structured criminal enterprise and identify at least two associated crimes. However, after initially indicating a deadlock on that charge, the jury ultimately ruled in Combs’s favor on the more severe counts.
The jury found Combs:
- Not Guilty of racketeering conspiracy
- Not Guilty of sex trafficking Casandra Ventura
- Not Guilty of sex trafficking a second woman, known as “Jane”
- Guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution involving Ventura
- Guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution involving “Jane”
Testimonies of Abuse and Coercion
Both Ventura, a singer and former longtime partner of Combs, and “Jane” testified about abusive and coercive relationships with the music mogul. They detailed harrowing experiences involving physical violence, emotional manipulation, and participation in non-consensual sexual encounters allegedly arranged by Combs.
Prosecutors emphasized these testimonies to highlight a pattern of exploitation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey arguing, “The defendant never thought that the women he abused would have the courage to speak out loud what he had done to them.”
The defense countered that while Combs’s relationships may have been volatile including a security video showing him physically assaulting Ventura the sexual activities described were consensual. They denied any element of trafficking or organized criminal intent.
A Case That Captivated the Nation
Combs’s arrest in September 2024 and the subsequent trial drew massive public and media attention. With 34 witnesses taking the stand, the proceedings transformed the Manhattan courthouse into a national focal point.
As the case moves to the sentencing phase, the spotlight remains on Combs, who continues to maintain his innocence on the more serious allegations. The final sentencing date has yet to be announced.