Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has been declared guilty on two charges related to the transportation for the purposes of prostitution in a drawn-out sex trafficking trial.
The verdict was delivered today (July 2) after several weeks of court proceedings. The jury convicted Combs on two charges: the first involving ‘Victim 1’, Cassie Ventura, and commercial sex workers, and the second involving a woman known only as “Jane” and commercial sex workers.
The jury concluded that Combs was not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.
Had Combs been convicted of all the charges, he could have faced life imprisonment due to the racketeering conspiracy charge.
With the acquittal on that charge, his potential prison time has been reduced.
Each charge for the transportation for purposes of prostitution carries a maximum penalty of 10 years. Given the two guilty charges, Combs faces up to 20 years in prison.
This verdict follows Combs’ arrest on September 16, 2024.
He was taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, and has remained there since, despite his legal team’s efforts to secure his release on bail.
A federal judge in New York rejected the bail request, labeling Combs a ‘serious flight risk’. Throughout the trial, he has appeared in court wearing an orange prison uniform.
Following the verdict, federal prosecutors announced their intention to seek the maximum total sentence of 20 years, according to NBC News.
The acquittal on three out of five charges might surprise those who followed the trial, which involved extensive witness testimony from the prosecution compared to the brief defense case.
Cassie Ventura was among the prosecution’s witnesses, sharing her experiences from her intermittent relationship with Combs from 2007 to 2018.
Ventura’s testimony included accounts of participating in ‘freak-offs’ with Combs, which she described as leaving her feeling ‘grimy’ and ‘dirty’. She recounted feeling pressured to participate, citing an incident where she agreed after Combs repeatedly asked her.
Combs chose not to testify in his defense during the trial.