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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was sentenced to 50 months in prison for prostitution-related charges, though he could be released in less than three years with credit for time served.
Sean Combs at the Pre-Grammy Gala And Salute To Industry Icons (File photo/AP)
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was on Friday sentenced to more than four years in prison on prostitution-related charges, as the judge rebuked the hip-hop mogul for subjecting two former girlfriends to years of abuse.
He was handed over a 50-month sentence at the end of a day-long hearing at a Manhattan federal court. However, according to Reuters, he could be released in less than three years after receiving credit for the time he has already spent locked up at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn since his September 16, 2024, arrest.
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Combs was convicted in July on two counts of arranging for paid male escorts to travel across state lines to take part in drug-fueled sexual performances with his girlfriends, while he recorded videos and masturbated.
He had faced a maximum possible sentence of 20 years behind bars over his conviction.
The jury acquitted him on the more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking, which could have earned him a life sentence.
According to the prosecutors’ accusation, Combs used violence and threats to coerce two of his girlfriends, the rhythm and blues singer Casandra Ventura, and a woman known in court by the pseudonym Jane, to take part in the performances, sometimes known as “Freak Offs.”
SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS SENTENCED: WHAT THE COURT SAID
Despite his acquittal on the charges, US District Judge Arun Subramanian said a significant sentence was justified given the harm Combs had caused Ventura and Jane.
“The court rejects the defence’s attempt to characterise what happened here as merely intimate, consensual experiences, or just a sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll story,” Subramanian said.
“This was subjugation, and it drove both Ventura and Jane to thoughts of ending their lives,” he added.
Meanwhile, Combs’ defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo told reporters that the hip-hop mogul pleaded not guilty and will appeal the sentence.
SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS APOLOGISED
As he addressed the court before his sentencing, Combs apologised to Ventura and Jane and said he had learned his lesson.
“I know I’ll never put my hands on another person again,” said Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, who is credited with elevating hip-hop’s stature in American culture.
The New York-born entrepreneur is one of the most prominent men in the entertainment industry to have faced trial on sex crimes charges.
“While nothing can undo the trauma caused by Combs, the sentence imposed today recognises the impact of the serious offences he committed,” Douglas Wigdor, a lawyer for Ventura, said in a statement.
ALSO READ | Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs: A Timeline Of His Career, Rise And Legal Troubles
About the Author
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
October 04, 2025, 06:50 IST
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