Latest news with #Sean"Diddy"Combs
Toronto Sun
08-07-2025
- Toronto Sun
Diddy's sentencing set for Oct. 3 after split verdict in federal sex crimes case
Published Jul 08, 2025 • 2 minute read Sean "Diddy" Combs reacts after he was convicted of prostitution-related offences but acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have put him behind bars for life, Wednesday, July 2, 2025, in Manhattan federal court in New York. Photo by Elizabeth Williams via AP Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account NEW YORK — Sean 'Diddy' Combs will be sentenced in his federal criminal case on Oct. 3, a judge said Tuesday after probation officials rejected the defence and prosecution's plan to move the date up by about two weeks. Combs, who remains jailed after a split verdict last week, spoke briefly to his lawyer Marc Agnifilo during a virtual hearing on the scheduling issue that lasted all of two minutes. At one point he asked the lawyer to turn on his camera so they could see each other's faces. The hip-hop mogul's lawyers had been urging Judge Arun Subramanian to sentence him as soon as possible after jurors acquitted him last week on racketeering and sex trafficking but convicted him on two prostitution-related charges. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Combs, 55, faces up to a decade in prison for each of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution for flying people around the country, including his girlfriends and male sex workers, for sexual encounters. A conviction on racketeering conspiracy or sex trafficking could have put him in prison for life. Prior to Tuesday's hearing, Combs' lawyers and prosecutors filed a joint letter proposing a Sept. 22 sentencing date, subject to the consent of the U.S. Probation Office. A short time later, they filed a second letter stating that all parties — including the probation office — were on board with the Oct. 3 date Subramanian originally proposed. Read More This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Combs got a standing ovation from fellow inmates when he returned to jail after the verdict last week, Agnifilo said. The Bad Boy Records founder will remain at the federal lockup in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he's been held since his arrest last September after Subramanian last week rejected his request for bail. The judge, citing a now-infamous video of Combs beating a former girlfriend and photographs showing injuries to another ex-girlfriend, made clear that he plans to hold Combs accountable for the years of violence and bullying behaviour that were exposed at his eight-week trial. Combs' lawyers want less than the 21 to 27 months in prison that they believe the sentencing guidelines recommend. Prosecutors contend that the guidelines, when properly calculated to include Combs' crimes and violent history, call for at least four to five years in prison. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Combs' punishment is Subramanian's decision alone, and the judge will have wide latitude in determining a sentence. While judges often adhere to the federal judiciary's formulaic guidelines meant to prevent disparity in sentences for the same crimes, they are not mandatory. As part of the sentencing process, Combs must give an interview to probation officers for a pre-sentence investigation report that will aid the judge in determining the proper punishment. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Love concerts, but can't make it to the venue? Stream live shows and events from your couch with VEEPS, a music-first streaming service now operating in Canada. Click here for an introductory offer of 30% off. Explore upcoming concerts and the extensive archive of past performances. 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The Advertiser
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Diddy 'received standing ovation' on return to prison
Sean "Diddy" Combs received a standing ovation from fellow inmates after being found not guilty of a number of charges. The disgraced rap mogul's trial in New York ended last week when he was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering, but convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, and when he returned to Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, the other prisoners viewed the decision as a sign of hope. His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, told People magazine: "They all said, 'We never get to see anyone who beats the government.'" The lawyer - who speaks to the 56-year-old rapper four or five times a day - thinks Diddy's arrest and subsequent time behind bars has changed him. "He's doing OK," Agnifilo said. "(He) realises he has flaws like everyone else that he never worked on. "He burns hot in all matters. I think what he has come to see is that he has these flaws and there's no amount of fame and no amount of fortune that can erase them. You can't cover them up." The Bad Boy Records founder - who has been in jail since September 2024 - will stay behind bars until his sentencing on 3 October after once again being denied bail by Judge Arun Subramanian. He could face a prison term of up to 20 years. Denying bail, the judge noted that prosecutors were right to point out that a Mann Act violation means detention was "mandatory". Combs was convicted of flying people around the country to engage in sexual encounters. Sean "Diddy" Combs received a standing ovation from fellow inmates after being found not guilty of a number of charges. The disgraced rap mogul's trial in New York ended last week when he was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering, but convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, and when he