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Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has been found not guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking but was convicted of a less serious prostitution charge after a high-profile marathon trial in New York. 

The jury, after 13 hours of deliberation, found Combs guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. 

But he was acquitted of a major racketeering charge and two sex trafficking charges that could have sent him to prison for life. 

Combs bowed his head, quietly pumping his fists in his lap and bringing his hands together in a prayer as the verdicts were read out. At one point, he looked towards the ceiling, appearing to express deep relief. 

He shook hands with one of his lawyers, who embraced each other – two of them teared up in joy – and mouthed thanks to the eight-man, four-woman jury as they filed out of the courtroom. 

The relatively quick verdict arrived after seven weeks of at-times excruciating testimony, in which prosecutors had accused Combs of being the boss of a decades-long criminal group who directed loyal employees and bodyguards to commit myriad offences at his behest. 

Music mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs and singer Cassie Ventura. Photo / Instagram 

Jurors announced a partial verdict yesterday and said they were deadlocked on the racketeering charge – but Judge Arun Subramanian instructed them to keep working. 

Combs, once one of the most powerful figures in the music industry, had vehemently denied all charges. 

Family celebrate 

Along with racketeering, Combs was charged with sex trafficking two women: singer Casandra Ventura and a woman who testified under the pseudonym Jane. 

• Jury reaches a verdict in the Sean 'Diddy' Combs sex trafficking trial
• Jury reaches partial verdict in Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial

Both were in long-term relationships with the entrepreneur and hip-hop pioneer, and they each testified about abuse, threats and coercive sex in wrenching detail. 

They both said they felt obligated to participate in Combs-directed sexual marathons with hired men. 

Combs’ lawyers insisted the sex was consensual. They conceded domestic violence was a feature of his relationships – one harrowing example of him beating and dragging Ventura was caught on security footage that has been widely publicised. 

Sean Combs' mother, Janice Combs (centre), gives a thumbs up as she departs court alongside family members after verdicts were announced. Photo / Leonardo Munoz, AFP 

Yet while disturbing, that did not amount to sex trafficking, the defence said. Jurors ultimately agreed. 

Ventura’s lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, released a statement saying she had made an “indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice”. 

“She displayed unquestionable strength and brought attention to the realities of powerful men in our orbit and the misconduct that has persisted for decades without repercussion,” read the statement, adding that Ventura’s “courage” in speaking out allowed for Combs’ two convictions. 

Combs’ family members, present throughout the trial that began in early May, clapped and cheered for him in court. 

His mother waved at cameras as she left the building with a smile. 

Influencers and YouTubers have scurried around the court complex throughout the trial, jumping on livestreams to offer hot takes and conspiracy theories. 

“The mainstream media is so mad right now that a Black man isn’t going down!” shouted one content creator. 

To be bailed today? 

Combs has been incarcerated at a notorious Brooklyn prison since he was arrested in September 2024. 

The defence immediately requested he be released on bond – they suggested US$1 million ($1.6m) – and permitted to travel between Miami, Los Angeles, and New York while he awaits sentencing. 

They said they would hand over his passport to court officials. 

A ruling on the matter is expected later today. 

“He would be nothing short of a fool, which he is not, to violate any conditions the court set,” defence attorney Marc Agnifilo said, adding that Combs “treasures” the “opportunity he has been given”. 

But lead prosecutor Maurene Comey opposed the request, accusing the defence of trying to “downplay the seriousness” of the convictions. 

The guilty findings confirm that Combs transported both Ventura and Jane for purposes of prostitution during the sometimes days-long sex parties. 

Comey emphasised that the encounters included a pattern of violence and drug use, conduct she said should “merit a lengthy period of incarceration”. 

Comey called Combs a flight risk who “does not have a respect for the law”. 

Sentencing will occur at a later date. 

- Maggy Donaldson, Agence France-Presse 

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