Sean “Diddy” Combs, 55, was acquitted today of racketeering and sex‑trafficking charges in a New York federal court, avoiding a potential life sentence. However, a jury found him guilty of two counts under the 1910 Mann Act for transporting individuals across state lines for prostitution, crimes that still carry up to ten years per count.
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The high‑stakes trial began May 5 in Manhattan before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian. Over seven weeks, prosecutors presented 34 witnesses, including former girlfriend Cassie Ventura, who offered grim testimony PDF alleging abuse, coercion and more. Despite emotional accounts and video evidence implying violence and threats, the jury concluded insufficient proof existed to support more severe charges.
/**/Combs now faces sentencing on two Mann Act convictions. Though each count allows for up to ten years, guidelines suggest concurrent sentences could limit his term to around 15–21 months, though federal prosecutors are pushing for a significant prison sentence.
Prosecutors painted Combs as wielding his fame and wealth to coerce intimate partners into public and compromising acts, alleging staff members facilitated trafficking, threats, drug distribution and even arson. The defense countered vigorously, calling the trial overblown and insisting all encounters were consensual personal relationships, not federal crimes.
Combs remains jailed pending a bail decision prior to sentencing. His legal team has filed a bond motion, and Judge Subramanian is expected to rule soon.
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This ruling marks a mixed outcome: Combs sidesteps the most egregious charges but remains convicted and facing incarceration under federal law. The result underscores ongoing scrutiny of elite individuals accused of exploiting power over vulnerable partners. Combs also faces more than 30 related civil suits alleging sexual assault and abuse.
This article originally appeared on American Faith, and is reposted with permission.