returned to Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, the other prisoners viewed the decision as a sign of hope. His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, told People magazine: "They all said, 'We never get to see anyone who beats the government.'" The lawyer - who speaks to the 56-year-old rapper four or five times a day - thinks Diddy's arrest and subsequent time behind bars has changed him. "He's doing OK," Agnifilo said. "(He) realises he has flaws like everyone else that he never worked on. "He burns hot in all matters. I think what he has come to see is that he has these flaws and there's no amount of fame and no amount of fortune that can erase them. You can't cover them up." The Bad Boy Records founder - who has been in jail since September 2024 - will stay behind bars until his sentencing on 3 October after once again being denied bail by Judge Arun Subramanian. He could face a prison term of up to 20 years. Denying bail, the judge noted that prosecutors were right to point out that a Mann Act violation means detention was "mandatory". Combs was convicted of flying people around the country to engage in sexual encounters. Sean "Diddy" Combs received a standing ovation from fellow inmates after being found not guilty of a number of charges. The disgraced rap mogul's trial in New York ended last week when he was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering, but convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, and when he returned to Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, the other prisoners viewed the decision as a sign of hope. His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, told People magazine: "They all said, 'We never get to see anyone who beats the government.'" The lawyer - who speaks to the 56-year-old rapper four or five times a day - thinks Diddy's arrest and subsequent time behind bars has changed him. "He's doing OK," Agnifilo said. "(He) realises he has flaws like everyone else that he never worked on. "He burns hot in all matters. I think what he has come to see is that he has these flaws and there's no amount of fame and no amount of fortune that can erase them. You can't cover them up." The Bad Boy Records founder - who has been in jail since September 2024 - will stay behind bars until his sentencing on 3 October after once again being denied bail by Judge Arun Subramanian. He could face a prison term of up to 20 years. Denying bail, the judge noted that prosecutors were right to point out that a Mann Act violation means detention was "mandatory". Combs was convicted of flying people around the country to engage in sexual encounters. Sean "Diddy" Combs received a standing ovation from fellow inmates after being found not guilty of a number of charges. The disgraced rap mogul's trial in New York ended last week when he was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering, but convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, and when he returned to Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, the other prisoners viewed the decision as a sign of hope. His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, told People magazine: "They all said, 'We never get to see anyone who beats the government.'" The lawyer - who speaks to the 56-year-old rapper four or five times a day - thinks Diddy's arrest and subsequent time behind bars has changed him. "He's doing OK," Agnifilo said. "(He) realises he has flaws like everyone else that he never worked on. "He burns hot in all matters. I think what he has come to see is that he has these flaws and there's no amount of fame and no amount of fortune that can erase them. You can't cover them up." The Bad Boy Records founder - who has been in jail since September 2024 - will stay behind bars until his sentencing on 3 October after once again being denied bail by Judge Arun Subramanian. He could face a prison term of up to 20 years. Denying bail, the judge noted that prosecutors were right to point out that a Mann Act violation means detention was "mandatory". Combs was convicted of flying people around the country to engage in sexual encounters.
Perth Now
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Diddy 'received standing ovation' on return to prison
Sean "Diddy" Combs received a standing ovation from fellow inmates after being found not guilty of a number of charges. The disgraced rap mogul's trial in New York ended last week when he was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering, but convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, and when he returned to Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, the other prisoners viewed the decision as a sign of hope. His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, told People magazine: "They all said, 'We never get to see anyone who beats the government.'" The lawyer - who speaks to the 56-year-old rapper four or five times a day - thinks Diddy's arrest and subsequent time behind bars has changed him. "He's doing OK," Agnifilo said. "(He) realises he has flaws like everyone else that he never worked on. "He burns hot in all matters. I think what he has come to see is that he has these flaws and there's no amount of fame and no amount of fortune that can erase them. You can't cover them up." The Bad Boy Records founder - who has been in jail since September 2024 - will stay behind bars until his sentencing on 3 October after once again being denied bail by Judge Arun Subramanian. He could face a prison term of up to 20 years. Denying bail, the judge noted that prosecutors were right to point out that a Mann Act violation means detention was "mandatory". Combs was convicted of flying people around the country to engage in sexual encounters.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
