Latest news with #Combs
New York Post
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Diddy joins jail self-improvement programs to address domestic violence, drugs in ‘calculated' move before sentencing: expert
Sean 'Diddy' Combs has joined jail self-improvement programs aimed at curbing drug use and violence against women — a blatant bid to land less prison time at his upcoming sentencing, an expert told The Post. 'It's a tale as old as time,' former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told The Post on Tuesday. Combs, 55, was convicted earlier this month on prostitution charges while being cleared of sex-trafficking and racketeering counts. Advertisement He faces a maximum of 20 years behind bars at his Oct. 3 sentencing, though he'll likely get a far lighter sentence somewhere in the potential range of 15 months to five years because of more lenient sentencing guidelines. 4 Sean 'Diddy' Combs has enrolled in self-improvement programs in jail to win a lenient sentencing, an expert told The Post. REUTERS Either way, the hip-hop mogul has entered the STOP Program while he's being held at Brooklyn's MDC lockup to help him work on his history of violence toward women, according to TMZ. Advertisement The 'I'll Be Missing You' rapper is also undergoing therapy and in a drug abuse program that Dr. Harry Wexler runs, the outlet said, citing sources. Combs hopes the treatments will help him to improve himself, sources told the celebrity new site. But the self-described 'cynical' and 'jaded' Rahmani said he sees the programs as Combs' and his defense team's effort to clinch a lenient penalty on the disgraced music mogul's day of judgment. 'These are calculated legal and PR moves,' said Rahmani, now a criminal-defense lawyer. Advertisement Combs, who also founded the Sean John fashion line, wants to show Judge Arun Subramanian that 'he's accepted responsibility, that he's willing to change, that he's not going to re-offend,' Rahmani said, noting one of the mitigating factors for sentencing is if the defendant accepts responsibility. Combs wants to demonstrate that the crimes he committed were 'all drug- and mental-health related,' the lawyer said. 4 Combs is set to be sentenced Oct. 3 to prostitution charges. Diddy/Instagram The Bad Boy Records founder wants to show 'he's committed to improving his life,' the lawyer said. Advertisement 'It's Lawyering 101,' Rahmani said. 'I'm completely cynical. This is all gamesmanship,' the attorney said. 'Combs' lawyers 'are doing their job. They are trying to minimize their client's [sentencing] exposure.' Combs' lawyers have said at prior bail hearings that before the rapper's September arrest, he was enrolled in a batterers program at the Urban Resource Institute in New York. 'He went to meetings. He participated,' defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo said July 2 in arguing for Combs to be released after the mixed verdict. 4 Combs' lawyers admitted that he had carried out domestic violence toward women he dated, but they claimed that didn't make him guilty of sex-trafficking and racketeering. via REUTERS The judge can choose whether to follow federal sentencing guidelines, which lawyers on both sides will haggle over in the lead-up to the hearing. Initially, Combs' lawyers said they believed the guideline range for their client is between 15 to 21 months while prosecutors have argued the range should be at least four to five years. Both sides will give their final estimates in court papers they'll submit before sentencing. The federal probation department will also make a determination for where it believes the guidelines lay for Combs when they weigh in factors such as criminal history. The judge will ultimately take the opinions from the prosecution, the defense and probation to determine what he believes the guidelines should be set at. Advertisement Rahmani said that since Subramanian is fairly new to overseeing criminal cases and previously presided over civil matters, there isn't a long track record of sentencings to pull from to see whether the jurist tends to be lenient or harsh. 4 Combs' ex-longtime girlfriend Cassie Ventura testified that Combs beat her up repeatedly throughout their relationship. Department of Justice 'I dont think there is ton of sentencing history when it comes to this judge,' Rahmani said. 'Some of these [former] civil judges tend to be softer.' During the two-month-long trial, prosecutors claimed Combs forced women to have sex with male prostitutes during days-long, drugged-up 'freak-offs.' Advertisement Prosecutors also alleged Combs used his employees to carry out a 20-year criminal enterprise to commit arson, forced labor, kidnapping, sex-trafficking, bribery and other cimes. Combs lawyers admitted to the jury that Combs had a history of domestic violence and that he liked kinky sex said but none of those things made him guilty of sex-trafficking and racketeering. Combs' ex-longtime girlfriend Cassie Ventura testified about repeatedly being beaten up by Combs, including in March 2016 when he was captured on infamous surveillance footage shoving, kicking and dragging Ventura in the hallway of a Los Angeles hotel. The jury found Combs not guilty of the three most serious charges of sex-trafficking and racketeering — which could have seen him face life imprisonment if he'd been convicted. Advertisement The panel convicted him of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution — tied to prosecutors claims that Combs flew male escorts and his two girlfriends around the country for the 'freak-off' sex-marathons, which he filmed. Combs' team did not return a Post request for comment Tuesday. Additional reporting by Ben Kochman
