
What charges was Diddy found guilty of? The jury's verdict, possible prison time explained
But the once-celebrated rap icon's two-month trial, which revealed startling and far-reaching allegations of physical, sexual and psychological abuse, doesn't end this chapter of Combs' troubles.
While some companies and institutions have cut ties, much of the hip-hop world has yet to fully grapple with the case. Whether former collaborators acknowledge the allegations, the response – or lack of one – will reflect the genre's broader reckoning with power, abuse and accountability.
After the verdict, the embattled hip-hop figure was taken into custody to await a decision on his possible release and sentencing. And with nearly 80 physical and sexual assault civil lawsuits still pending, as well as new accusers continuing to emerge, the fallout from the allegations is likely to continue playing out in courtrooms – and in public – for years to come.
Here's what to know about what comes next.
Did Diddy win his trial?
Yes and no. After nearly two months of daily court appearances in his hometown of New York City, Combs faced a split verdict on July 2, convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and acquitted of two counts of sex trafficking as well as of racketeering, the top charge.
How much prison time is Diddy facing?
The Bad Boy Records founder faced a maximum sentence of life in prison for the racketeering charge. Sex trafficking has a 15-year mandatory minimum and maximum of life in prison.
But for his conviction, the transportation to engage in prostitution charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. With guilty verdicts on two counts, he could face a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Is Diddy in jail?
Combs has been incarcerated at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center since he was arrested on Sept. 16. Combs' lawyers are fighting to have him released, and prosecutors are pushing back. The judge asked both sides to submit letters outlining their arguments in court.
Diddy still faces nearly 80 civil lawsuits
There's still a mountain of civil lawsuits waiting for Combs.
To date, approximately 80 lawsuits have been filed against Combs, many of which have been filed by Texas-based attorney Tony Buzbee, who previously announced he would represent 120 individual accusers. Alleged victims represented by Buzbee now account for about half of the lawsuits filed so far.
Every lawsuit and sex abuse allegation against Sean 'Diddy' Combs
The lawsuits include both named and anonymous accusers with a variety of sexual assault and physical violence claims dating as far back as 1991 to as recently as 2024. Some say they were children or teens during their alleged assaults, many claim they were drugged and others allege their abuse was recorded.
The music mogul has denied all of the allegations.
Contributing: KiMi Robinson

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Expert Reveals Diddy Faces Very Long Prison Sentence Due To Hint From Judge
A former prosecutor has warned that Sean "Diddy" Combs will likely face a lengthy prison sentence after beating his top sex crimes charges. The music mogul, whose case has attracted national attention, was found guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution and not guilty of the sex trafficking and racketeering charges. According to the legal expert, the possibility of a lengthy sentence was hinted at by the trial judge, who also denied Sean "Diddy" Combs' bail following the verdict. After several weeks of trial, the jury recently reached a decision on the charges against Diddy. They acquitted him of racketeering and sex trafficking charges that could have resulted in a life sentence if he had been convicted. What remained were the lesser charges of transportation to engage in prostitution, which many viewed as a legal victory for Diddy. However, a former federal prosecutor, Jennifer Beidel, has warned that despite the reduced severity of the charges, Judge Arun Subramanian may still "throw the book" at the rapper during sentencing. According to Beidel, Subramanian, referring to Diddy's propensity for violence while denying his request for a $1 million bail bond, hinted at this possibility. "He is saying he thinks that Diddy poses a danger to society," Beidel told the Daily Mail. She added, "In the bond hearing, both sides did a guidelines calculation, and the government's was higher. I think the judge is probably signaling that he's gonna be receptive to some of those additions to the guidelines range, and when the guidelines range goes up, the sentence usually goes up." For now, it remains unclear how many years could be added if Judge Subramanian chooses to throw the book at Diddy. However, what is known is that the prosecutors will seek a 20-year maximum sentence for the rapper. On the other hand, Diddy's lawyers have argued that, under federal sentencing guidelines, he should face about two years in prison. If that turns out to be the case, Diddy could be released in just over a year, as he has already spent nine months in jail since his arrest in September last year. In the meantime, with his bail bond denied, Diddy remains in jail until his sentencing. A sentencing date has been set for October 3, but it may be rescheduled for an earlier date during a hearing scheduled for next week. Beyond the possibility of facing a long sentence, Diddy also has to contend with the numerous civil suits he is embroiled in. Since his arrest in September, he has been hit with over 60 lawsuits from both men and