A federal jury has delivered a mixed verdict in the high-profile sex trafficking trial of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, finding him guilty on charges of transporting women for prostitution, but not guilty on the more serious charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking.
After nearly two months of intense testimony and deliberation, the jury announced the following decisions in court this afternoon:
The Charges and Verdicts
• Racketeering conspiracy: Not Guilty
• Sex trafficking of Casandra “Cassie” Ventura: Not Guilty
• Transportation for purposes of prostitution (Ventura and others): Guilty
• Sex trafficking of “Jane” (pseudonym): Not Guilty
• Transportation for purposes of prostitution (“Jane” and others): Guilty
The courtroom remained tense as the verdicts were read out, with Combs appearing stoic throughout. The verdicts mean the 55-year-old music executive faces significant legal consequences, but avoids a potential life sentence that a racketeering conviction could have carried.
Disturbing Trial Testimony
The verdicts follow weeks of disturbing and graphic testimony from 34 witnesses, including ex-girlfriends, former employees, male escorts, and federal agents. Witnesses described a dark world of coercive sex parties, intimidation, and abuse of power at the heart of Combs’s inner circle.
Despite being acquitted on sex trafficking counts, the jury found enough evidence to convict Combs of knowingly transporting women across state lines to engage in prostitution, a felony offense that carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years per count.
Combs Maintains Innocence
Throughout the trial, Combs denied all charges. His legal team argued that his relationships with Ventura and “Jane” were consensual, and that accusations of coercion and trafficking were “deeply exaggerated.”
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo criticized the prosecution’s case as a “campaign of character assassination” and insisted that no named co-conspirators or corroborating insiders came forward to testify against Combs.
Case Sparked by Cassie Lawsuit
The criminal investigation gained momentum after Combs’s former partner Casandra “Cassie” Ventura filed a civil lawsuit in 2023 alleging sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. That case was settled out of court for $20 million, but it opened the floodgates for other allegations and eventually criminal charges.
Next Steps
Sentencing for Combs is expected to be scheduled in the coming weeks. Legal experts say the guilty verdicts still represent a significant blow to his legacy and could result in years behind bars.
More updates to follow.