Business Wire
8 hours ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Overture Life Appoints Former Butterfly Network Executive Matt Combs as Chief Commercial Officer to Lead Scale-up of IVF Automation Technology as Demand Surges Worldwide
PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Overture Life, the leader in automated IVF technology that delivered the first live births in the world from automated fertilization and egg freezing, today announced the appointment of Matthew Combs as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). Combs joins Overture to drive global expansion amid rising domestic and international demand for IVF automation technology that directly addresses the embryologist shortages worldwide. In the newly created role, Combs will lead the company's global commercialization as it expands access to technology that automates fertilization and egg freezing processes previously done by hand. These include the ICSI.A, the world's first robot for automated fertilization, and the DaVitri, for automated, consistent, high-quality vitrification that will expand egg freezing beyond specialized IVF facilities. Combs will focus on scaling Overture Life's fertility technologies to meet growing clinic demand. Combs has over 15 years of experience driving rapid revenue growth and scaling organizations across healthcare and medtech, from startups to Fortune 500 companies. He most recently served as Chief Growth Officer at Amalgam, where he led the market expansion of the company's SaaS products. In 2017, Combs joined Butterfly Network as the first commercial hire when the company was pre-revenue, helping scale operations to over $70 million in annual revenue before the company went public in 2021. During his tenure, he transitioned from leading early-stage business development to serving as VP of Sales for the business, managing the commercial organization through periods of rapid growth. He has also held commercial leadership roles at Boston Scientific, Stryker, and FUJIFILM Sonosite. 'We're seeing clinics from the US and Europe, to Latin America and Asia asking when they can get our systems,' said Hans Gangeskar, CEO of Overture Life. 'Matt's track record building Butterfly Network into a public company gives us exactly the commercial expertise we need as we move from proving our technology works to scaling it globally. The demand is increasing exponentially as clinics want automation that actually delivers tangible results.' 'What I've seen with Overture's technology reminds me of the early excitement around Butterfly Network, that sense of a solution arriving at exactly the right moment,' said Combs. 'IVF has been constrained by manual processes that create barriers to accessibility and inconsistency in performance. Overture's automation addresses real operational challenges that clinics face every day, from embryologist shortages to the need for affordable and predictable outcomes.' About Overture Life Overture Life integrates engineering, reproductive medicine, and regulatory-grade validation to modernize embryology lab procedures, particularly fertility preservation and embryo handling, in ways that lower repeated cycles, increase throughput, and reduce the overall cost of IVF. With R&D in Spain and active U.S. operations, including a CLIA-licensed laboratory for non-invasive embryo selection, Overture unites robotics, analytics, and clinical rigor to deliver tools that clinics and patients can trust. The company's DaVitri platform aims to boost reliability and consistency in IVF, giving women and families worldwide more control over their fertility timelines. Overture's backers include Overwater Ventures, GV (formerly Google Ventures), Khosla Ventures, Octopus Ventures and others committed to advancing the future of fertility.
Metro
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Fifty Cent trolls Diddy with AI-generated baby oil video
50 Cent has hit out at his old rival Sean 'Diddy' Combs with an AI-generated video referencing Combs' recent legal troubles. Those keeping up to date with showbiz feuds will be aware that 'Fiddy', real name Curtis James Jackson III, doesn't have a lot of time for Combs, who's recently been on trial for several sex-related felonies. Yet despite Combs being acquitted of the most serious charges against him (sex trafficking and racketeering), that hasn't stopped the In Da Club singer from trolling the disgraced music mogul. In a recent Instagram post, the 50-year-old shared an AI-generated video of Combs walking down a catwalk while wearing a 'baby oil costume'. The video is set to the Jody2Good's song Baby Oil Freak Off Party, a track about the allegations against the I'll Be Missing You singer that was released last year after his arrest. Fifty captioned the video, 'I didn't know Diddy walked in the Michael Amiri show, when did he make Bond!' The post is a clear reference to the more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant that law enforcement seized from Combs' homes in Miami and Los Angeles. While the majority of those commenting on Fiddy's video seem to find the post funny, there are several who've taken issue with it. 'Don't you have anything better to do?? What an example for your sons,' wrote grentzcolleen. Meanwhile, misssunshine_c3 added, 'Now we believe Diddy is living rent free in your big head'. This is hardly the first time Fiddy's taken aim at Combs and those associated with him. Last month, he lashed out at Bianca Censori, Kanye West's wife, following West's appearance at Combs' trial. On Instagram, the rapper slammed both West and Censori, referencing her headline-making see-through outfit from the Grammy Awards earlier this year. 