The music mogul Sean Combs is due to receive his sentence on Friday morning by a federal judge in New York, following his conviction earlier this year on federal prostitution-related charges.
Here is a summary of his legal proceedings: what he was indicted for, what happened at trial, and potential next steps.
What Was He Found Guilty Of?
During July, after an eight-week trial, a panel of jurors convicted Combs of two charges of transporting individuals for prostitution. He was acquitted of the more severe allegations against him, racketeering and sex trafficking, which could have resulted in the potential of a life sentence.
The charges on which he was convicted each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years. Combs had entered a not guilty plea to every count.
Judge Arun Subramanian, who oversaw the trial, will deliver the sentence on Friday, with the court session set to start at 10am ET in federal district court in downtown Manhattan.
Combs, 55, has been detained without bond at the Brooklyn detention facility since his apprehension in the previous September. Since the decision, the judge has denied multiple bail applications from Combs’s legal team, and recently Subramanian also rejected a motion to set aside the convictions.
What Allegations Was Combs Facing?
Government attorneys alleged the music executive of leveraging his status and resources, and using violence, threats and blackmail, to coerce two of his former girlfriends into participating in sex parties involving drugs with paid companions. Such events were often referred to by the accused as “freak-offs”, which they said Combs organized, watched, masturbated to and occasionally recorded.
The prosecution alleged that for more than two decades, Combs operated a illegal operation – aided by employees and associates – to conduct and conceal crimes including sex trafficking, drug dealing, bribery and abduction.
Although found guilty on two charges, Combs has denied wrongdoing. His attorneys have insisted that all sexual activity was mutually agreed and that no illicit organization was present.
What Happened During the Trial?
The government's case presented more than 30 witnesses, including two of Combs’s former girlfriends – artist Cassie Ventura and a second individual who testified under the pseudonym of “Jane” – who recounted the so-called “freak-offs” in explicit terms, and alleged that Combs coerced and threatened them into participating.
Ventura was the key witness for the prosecution. She testified that during her long-term relationship with Combs, he subjected her to physical, sexual and emotional abuse and to extortion. The jury was presented with the 2016 video of Combs assaulting Ventura in a hallway. Jane also testified of a violent altercation with Combs.
Additional testimony included ex-staff, male escorts, law enforcement agents, hotel employees and public figures including rapper Kid Cudi and singer Dawn Richard. Combs did not testify.
Combs’s defense attorneys admitted past instances of domestic violence, but denied that any force or sex trafficking took place. They maintained that every sexual act was consensual and part of a “alternative lifestyle”, and contended that Ventura and Jane were consenting adults in the sex acts.
What Sentence Might He Face?
Combs’s attorneys have requested the judge for a penalty of a maximum of 14 months in jail, which, given time already served, would permit his release before the end of the year. They claim that Combs has already been “adequately punished” by serving 13 months in the “terrible conditions” at the facility.
The prosecution, however, have requested a minimum of 135 months (over a decade) and a $500,000 fine. In court filings, they portrayed Combs as “showing no remorse” and said that “his background and behavior” show a pattern of misconduct.
What Statements Were Made In Victim Impact Statements?
The government submitted multiple statements from victims to the judge ahead of sentencing, including one from Ventura.
“Although the jurors did not seem to understand or believe that I participated in the events because of the pressure and intimidation the accused used against me, I know that is the reality, and his sentence should reflect the reality of the testimony and my lived experience as a victim,” Ventura stated.
“I am so fearful that if he walks free, his first actions will be swift retribution towards me and other individuals who testified about his abuse, at trial,” she said.
“If there is one thing I have learned from this ordeal, it is that victims and survivors will never be secure,” she added. “I hope that your decision takes into account the truths at hand that the panel overlooked.”
What Comes After Sentencing?
Following the court's decision, Combs’s legal team could challenge the sentence. Combs’s defense is also likely to appeal his conviction.
Separately, Combs faces dozens of civil lawsuits accusing him of misconduct and other misconduct. He has disputed all allegations in those proceedings.
