Here’s the latest.
Sean Combs was acquitted on Wednesday of sex trafficking and racketeering charges, but convicted of transportation to engage in prostitution after an eight-week federal trial.
A jury in Manhattan found Mr. Combs, 55, not guilty of the most serious charges against him. Prosecutors had accused the famed producer of coercing two former girlfriends, Casandra Ventura and a woman who testified pseudonymously as “Jane,” into unwanted sex with male prostitutes, aided by a team of pliant employees.
Even with a partial conviction, the result is something of a victory for Mr. Combs, who was elated in court. He had faced a possible life sentence had he been convicted of other counts in the case. He could be sentenced up to a maximum of 20 years in prison on the two transportation for prostitution charges — 10 years for each count — but the final sentence will be up to a judge.
Here’s what else to know:
- Racketeering: Jurors said on Tuesday that there were “unpersuadable opinions on both sides” in regard to the racketeering count. Racketeering law was once intended to combat the Mafia but has become central in cases against R. Kelly, Young Thug, Wall Street executives, gang members and President Trump. Read more >
- Possible release: A defense lawyer immediately asked the judge to release Mr. Combs from jail to await sentencing now that he no longer faces sex-trafficking and racketeering charges. The judge said he would hear arguments on the question before ruling.
- The jury: The racially diverse panel of eight men and four women, ranging in age from 30 to 74, sent several notes to the judge during deliberations, both asking for evidence and expressing concern about one juror. Read more >
- Felony charges: Had he been convicted of sex trafficking, Mr. Combs would have faced a sentence of 15 years to life in prison. The charge of racketeering conspiracy also carries a potential life sentence. Read more >
- Prosecution’s case: Mr. Combs was portrayed as the head of a criminal enterprise who “used power, violence and fear to get what he wanted” in the government’s closing argument. A prosecutor said Mr. Combs used violence, financial control and threats to manipulate his girlfriends into physically taxing sex sessions with hired men, while he masturbated and filmed. Read more >
- Defense’s case: In its closing argument, Mr. Combs’s defense team told jurors that the government’s evidence contradicted its case. It acknowledged that Mr. Combs had engaged in domestic violence and drug use, but argued that the accusation that Mr. Combs was a sex trafficker or criminal ringleader was “badly exaggerated.” Read more >
Combs’ conviction: Here’s what those two counts alleged
While the jury acquitted Sean “Diddy” Combs of the most serious charges, it found him guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, each carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
A closer look at his conviction: The two transportation charges accused Combs of transporting his then-girlfriends, Cassie Ventura and “Jane,” as well as male escorts, across state lines for the purposes of prostitution. One charge related to Ventura, whom Combs dated from around 2007 to 2018. The other involved “Jane,” who testified under a pseudonym and dated Combs from 2021 to 2024.
Jane testified about accompanying Combs to what she called “hotel nights,” where she engaged in sexual encounters with a male “entertainer,” often in a hotel room with Combs present. Ventura testified about participating in similar encounters, which Combs referred to as “Freak Offs.”
Jane testified she and Combs had “hotel nights” between May 2021 and October 2023 in a variety of locales, including Los Angeles, New York, Miami and Turks and Caicos. Similarly, Ventura said “Freak Offs” took place in some of those locations as well as other cities, such as Atlanta and Las Vegas.
Ventura testified some escorts participated in “Freak Offs” in multiple states. They were paid between $1,500 and $6,000 afterwards in cash provided by Combs, she said. Her testimony was bolstered by various records presented in court, including flight records, American Express charges and hotel invoices.
The jury also watched sexually explicit video footage of Ventura and Jane engaging in sexual acts with male escorts. The videos line up with the dates of many flight records and hotel invoices, the prosecution said. The defense argued there wasn’t sufficient evidence that the escorts and entertainers were paid for prostitution as opposed to for their time.
What a legal analyst said: Last week, trial attorney and legal analyst Misty Marris said this about the two transportation charges: “That has been proved by leaps and bounds by prosecutors.”
“It’s truly very simple: Did individuals cross state lines with the intent to engage in prostitution?” Marris said about the transportation counts.
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