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Alamy Stock Photo

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs cleared of racketeering and sex trafficking, but found guilty of prostitution charges

Combs has been found guilty oftransportation for the prostitution of two women.

3.14pm, 2 Jul 2025

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LAST UPDATE

THE JURY HAS reached a final verdict in the sex trafficking trial of hip hop mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.

He has been found guilty of two out of five charges.

Here’s the breakdown:

Not guilty of racketeering conspiracy

Not guilty of sex-trafficking of Cassie Ventura (his former girlfriend)

Guilty of transportation for prostitution of Cassie Ventura and others

Not guilty of sex-trafficking of ‘Jane’ (who testified using a pseudonym)

Guilty of transportation for prostitution of Jane and others

Outside Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ trial as jury reaches verdict https://t.co/aa7nkdRPtV— Reuters (@Reuters) July 2, 2025

Combs may still face prison time of up to twenty years – though the federal jury of eight men and four women aquitted the former music mogul of the most serious charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy (which would have come with a potential life sentence).

Combs and his defence team argued that the women were willing participants and that none of his violence justified the severity of the charges.

The jury foreperson confirmed the verdict reached was unanimous. The deliberation took a total of 13 hours.

The trial heard from 34 witnesses over nearly two months, including ex-girlfriends, former employees of Combs, male escorts and federal agents.

Surveillance footage from 2016 was also een during the trial, showing Combs kicking and dragging Ventura in the hallway of a hotel in Los Angeles, where she said she was trying to leave a “Freak Off.”

A court sketch of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.Alamy Stock Photo

Alamy Stock Photo

While disturbing, that did not amount to sex trafficking, the defense said.

Shortly after the charges were read aloud today, Combs was spotted putting his hands together, thanking the jurors and then audibly exhaling.

He then appeared to be praying, and started a round of applause with his family in the courtroom.

When the full verdict had been read, Combs turned to his family and mouthed: “I’m going home”.

While it was not a full acquittal and he still faces potential jail time, Combs was clearly elated. The result is the next best thing to acquittal for him.

Fans of Combs could also be seen celebrating insid and outside the courtroom, though some verbal arguments broke out between influencers and onlookers outside.

A fan of Sean Diddy Combs outside the Manhattan federal court.Alamy Stock Photo

Alamy Stock Photo

Combs’ family made a quick departure from the court in a black van, and did not speak to reporters at the scene. Combs’ mother Janice gave a thumbs up to the crowd in attendance as she made her way to the van.

The defense has asked that the court release Combs from federal detention, where he has been since his arrest last September.

The US government has said that it will seek a maximum of twenty year sentence for Combs.

Prosecutors in their final argument tore into Combs’s team, who they said had “contorted the facts endlessly.”

“In his mind he was untouchable,” prosecutor Maurene Comey told the court.

The defendant never thought that the women he abused would have the courage to speak out loud what he had done to them.

The court has adjourned for a few hours while the judge considers the arguments from Combs’s lawyers and prosecutors about whether he should be released.

A US District judge will determine Combs’ full sentence at a later date.

With reporting from Andrew Walsh

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