Hip-hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs acquitted on most serious charges in split verdict

Yahoo

2 days ago

Hip-hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been found guilty of two of the five charges he faced in his racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking trial.
On count one of the five-count indictment – racketeering conspiracy – the jury found Combs not guilty.
On count two – sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, pertaining to Cassie Ventura – the jury found Combs not guilty.
On count three – transportation to engage in prostitution, also pertaining to Ventura – the jury found Combs guilty.
On count four – sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, pertaining to the woman identified by the pseudonym "Jane" – the jury found Combs not guilty.
On count five of the indictment – transportation to engage in prostitution, also pertaining to "Jane" – the jury found Combs guilty.
Combs faces a maximum prison sentence of 10 years for each count of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Following six weeks of testimony presided over by U.S. District Court Judge Arun Subramanian that saw the prosecution present 34 witnesses and the defense present none, the jury of eight men and four women deliberated just over two days days before reaching their verdicts.
Tune into ABC at 10/9c Wednesday for an ABC News special, 'Verdict: The Diddy Trial,' on the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial, and streaming next day on Hulu and Disney+.
Subramanian said he will decide whether Combs get released today. He said that the decision might take some time – including giving the lawyers time to write letters arguing for and against release – but that it will happen sometime today. Prosecutors asked for a 'few hours.'
Comey said the government plans to pursue 'significant incarceration' for Combs.
Court is adjourned for now.
Combs got down from his chair and knelt on the floor after the verdicts were read, appearing to pray while some of his attorneys embraced. Marshalls then escorted Combs out of the courtroom while some spectators in the gallery cheered and applauded.
MORE: Everyone who testified for the prosecution in the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial
Combs was initially indicted in September 2024 on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking by force and transportation to engage in prostitution. A superseding indictment in March 2025 included additional allegations of forced labor under the racketeering conspiracy count, while another superseding indictment the following month added an additional charge of sex trafficking and one of transportation to engage in prostitution
Federal prosecutors accused Combs of using his many businesses, and the people he employed to run them, to conduct a criminal enterprise to illegally coerce women into sex and conceal his alleged illicit conduct to protect his reputation. The alleged activities included "sex trafficking, forced labor, interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution, coercion and enticement to engage in prostitution, narcotics offenses, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice," according to the indictment.
In addition to the racketeering charge, the indictment also included two separate counts each of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution, both involving two alleged victims.
Combs' attorneys countered that Combs may well be a violent man – one who indulges in unconventional sexual conduct, abused illegal drugs and committed domestic violence – but he wasn't part of a broader criminal organization.
'This case is about those real-life relationships, and the government is trying to turn those relationships into a racketeering case,' Combs' attorney, Teny Geragos, told jurors in her opening statement. 'The evidence is going to show you a very flawed individual, but it will not show you a racketeer, a sex trafficker, or somebody transporting for prostitution.'
MORE: Sean 'Diddy' Combs rejects plea deal ahead of sex trafficking trial
The prosecution called 34 witnesses over six weeks of testimony, beginning with Combs' former girlfriend Cassie Ventura, whom Combs was seen physically assaulting in a widely circulated hotel surveillance video from 2016. Other witnesses included two alleged Combs victims who testified under the pseudonyms "Mia" and "Jane," as well as two male escorts to testified that they were paid to participate in so-called "freak-off" sexual encounters with Combs, Ventura and other alleged victims. The jury also heard from witnesses to alleged abuse and sexual acts, and a forensic psychologist who testified regarding why people often remain in abusive relationships.
One of the most high-profile prosecution witnesses was Scott Mescudi, aka rapper Kid Cudi, who testified that he was told Combs allegedly broke into his home and had someone set his car on fire after learning that he was dating Cassie Ventura. Combs previously denied any involvement in the car fire.
The defense, which twice during testimony unsuccessfully asked the judge to declare a mistrial, called no witnesses before resting their case on June 24, just two hours after the prosecution rested theirs, electing only to read additional evidence into the court record. Combs told the court at that time that he did not wish to take the stand in his own defense.
Federal prosecutors the following day told Judge Arun Subramanian that they were no longer including attempted kidnapping and attempted arson as underlying crimes in the alleged racketeering conspiracy charge against Combs. Instead, prosecutors signaled that they would push sex trafficking and forced labor as primary predicate acts that the jury could find to convict Combs of racketeering conspiracy.
Defense attorneys had argued that no evidence was presented directly tying Combs to the arson that damaged rapper Kid Cudi's vehicle. Defense attorneys also argued that the alleged kidnapping of Combs' former employee, Capricorn Clark, by Combs to confront Kid Cudi was far removed from the heart of the case. Federal prosecutors did not elaborate on their decision in their letter to the judge.
The prosecution delivered a nearly five-hour-long closing argument on Thursday, June 26, summarizing 28 days of testimony and evidence. The defense spent four hours the next day presenting their summation, followed by the prosecution rebuttal. Deliberations began on Monday, June 30 after Judge Arun Subramanian gave the jury their instructions.
On Tuesday, the jury told the court that they'd reached a verdict on four of the five five counts with which Combs was charged, they were unable to reach a verdict on the first count -- racketeering conspiracy -- prompting the judge to instruct them to continue deliberations.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.