'We are wearing white in honour of the freak offs,' he wrote. 'Damn Ye, you should have brought your dirty little wife with that Grammys outfit! @50centaction.' More Trending Combs is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Centre (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York, while he awaits sentencing in October. On July 2, a jury convicted the 55-year-old on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution of his ex-girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura, and another woman known as Jane. He was found not guilty of racketeering conspiracy, nor was he found guilty of two charges of sex trafficking in relation to Cassie and Jane. Combs has pleaded not guilty and denied all allegations against him. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Cassie Ventura releases statement after ex Sean 'Diddy' Combs sex trafficking verdict MORE: Sean 'Diddy' Combs denied bail as he faces 20 years behind bars MORE: What happens next in Sean 'Diddy' Combs sentencing after verdict reached
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cassie's Lawyer Issues Statement Amid Sean 'Diddy' Combs Verdict
Casandra 'Cassie' Fine's lawyer has released a statement following the verdict in the landmark sex trafficking trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs. On Wednesday morning (July 2), the 55-year-old was found guilty of two federal counts of transporting women across state lines for the purpose of prostitution, and acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking charges. Fine's civil lawsuit, filed against Combs in November 2023, broke the ice on public allegations of rape and abuse against the Harlem native. Under New York State's Adult Survivors Act, she accused him of sex trafficking, sexual battery, sexual assault, and violations of New York City's gender-motivated violence law. The lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount in less than two days. '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,' detailed Fine' attorney, Douglas H. Wigdor, in a statement to Variety. 'By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice. We must repeat – with no reservation – that we believe and support our client who showed exemplary courage throughout this trial. 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.' The R&B singer not only filed the initial lawsuit against Combs, but she also testified during the shocking criminal trial. Video footage of a 2016 incident where Combs physically assaulted Fine was also included in the evidence. 'He would smash me in my head, knock me over, drag me, kick me, stomp me in the head if I was down,' detailed the 38-year-old on the witness stand. According to CNN, Judge Arun Subramanian is expected to decide today if Combs should be released ahead of sentencing. His legal team has suggested that he return to his house in Miami and follow court-mandated conditions. Combs has remained behind bars since his September 2024 arrest. More from Funkmaster Flex Blasted For Rant Targeted At Cassie Following Diddy Verdict Sean "Diddy" Combs Sex Trafficking Trial: Jury Deliberation Begins Scott Storch Recalls Diddy Parties, Claims Mogul "Tried To Flirt" With Him
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Sentencing Date Set For Fall
A sentencing date has been set for Sean 'Diddy' Combs following his federal conviction. According to CNN, the 55-year-old will learn his fate on Oct. 3, 2025, after being found guilty on two federal counts of transporting women across state lines for the purpose of prostitution. The decision, made on Tuesday (July 8), came after Combs' legal team requested an expedited hearing process from Judge Arun Subramanian, asking for a September date, the aforementioned date before coming to an agreement. Combs faces up to 10 years in prison on each count. As reported by Rolling Stone, his defense team is reportedly pushing for the minimum sentence of 21 to 27 months behind bars. The prosecution, however, said the sentencing guidelines called for 51 to 63 months imprisonment, and noted it would likely be seeking an even longer sentence. Judge Subramanian has previously noted that the time Combs has already spent in behind bars will count towards his final sentence. The Harlem native has been jailed since his initial arrest in September 2024. Judge Subramanian denied the defense team's request for the Hip-Hop producer to be released on bail until sentencing. 'It is impossible for the defendant to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that he poses no danger,' relayed Judge Subramanian, per The Guardian. 'At trial, the defense conceded the defendant's violence in personal relationships, saying 'it happened' in relation to Cassie Ventura and Jane,' he continued. 'This highlights a disregard for the rule of law and a propensity of violence.' After the Bad Boy Records founder was found guilty of the lesser charges and acquitted of the more serious racketeering and sex trafficking charges, many celebrated the news. Celebrities, including Tiny Harris and Boosie Badazz, made exclamations on social media, while some fans gathered outside the courthouse, spraying baby oil. 'I feel incredible. I feel good,' shared Sean Combs' mother, Janice Combs, after the verdict. 'First thing I'm gonna do is hug my Pops,' added the Grammy winner's son, Christian Combs. 'We were hopeful, but you never know,' continued Justin Combs. 'I am so happy.' More from D.L. Hughley Slams "Morally Bankrupt" People Celebrating Diddy Verdict Cassie's Lawyer Issues Statement Amid Sean "Diddy" Combs Verdict Sean "Diddy" Combs Sex Trafficking Trial: Jury Deliberation Begins
