Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has been spared life behind bars after a jury of eight men and four women found him not guilty on two counts of sex trafficking and one count of racketeering conspiracy.
After a seven-week trial in Manhattan, the 55-year old music mogul did not hide his relief when the verdict, clearing him on the most serious charges he faced, was read out in court. He was seen nodding his head, pressing his palms together in a prayer gesture and mouthing “thank you” in the direction of the jury.
Combs will remain behind bars to await his sentencing for the two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution he was found guilty of — charges of which can carry a maximum of 10-years prison sentence each. He has been in a Brooklyn federal prison since his arrest in September, 2024.
Judge Arun Subramanian rejected his bail application, accusing him of showing a “disregard for the rule of law and a propensity of violence” during the bail hearing.
The attorney for Cassie Ventura, one of Comb’s former girlfriends who gave testimony during the trial that he physically and sexually abused her, told reporters outside the courthouse that his team is pleased that Combs has “finally been held accountable” though added that “of course, we would have liked to have seen a conviction on the sex crimes and Rico, but we understand that ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ is a high standard”.
“We’re just pleased he still faces substantial jail time,” Doug Wigdor said.
Reading from a statement moments after the verdict was delivered, Wigdor praised the strength exhibited by his client.
“We must repeat – with no reservation – that we believe and support our client who showed exemplary courage throughout this trial,” he said.
“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. This case proved that change is long overdue, and we will continue to fight on behalf of survivors.”
“This entire criminal process started when our client Cassie Ventura had the courage to file her civil complaint in November 2023. Although the jury did not find Combs guilty of sex trafficking Cassie beyond a reasonable doubt, she paved the way for a jury to find him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution.”
“By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice.”
Combs was found guilty of transporting Ventura and another woman for purposes of prostitution during “freak-offs”, where the women performed elaborate sex acts with male sex workers.
Both women, who had been in relationships with the accused, each testified about the alleged abuse, threats and coercive sex they endured in graphic detail.
Jurors were shown the disturbing surveillance video of Combs attacking Ventura in the hallway of a Los Angeles hotel in 2016. Combs allegedly bribed a security worker at the hotel to hide the footage.
Women’s rights attorney Dr. Ann Olivarius said that the verdict illustrates the limitations of the criminal justice system.
“After seven gruelling days of testimony, the criminal justice system failed to deliver real accountability,” Dr. Olivarius said. “Instead, it turned survivors’ trauma into a public spectacle, re-traumatizing them in a system that too often protects power over truth.”
“That Combs’ lawyers could frame this as a ‘great modern love story’ and be rewarded for it speaks volumes. We’re now told that a love story can include brutal beatings, sexual humiliation, blackmail, stalking, and that the woman should feel lucky to be part of it.”
The attorney added that the verdict “is a painful reminder” of why so many survivors pursue justice through civil lawsuits. Combs is currently also facing accusations of sexual assault and rape in more than 50 civil lawsuits.
Several victim-survivor groups have expressed their dismay in the verdict, including UltraViolet, a US women’s rights group who staged a protest last week outside the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan in support of sexual assault survivors.
In a statement shared with the New York Times this week, the organisation said the verdict on Wednesday was “a decisive moment for our justice system, one which threatens to undo the sacrifice of courageous survivors who stepped forward to share their stories in this trial, as well as to all those abused by Diddy who weren’t able to”.
“Today’s verdict is not just a stain on a criminal justice system that for decades has failed to hold accountable abusers like Diddy, it’s also an indictment of a culture in which not believing women and victims of sexual assault remains endemic,” they added.
Fatima Goss Graves, president and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) and cofounder of the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund, issued a statement too, showing solidarity with the “courageous and inspiring survivors who chose to tell their stories, hold their abuser accountable, and seek justice.”
“Fortunately, survivors do not have to look to jury verdicts to be believed,” she said. “Coming forward and seeking accountability took extraordinary bravery and no jury can take that away.
“We’ve seen this pattern before — someone in a position of influence chooses to harm others for their own gain, using fear, manipulation and violence to maintain control over his victims. But this is not just about Sean Combs. We know that abuse involves networks and enablers who allow violence to occur and continue, which maintains a culture of silence and shame. And long after the stories of Sean Combs’ abuse fades from public memory, it will be up to all of us to support survivors and demand that they have justice and healing.”
On Wednesday, the atmosphere federal courthouse in Manhattan was a “circus”, according to one CNN anchor.
“Spectacle, circus, show, all words that come to mind,” reporter Laura Coates said. “There are shouting matches at times. This is a scene.”
Judge Arun Subramanian proposed a sentencing date in early October, with a remote hearing to discuss the sentence scheduling set for July 8.
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