The trial of American music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was accused of running a sprawling sex trafficking operation, has ended with two guilty verdicts and an acquittal on three others.
The rapper was convicted on two counts of transportation for prostitution of his ex-girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura, and another woman known as “Jane” who had testified in the trial.
He was found not guilty of the most serious charge of racketeering conspiracy, as well as two charges of sex trafficking in relation to Ms Ventura and “Jane”.
Combs, 55, had pleaded not guilty and denied all allegations against him.
Here is a breakdown of the charges faced by the rapper and how the jury came to its decision.
What is racketeering?
Racketeering conspiracy, or directing an illegal enterprise under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (Rico), is the formal name for the charge.
The law was created to take on mob bosses, but it has since been used in other trials, including for sex trafficking – such as in the case against disgraced R&B singer R Kelly.
It is also sometimes used against a group of defendants. US President Donald Trump and his allies were accused of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia – charges that Trump denied.
To convict Combs on this charge, prosecutors had to prove that he used his loyal network of associates to run a criminal enterprise to commit crimes including sex trafficking, kidnapping, drugging and obstruction of justice.
In this case, that network would include his employees, who prosecutors argued played a part in setting up the “freak-offs” at the centre of the case.
These were prolonged sexual encounters at which the prosecution’s key witnesses said they were coerced to have sex with male escorts while Combs watched.
In a raid on his Los Angeles mansion, police found supplies that they said were intended for use in freak-offs, including drugs and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil.
Getty Images Sean “Diddy” Combs photographed in 2021. He wears sunglasses, a white tuxedo with a large black bow tie and matching pocket handkerchiefGetty Images
Why was Diddy acquitted of racketeering?
Combs’ acquittal on the most serious charge of racketeering will likely be seen as a big win by his legal team.
His lawyers had sought to undermine the allegation by asking witnesses whether Combs’ employees ever witnessed the freak-offs.
Cassie Ventura, the star witness for the prosecution, said she did not think they were present.
Defence lawyers argued that the case cannot be considered to be racketeering if members of Combs’ staff were not knowingly complicit.
“Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?” said defence attorney Marc Agnifilo. “Did any witness get on that witness stand and say ‘yes, I was part of a racketeering enterprise, I engaged in racketeering’?”
Robert Mintz, a criminal defence lawyer and former federal prosecutor, told the BBC that the racketeering charge was always going to be the most challenging one for prosecutors to prove to a jury.
To gain a conviction, lawyers needed to prove that Combs established a co-ordinated plan between himself and at least one other person to commit at least two crimes over a span of several years, Mr Mintz said.
“It’s a very complicated charge, used typically in the past in organized crime prosecution,” Mr Mintz said, adding it is unsurprising that this charge gave the jury the most difficulty.
What is Diddy found guilty of?
Combs was convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution relating to Ms Ventura and an anonymous victim known as “Jane”.
In simple terms, it means the jury found Combs guilty of transporting the two women to places where they would participate in sex acts and prostitution.
The felony dates back to the Mann Act, which was enacted in 1910.
What is the Mann Act?
The Mann Act is a US federal law that was passed to combat human trafficking and sexual exploitation of women.
Initially referred to as the “White-Slave Traffic Act”, the more than 100-year-old law prohibits the transportation of individuals across state lines for illegal sex acts or prostitution.
Both Ms Ventura and “Jane”, who had dated the rapper, separately testified about “freak-offs” or “hotel nights”. They described these as sexual encounters in which the couple would hire male escorts to have sex with the female partner while Combs watched, at times recording or directing them.
In its early days, the Mann Act was used by federal prosecutors as a way to criminalise some forms of consensual activity, including interracial relationships.
Combs’ lawyers referenced that history in an unsuccessful attempt to get one of the charges against the rapper dismissed, arguing that he was being unfairly persecuted because of his race.
How much prison time is Diddy facing?
Transportation for purposes of prostitution – the charge that Combs was convicted of – carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. And Combs was convicted on two counts.
After the verdict, his lawyer Marc Agnifilo immediately asked for his client to be released from federal detention until his sentencing hearing, and suggested a $1m bail. But a judge denied that request and said the hip-hop mogul will remain in jail until he is sentenced.
Prosecutor Maurene Comey has said she will push for the full 20 years – a decade for each conviction. “It is clear that the defendant does pose a danger,” she said.
Combs has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, since his arrest on 16 September 2024.
Critics describe the prison as overcrowded and understaffed, with a culture of violence.
His lawyers argued for his release in 2024, citing the jail’s “horrific” conditions, but a New York federal judge denied the bail request, describing Combs as a “serious flight risk”.
When will Diddy be sentenced?
Judge Arun Subramanian proposed 3 October as a sentencing date for Combs, but the defence asked for an expedited schedule. The lawyers will meet again on 8 July to further discuss the schedule. The judge said Combs would get 10 months credit for time served.
While the rapper faces a maximum sentence of 10 years on each count, it will be up to the judge to decide the length of time he will ultimately serve.
What are the other allegations against Diddy?
Separately, Combs faces a number of lawsuits accusing him of rape and assault.
Tony Buzbee, a Texas lawyer handling some of these cases, said that more than 100 women and men from across the US had either filed lawsuits against the rap mogul or intended to do so.
In December 2023, a woman known in court papers as Jane Doe alleged that she was “gang raped” by Combs and others in 2003, when she was 17.
She said she was given “copious amounts of drugs and alcohol” before the attack.
Combs’s legal team dismissed the flurry of lawsuits as “clear attempts to garner publicity”.
Sean Combs and Cassie Ventura were in an on-and-off relationship for more than a decade
Combs’ current legal issues began in late 2023 when he was sued by Ms Ventura, also known as Cassie, for violent abuse and rape.
That lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount a day after it was filed, with Combs maintaining his innocence.
Since then, dozens of other people have filed lawsuits accusing Combs of sexual assault, with accusations dating back to 1991. He denies all the claims.
His controversial history with Ms Ventura resurfaced in 2024, when CNN published leaked CCTV footage from 2016 showing Combs kicking his ex-girlfriend as she lay on a hotel hallway floor.
He apologised for his behaviour, saying: “I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now.”
Diddy’s violence left me broken, says Cassie
How were the New York jurors selected?
Dozens of potential jurors were vetted by the court.
The process included potential jurors looking through a long list of places and people that could be mentioned during trial, with names like Kanye West and Kid Cudi.
Potential jurors also had to fill out questionnaires that asked whether they had “views about hip hop artists” or “feelings concerning violence, sexual assault”.
The judge reminded the court several times of the importance of choosing a fair and impartial jury.
How did ‘Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs become successful?
Combs – who has also gone by the names Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love – emerged in the hip-hop scene in the 1990s.
His early music career success included helping launch the careers of Mary J Blige and Christopher Wallace – aka Biggie Smalls, or The Notorious B.I.G.
His music label Bad Boy Records became one of the most important labels in rap and expanded to include Faith Evans, Ma$e, 112, Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez.
Combs also had a prolific business career outside of music, including a deal with British drinks company Diageo to promote the French vodka brand Cîroc.
In 2023, he released his fifth record The Love Album: Off The Grid and earned his first solo nomination at the Grammy awards. He also was named a Global Icon at the MTV Awards.
BBC