50 Cent, Kesha, Aubrey O'Day and More Stars React to 'Diddy' Verdict: 'The Cultural Weight of This Decision Is Immeasurable'
Hollywood stars are reacting to the news of the verdict in the Sean 'Diddy' Combs sex trafficking and racketeering case that found him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted of the more serious sex trafficking and racketeering charges. Over the past six weeks, federal prosecutors have called numerous witnesses and presented evidence that ultimately did not convince the jury that the former hip-hop mogul was guilty of using his company as a criminal enterprise and conspiring with his associates and employees to traffic and abuse women. The prosecution's star witness was Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura, Combs' longtime ex-girlfriend, who testified about years of alleged abuse, including coercion into nonconsensual sex acts, physical violence and control through threats. More from The Hollywood Reporter Foo Fighters Are Back With First Song Since 2023 to Celebrate 30th Anniversary What the Hell Happened With the Sean "Diddy" Combs Verdict? Sean "Diddy" Combs Denied Release on Bail After Mogul Was Acquitted of Most Serious Charges After the verdict was revealed Wednesday, entertainment industry figures took to social media to share their thoughts on the news. Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson, a longtime rival of Diddy's, took to Instagram to share his thoughts. 'Diddy beat the Rico, that boy a bad man !' he wrote, adding, 'he like the Gay John Gotti.' Aubrey O'Day, who worked with the Bad Boy Records founder on his Making the Band 3 reality show centered on his label's group Danity Kane, shared a video on her Instagram Stories reacting to the verdict. 'Oh my God, not guilty on Cassie, not guilty on Rico, no way that Jane is gonna be guilty,' she said while filming a video of CNN reporters sharing the verdict. 'This makes me physically ill…. Cassie probably feels so horrible. Ugh, I'm gonna vomit.' O'Day posted a separate statement to her Instagram Stories: 'The cultural weight of this decision is immeasurable. It is heartbreaking to witness how many lives have been impacted by their experiences with Sean Combs — only for those stories to fall short in the eyes of a jury. I can only hope these jurors never have to watch someone they love endure what so many survivors have described.' Over the years, O'Day has been vocal in her distaste toward Combs. After joining Danity Kane, she was kicked out of the musical group in 2008, alleging on an episode of Call Her Daddy that the mogul removed her because she 'wasn't willing to do what was expected of me, not talent-wise, but in other areas.' She shared support for Ventura in her statement, adding, 'My heart is with Cassie. A woman who could've had a life and career free of fear and control. A woman who told her truth in a courtroom, only to have the world dissect her credibility instead of her courage.' 'Women, Nor men, Nor ANY ARTIST — are the property of those with the most wealth, fame & power. We are not disposable. 12 people on a jury will not be deciding that for us,' she concluded the post. Shortly after the verdict was announced, the singer appeared on Inside Edition where she said her reaction to hearing the news was 'a gut punch.' 'I'm floored by the jury's verdict,' O'Day added. 'The evidence is there. For me, it's all the way there.' Grammy-nominated singer Kesha, too, posted on X (formerly Twitter) in solidarity with Ventura. There, she wrote, 'Cassie, I believe you. I love you. Your strength is a beacon for every survivor.' Kesha announced last year that she was changing the lyric in her 2010 hit 'TiK ToK' to 'fuck P. Diddy' from the original 'feeling like P. Diddy' after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct were leveled against Combs. Rosie O'Donnell shared her take on the verdict on Instagram, writing, 'i guess a jury just never wants to believe that a woman stays because of power and coercion – wow – they just think women stay because what? money – fame – 'they love the abuse' – what a fucking joke – this decision got me angry #cassie.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter From 'Party in the U.S.A.' to 'Born in the U.S.A.': 20 of America's Most Patriotic (and Un-Patriotic) Musical Offerings Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025
Toronto Sun
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
Diddy's history of violence influenced judge's decision to keep him locked up for now
Published Jul 03, 2025 • 5 minute read This courtroom sketch depicts Sean "Diddy" Combs sitting at the defense table during his bail hearing in New York on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. Photo by Elizabeth Williams / AP NEW YORK — In rejecting Sean 'Diddy' Combs' release on bail, a federal judge confronted the hip-hop impresario with a disturbing aspect of his criminal case that his lawyers couldn't deny: His history of violence. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Combs' defence lawyers claimed he is a changed man. But Judge Arun Subramanian on Wednesday let the Bad Boy Records founder know that his hopes for freedom soon are slim — even after the jury acquitted him on racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges that could have put him in prison for life. Subramanian's words signaled how he may approach sentencing Combs for his convictions on two lesser prostitution-related charges, which each carry a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison. The judge, citing a now-infamous video of Combs beating a former girlfriend and photographs showing injuries to another ex-girlfriend, made clear that he plans to hold Combs accountable for the years of violence and bullying behaviour that were exposed at his eight-week trial. