Sean Diddy Combs not guilty! Hip-hop mogul acquitted of most serious charges, convicted for prostitution-related offense

By Martin Shwenk Leade

APSean Diddy Combs

Hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was acquitted Wednesday of the most serious charges against him — including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking — but was found guilty on a lesser charge related to prostitution. The verdict followed a high-profile criminal trial in Manhattan federal court, where two of Combs’ former partners testified that the music icon physically and sexually abused them. The jury convicted Combs of transporting individuals for prostitution but cleared him of racketeering and two sex trafficking charges — a partial legal victory for the 55-year-old former billionaire who played a pivotal role in shaping American hip-hop culture. Prosecutors alleged that over two decades, Combs used his vast business empire to coerce two of his romantic partners — singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and a woman identified in court only as “Jane” — into taking part in drug-fueled, days-long sexual encounters, dubbed “Freak Offs,” with male sex workers. Prosecutors claimed Combs often watched, masturbated, and occasionally filmed the acts. Raids on Combs’ properties reportedly uncovered illegal drugs and approximately 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricants allegedly used during the encounters. Combs had pleaded not guilty to all five charges. His attorneys acknowledged he was violent in past relationships but maintained that all sexual activity described by the prosecution was consensual.Live Events The seven-week trial offered a rare glimpse into Combs’ private life and business operations. Ventura, who sued Combs for sex trafficking in November 2023 — a lawsuit later settled for $20 million — and “Jane” both testified in graphic detail. The jury viewed 2016 surveillance footage showing Combs assaulting Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel hallway, where she said she was attempting to flee one such “Freak Off.” Jane testified that in June 2024, Combs assaulted her and forced her to perform oral sex on a male entertainer against her will — an incident that occurred just weeks after Combs publicly apologized for the 2016 assault on Ventura, which had aired on CNN. According to prosecutors, Combs used not only physical violence but also coercion to control Ventura and Jane — including threats to cut off financial support or leak explicit material — which they argued constituted sex trafficking due to the involvement of paid escorts. “The defendant used power, violence, and fear to get what he wanted,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik said during closing arguments on June 26. “He doesn’t take no for an answer.” The defense countered that while Combs may have engaged in domestic violence, the prosecution failed to prove the legal threshold for sex trafficking. They portrayed Ventura and Jane as strong, independent women who voluntarily participated in the sexual acts to please Combs, and argued their testimonies were shaped by jealousy and regret. “If he was charged with domestic violence, we wouldn’t all be here,” defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said in his closing on June 27. “He did not do the things he’s charged with.” Allegations of RacketeeringIn addition to the testimonies of Ventura and Jane, jurors also heard from former personal assistants who claimed their responsibilities included booking hotels for “Freak Offs” and purchasing drugs for Combs. A security guard at the InterContinental Hotel testified that Combs, in the presence of his chief of staff, paid $100,000 for what was believed to be the only copy of the surveillance footage showing the Ventura assault. Rapper Scott Mescudi, better known as Kid Cudi, testified that his car was set on fire after Combs discovered he was romantically involved with Ventura — a suspected act of intimidation that prosecutors said formed part of a broader racketeering conspiracy designed to facilitate abuse and suppress evidence. The defense painted a different picture of Combs: a wealthy, successful entrepreneur who may have used drugs recreationally but kept his personal issues separate from his business dealings. Combs has been in federal custody at a Brooklyn facility since his arrest in September 2024.(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)

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