Sean “Diddy” Combs was denied bail on Wednesday following his conviction on two federal counts of transporting individuals for the purpose of prostitution. While the jury found him not guilty of more serious charges, racketeering and sex trafficking, the music mogul now faces up to 20 years in prison as he awaits sentencing.
Judge Arun Subramanian ruled against releasing Combs on bond, citing his history of domestic violence, which he described as both relevant and concerning.
“Domestic violence is violence,” Subramanian said, addressing the court.
Combs, seated at the defense table where he has spent the last two months, reacted emotionally as the verdict was read. He bowed his head, clasped his hands in prayer, and looked upward in apparent relief. After thanking his legal team and the jury, he dropped to his knees, overcome with emotion.
Jury clears Combs of racketeering, sex trafficking
The verdict followed seven weeks of intense testimony in which federal prosecutors painted Combs as the mastermind of a long-running criminal enterprise. They alleged he used employees and bodyguards to carry out illegal acts ranging from violence to coerced sexual encounters.
On Tuesday, jurors reported they were deadlocked on the racketeering charge. Judge Subramanian instructed them to continue deliberating, and by Wednesday, they had reached a verdict.
Combs was acquitted on racketeering and sex trafficking charges, which stemmed from accusations made by singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and another woman who testified under the pseudonym Jane. Both women were former romantic partners of Combs and described, in graphic testimony, a pattern of abuse, threats, and coercion during long-term relationships.
They alleged Combs orchestrated and sometimes filmed “sexual marathons” involving hired men. The defense acknowledged instances of domestic violence—supported by video evidence of Combs physically assaulting Ventura—but argued that the sexual encounters were consensual and did not rise to the level of sex trafficking. The jury agreed.
“He’s finally been held responsible for two federal crimes,” said Ventura’s attorney, Douglas Wigdor, outside the courthouse.
“She displayed unquestionable strength and brought attention to the realities of powerful men in our orbit and the misconduct that has persisted for decades without repercussion.”
Combs to remain in jail until sentencing
Combs has been held at a federal detention center in Brooklyn since his arrest in September 2024. Wednesday’s ruling marks the fourth time in less than a year that his request for bail has been denied.
The two prostitution-related convictions carry a maximum sentence of 10 years each. Judge Subramanian tentatively scheduled sentencing for October 3, though he expressed willingness to expedite the process at the defense’s request.
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo made an emotional plea for Combs’s release pending sentencing, stating: “He is a man in the process of working on himself. He’s been a model prisoner and has applied to a New York treatment program for abusive partners.”
He argued that the high-profile nature of the case and Combs’s rehabilitation efforts warranted an exception.
But federal prosecutor Maurene Comey rejected the request firmly.
“The only thing exceptional about Sean Combs is his wealth, his violence, and his brazenness,” she said.
“He’s an extremely violent man with an extraordinarily dangerous temper who has shown no remorse and no regret for his multiple victims.”
In addition to the prosecution’s objection, Ventura’s legal team submitted a letter to the court opposing bail.
“Combs is likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case,” it read.
The case, which has captivated public attention, signals a rare instance of partial accountability for one of the entertainment industry’s most powerful figures. While acquitted on the most severe charges, Combs’s conviction marks a turning point in long-standing allegations that have followed him for years.
The sentencing will determine how sharply that accountability is felt.
AFP