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Combs' punishment is Subramanian's decision alone, and the judge will have wide latitude in determining a sentence. While judges often adhere to the federal judiciary's formulaic guidelines meant to prevent disparity in sentences for the same crimes, they are not mandatory. Combs' lawyers want less than the 21 to 27 months in prison that they believe the sentencing guidelines recommend. Prosecutors contend that the guidelines, when properly calculated to include Combs' crimes and violent history, call for at least four to five years in prison. After tentatively setting Combs' sentencing for October, the judge said he is open to a defence request that it happen as soon as possible, with further discussions expected at a conference Tuesday. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Combs, his family and his defence team were overjoyed by the verdict, some of them tearing up at the result. Combs pumped his fist in celebration and mouthed 'thank you' to jurors. He hugged his lawyers and, after the jury exited, fell to his knees in prayer. But, by the end of the day, Combs was deflated — his dream of going home after more than nine months in jail thwarted by a judge throwing his own lawyers' words back in their faces. 'We own the domestic violence. We own it,' Subramanian said, reading from a transcript of Combs lawyer Marc Agnifilo's closing argument to the jury last week. 'If he was charged with domestic violence, we wouldn't all be here having a trial, because he would have pled guilty, because he did that.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Read More The judge noted the jury had seen a video of Combs viciously attacking then-girlfriend Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel in March 2016. He also noted that another former Combs' girlfriend — a woman who testified under the pseudonym 'Jane' — was left with visible evidence of bruises and injuries after Combs hit her repeatedly in June 2024. That was a few months after federal agents raided two of his homes and 'when he should have known that he needed to stay clean.' The judge said that the beating, which Jane said happened before Combs forced her to have a sexual encounter with a male sex worker, was part of the prostitution-related offenses — violations of the federal Mann Act — that resulted in a conviction. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'This highlights a disregard for the rule of law and the propensity for violence,' he said. Combs 'working on himself,' lawyer says Agnifilo, who had asked the judge to release Combs on a $1-million bond, insisted to Subramanian that Combs had changed dramatically in the last year. As he pleaded with the judge, Combs sat by his side and scribbled notes on small pieces of paper, occasionally handing them to the lawyer. The attorney said Jane had written a supportive note to get Combs into a domestic violence intervention program. At sentencing, he said, the defence plans to have someone from the program tell the judge how Combs did. 'He is a man who's in the process of working on himself,' the lawyer said. 'He's been a model prisoner.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Agnifilo said Combs had 'been given his life back' by the jury and 'would be nothing short of a fool' to do anything to spoil that. RECOMMENDED VIDEO The prospect of a life sentence, the maximum if Combs were convicted of racketeering or sex trafficking, prompted 'all sorts of the darkest conversations one can imagine about what your life could have been and what your life became,' Agnifilo said. But Subramanian was unmoved by what Agnifilo called his 'heart strings' argument. 'Having conceded the defendant's propensity for violence in this way, it is impossible for the defendant to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that he poses no danger to any other person or the community,' the judge said. Prosecutors also want violence factored into sentencing Agnifilo indicated the defence will argue at sentencing that Combs' violent acts are not part of the charges for which he was convicted and shouldn't factor into his punishment. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey made it clear that prosecutors will argue the opposite. Combs is 'an extremely violent man with an extraordinarily dangerous temper,' Comey told the judge Wednesday. He 'has shown no remorse and no regret for his violence toward multiple victims.' Subramanian noted that Combs will be credited for the time he has already served. But by rejecting bail, the judge indicated that he will likely reject a defence request for Combs to be freed in the next year. Witnesses implore judge to keep Combs locked up Deonte Nash, a former stylist for Combs and Cassie who reluctantly testified during the trial, told the judge in a letter that bail would 'send a dangerous message: That wealth and influence can shield someone indefinitely from accountability.' Cassie, through her lawyer, also encouraged Subramanian to keep Combs in jail. 'Ms. Ventura believes that Mr. Combs is likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case, including herself, as well as to the community,' Cassie's lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, wrote. Love concerts, but can't make it to the venue? Stream live shows and events from your couch with VEEPS, a music-first streaming service now operating in Canada. Click here for an introductory offer of 30% off. Explore upcoming concerts and the extensive archive of past performances. World Editorial Cartoons Movies Money News Toronto Maple Leafs