women, including allegations of sexual assault, rape, and abuse. Some of his accusers have chosen to remain anonymous while filing their lawsuits, while others have been publicly named. Most recently, a male escort named Clayton Howard, who Diddy allegedly hired for "freak offs," filed a lawsuit against the rapper and his ex, Cassandra "Cassie" Ventura. In the recent lawsuit filed by Howard, he claimed Diddy and Cassie trafficked him for the purposes of commercial sex, which he described as "entertainment to satisfy their sexual fetishes and personal ambitions." Even worse, he alleged that he was drugged, manipulated, and traumatized by the duo, whom he described as being involved in a toxic and abusive relationship, as supported by reports from Diddy's trial. He also claimed to have suffered physical and psychological injury, lost wages and benefits, medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and mental anguish, as well as loss of enjoyment of life. Despite the barrage of civil lawsuits, the rapper is prepared to fight for his innocence in the coming days. His lawyer, Erica Wolff, stated in a press release following the verdict that Diddy "will not back down" and intends to fight all the civil cases to achieve his "full vindication," according to The New York Times. She also claimed that the jury's decision in the sex crimes trial is proof that the rapper is innocent of the allegations in his numerous civil suits. The outcome helped prove "what we have been saying about the civil cases since day one: they are all fabricated attempts to extort windfall payments from an innocent man," the attorney emphasized. "Mr. Combs never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone," she added. "From the beginning, we have vigorously defended against the civil plaintiffs' made-up claims with full confidence that Mr. Combs would prevail in the criminal case, and he did."
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Dramatic moment Sean 'Diddy' Combs fell to his knees after learning his fate
Twelve New York jurors gathered around 10:00 (14:00 GMT) on Wednesday in a wood-panelled courtroom to tell Sean "Diddy" Combs that they found him not guilty of running a criminal enterprise with employees, and sex trafficking his ex-girlfriends. The disgraced hip-hop mogul fell to his knees and buried his head in a chair at the defence table where he had just spent two months on trial for sex trafficking and racketeering. Before the verdict came down, Combs sat quietly in his chair, looking forward, wearing the same off-white sweater and pants he wore for much of his trial. The court grew quiet as the jury foreperson handed the verdict sheet to the court deputy. Then it was handed back to the foreperson. And they began to read. As the sound of the "not guilty" rung out in court for the first time, acquitting Combs of the most severe crime of racketeering, the rapper kept his head low. By the time the foreperson announced Combs was not guilty of sex trafficking, Combs had his head in his hands. The jury did find him guilty on the least severe charges of transporting people to engage in prostitution. As they confirmed their decision, Combs buried his face in his hands. A flurry of small celebrations followed for Combs, who has been in a federal jail in Brooklyn since September. He made a prayer sign with his hands to the jury, then turned around and made the same gesture to his family - twin daughters, sons and 85-year-old mother. He appeared to mouth: "I'm coming home." The moment seemed equally emotional for Combs' many lawyers, including Teny Geragos, seated next to him and wiping away tears with a tissue after the verdict was read. Combs' attorneys wasted no time in telling the judge that the verdict, reached after roughly two days of deliberations, meant Combs should be able to walk out of the Manhattan courthouse a free man that very day. His acquittal on the most serious charges meant he no longer needed to be jailed, his attorney Marc Agnifilo told the court, noting that his client's plane was inaccessible - chartered and in Maui. "Mr Combs has been given his life by this jury," he said. "He will not run afoul of anything this court imposes on him." Then, in the perhaps the most emotional gesture of the day for Combs, he appeared to express his gratitude by pressing his head into his chair at the defence table. He rose, clapping his hands loudly, to hug several of his lawyers. Many family members and supporters in the main courtroom and a packed overflow room joined him, cheering. Then, with one final hug to his lawyer and a wave to his family - blocked by a mass of people and court benches - he was escorted out of the court. The hip-hop mogul's homecoming hopes were later dashed as Judge Arun Subramanian denied him bail at another hearing on Wednesday afternoon. Outside the Manhattan court, there were repeated calls of "free Diddy" in a large crowd behind barriers. But he will remain behind bars until his sentencing later this year. Get all the latest trial updates on the BBC Sounds 'Diddy on Trial' podcast available wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
At Least Six Dead and 20 Children Missing in Catastrophic Texas Floods
At least six people were killed and more than 20 children were missing from a girls summer camp after torrential rain caused widespread flooding in parts of central Texas. Several victims, both children and adults, were recovered from cars and in water, authorities said. More rain was expected in some of the worst-hit areas, and other parts of Texas, officials said.