Sean “Diddy” Combs was found guilty by a federal jury on charges of transportation to engage in prostitution but was acquitted of the most serious charges in a case that featured salacious allegations that he coerced women into sexual encounters with other men called sometimes referred to as “Freak Offs.”
Combs, 55, was charged with five counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy and two counts each of sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.
He was found not guilty on racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking.
He faces a sentence of up to 10 years.
The 55-year-old hip-hop mogul, Sean Combs, was accused by prosecutors of abusing and coercing three alleged victims, including his former long-term partner, singer and model Cassie Ventura. The charges against him also included kidnapping, arson, and blackmail.
Combs now faces up to 10 years in prison after being found guilty of transporting male escorts for sex sessions with former girlfriends.
During the seven-week trial, jurors were shown videos of “freak off” sex sessions with male escorts. However, these videos were kept private from the public and media in court.
Former employees, escorts, hotel staff, and police officers all testified during the trial.
Cassie, who was heavily pregnant at the time, along with another former girlfriend who used the pseudonym Jane, also testified. They revealed that they were coerced into drug-fueled “hotel nights” or “wild king nights” with male escorts and abused throughout their relationships.
Combs’s defense team attempted to portray a different picture, arguing that all sexual acts, including “freak offs,” were consensual.
They acknowledged that Combs could be violent, had a bad temper, and used drugs. They also admitted that he had multiple relationships simultaneously. However, they emphasized that while Combs was not proud of some of his behavior, none of it constituted the charges against him.
After reviewing the evidence, including flights and travel arrangements for escorts, Cassie, and Jane, as well as hotel bookings across the US and the Caribbean, jurors found Combs guilty of the transportation charge. However, they agreed with the defense that the allegations against the rapper did not constitute sex-trafficking or racketeering.
The Cassie hotel tape
Combs, known by various names like Puff Daddy, P Diddy, and Diddy throughout his career, was once a prominent figure in hip-hop. He made significant contributions as a producer, founder of Bad Boy Records, and manager of the late Notorious BIG in the 1990s. Additionally, he was a successful rapper in his own right.
As an artist, Combs achieved tremendous success, winning three Grammys during his illustrious career. He also released hit songs such as “I’ll Be Missing You,” “Come With Me,” and “Bad Boy For Life.”
In September 2023, Combs received the “global icon” award from MTV and was presented with the key to New York City at a ceremony held in Times Square. This ceremony took place just a few miles away from the streets in Harlem where he spent his early years.
However, allegations against Combs first surfaced in November 2023. His former girlfriend, Cassie, who had been with him from 2007 to 2018, filed a shocking lawsuit accusing him of coercing her into unwanted sex sessions, blackmail, and several instances of violence.
The lawsuit was settled in a remarkable turn of events, with Combs paying Cassie $20 million in just 24 hours. This revelation emerged during the trial.
However, months later, CNN aired hotel security footage that revealed Combs punching, kicking, and throwing Cassie to the floor in 2016.
Following the release of the video, Combs issued an apology, expressing his deep regret and stating, “I was disgusted when I did it.”
The footage from the hotel incident was presented as evidence during the trial.
Following the verdict, Combs now awaits his sentencing. Additionally, he continues to face several civil lawsuits, most of which were filed in the aftermath of his arrest in September 2024.
