Sean 'Diddy' Combs denied bail while awaiting sentences for prostitution charges

LAST UPDATE | 14 hrs ago

SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS has been denied bail after he was found guilty of two prostitution charges by a New York jury earlier today.

The jury reached a final verdict in the sex trafficking trial of hip hop mogul Combs this morning, and he was 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

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 seen 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 one of Comb’s “Freak Offs” – sex parties frequently hosted by Combs which typically involved escorts.

While disturbing, that did not amount to sex trafficking, the defence 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 inside and outside the courtroom, though some verbal arguments broke out between influencers and onlookers outside. 

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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.

In a statement in response to the verdict, Jay Clayton, interim US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, which prosecuted the case, said: “Sex crimes deeply scar victims, and the disturbing reality is that sex crimes are all too present in many aspects of our society.”

“Victims endure gut-wrenching physical and mental abuse, leading to lasting trauma. New Yorkers and all Americans want this scourge stopped and perpetrators brought to justice.

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.

Judge Arun Subramanian has since denied bail to hip hop mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, ordering him to remain in detention until sentencing following his recent conviction. Judge Subramanian, who had already denied bail prior to the trial, said he “sees no reason to reach the opposite conclusion now.”

During the trial, the defence conceded that Combs had been violent in his personal relationships, stating “it happened” in relation to Cassie Ventura and Jane, two key witnesses.

The judge also noted violence and illegal conduct by Combs even after searches were conducted on his homes, when he was fully aware he was under investigation.

“This highlights a disregard for the rule of law and a propensity of violence,” Subramanian said.

He proposed a sentencing date of 3 October, but is willing to move the date earlier at the defence’s request, who have indicated they want an expedited schedule.

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

With reporting from Daragh Brophy

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