Sean "Diddy" Combs Sentencing: Key Details to Know
Sean "Diddy" Combs is scheduled for sentencing on Friday morning by a federal judge in New York, following his conviction earlier this year on charges related to prostitution.
Here is a overview of his criminal case: the charges he faced, what happened at trial, and potential next steps.
What Charges Was He Convicted On?
During July, after an eight-week trial, a jury convicted Combs of two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. He was acquitted of the most serious charges against him, racketeering and human trafficking, which could have resulted in the potential of a life sentence.
The offenses on which he was convicted each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years. Combs had pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.
Judge Arun Subramanian, who oversaw the trial, will deliver the sentence on the scheduled day, with the hearing due to begin at 10:00 AM Eastern Time in a federal courthouse in lower Manhattan.
Combs, fifty-five, has been detained without bond at the Brooklyn metropolitan detention center since his apprehension in September last year. Since the verdict, the judge has rejected multiple bail applications from Combs’s lawyers, and recently Subramanian also denied a motion to set aside the convictions.
What Was Combs Facing?
Federal prosecutors accused the music executive of using his power, fame, wealth and influence, and employing intimidation and coercion, to coerce two of his former girlfriends into participating in drug-fueled sexual marathons with paid companions. Such sessions were often referred to by the accused as “hotel nights”, which they said Combs orchestrated, watched, masturbated to and occasionally recorded.
The prosecution asserted that for more than two decades, Combs ran a criminal enterprise – aided by staff and allies – to carry out and conceal offenses including sex-trafficking, drug distribution, corruption and kidnapping.
Although found guilty on two counts, Combs has denied wrongdoing. His attorneys have insisted that all sexual activity was mutually agreed and that no illicit organization existed.
What Transpired During the Trial?
The government's case presented over thirty witnesses, including two of Combs’s former girlfriends – artist Cassie Ventura and another woman who testified using the alias Jane – who described the so-called “freak-offs” in explicit terms, and claimed that Combs pressured and intimidated them into participating.
Ventura was the star prosecution witness. She stated that during her long-term relationship with Combs, he exposed her to physical, sexual and emotional abuse and to extortion. The court was presented with the 2016 hotel surveillance footage of Combs attacking Ventura in a corridor. Jane also told the court of a violent altercation with Combs.
Other witnesses included ex-staff, male escorts, law enforcement agents, hotel staff and celebrities including musician Kid Cudi and singer Dawn Richard. Combs chose not to take the stand.
Combs’s defense attorneys admitted past instances of domestic violence, but denied that any coercion or sex trafficking occurred. They argued that every sexual act was consensual and part of a “swingers’ lifestyle”, and argued that Ventura and Jane were consenting adults in the sex acts.
How Much Time Might He Face?
Combs’s lawyers have requested the court for a penalty of no more than 14 months in prison, which, considering time served, would allow for his freedom before the end of the year. They claim that Combs has already been “sufficiently penalized” by spending over a year in the “harsh environment” at the facility.
The prosecution, however, have requested at least 135 months (11 years and three months) and a half-million-dollar penalty. In court filings, they described Combs as “unrepentant” and said that “his history and characteristics demonstrate years of abuse and violence.
What Was Said By the Victims?
The prosecution submitted multiple statements from victims to the court ahead of sentencing, including one from Ventura.
“While the jury did not seem to understand or believe that I engaged in freak-offs because of the pressure and intimidation the defendant used against me, I know that is the reality, and his sentence should reflect the truth of the testimony and my personal experience as a victim,” Ventura wrote.
“I am so fearful that if he is released, his initial steps will be swift retribution towards me and other individuals who spoke up about his misconduct, at court,” she said.
“If there is one thing I have gained from this experience, it is that those affected will never be safe,” she continued. “I hope that your ruling takes into account the facts at hand that the jury failed to see.”
What Comes After Sentencing?
Following the court's decision, Combs’s legal team could appeal against the sentence. Combs’s team is also likely to contest his verdict.
Additionally, Combs faces numerous civil cases alleging of misconduct and further offenses. He has denied every claim in those proceedings.