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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Acquitted of Sex Trafficking and Racketeering Conspiracy, but Found Guilty on Lesser Charges

BBG News

The well-known music executive Sean “Diddy” Combs, whose trial drew widespread interest, has been declared not guilty of charges related to sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. The jury concluded that Combs was indeed responsible for two counts involving the transportation of individuals for prostitution (a serious federal offense), one associated with his former girlfriend, singer Casandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura, and another linked to his ex-girlfriend who testified under an alias “Jane.

After the verdict was announced, Combs (who had maintained his innocence on all charges) was observed joining his hands in a prayer-like position and silently expressing “thank you, thank you” to the jury members, as reported by court officials. Marc Agnifilo, Combs’ primary attorney, has petitioned for his client’s release prior to sentencing, given that he was acquitted of charges related to sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. The court is temporarily adjourning while the judge deliberates over this request.

The legal team maintaining that Combs could potentially spend up to twenty years behind bars has been stated (as both his transportation conviction sentences can stretch up to a decade apiece). However, the final decision on the length of his imprisonment lies with the presiding judge.

Douglas Wigdor, legal representative of Ventura (Combs’ former girlfriend), who delivered crucial testimony during the court proceedings, released a statement shortly following the judgment.

Though the jury didn’t convict Combs of sex trafficking Cassie due to lack of sufficient evidence, his actions were instrumental in enabling the jury to convict him for facilitating prostitution, according to Wigdor. By sharing her experiences, Cassie has made a lasting impact on both the entertainment world and the pursuit of justice.

On Tuesday, the jury announced they had decided on all charges except one – the charge of racketeering conspiracy. They stated that there were members with firmly held opinions on both sides. Consequently, the jury adjourned for the day, to resume their deliberations the following morning.

As the clock struck 9:52 a.m. ET on Wednesday, I, penning down my thoughts after a long trial, penned our unanimous verdict on all counts. The courtroom filled with tension, but when I glanced over to Mr. Combs, he broke into a warm smile, catching the eye of his supportive family who returned it in kind.

After approximately seven weeks of intense, moving testimonies from various witnesses, a striking verdict has been delivered. Below are key details about the case involving Combs.

What were the accusations against Diddy?

In September, Combs was taken into custody following a wave of accusations from various individuals, who claimed he had physically and sexually abused them.

The federal probe resulting in Combs’ arrest stemmed partly from a 2023 civil lawsuit brought forth by his former partner, Cassie (Casandra Ventura), claiming instances of physical abuse and rape against him.

A day after Ventura filed her lawsuit, Ventura and Combs came to an agreement. However, Combs refuted the accusations. Later in May 2024, CNN broadcasted CCTV footage showing Combs attacking Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel hallway back in 2016. Following the release of this footage, Combs confessed to assaulting Ventura in an Instagram video he posted.

The federal accusation against Combs claims that he coerced women into taking part in events he referred to as “freak-offs,” during which it is alleged that he compelled victims to perform sexual acts with male escorts. It is also said that he would frequently administer drugs to the women to maintain their submissive behavior. Furthermore, the indictment states that Combs often recorded these “freak-offs.

The indictment also alleges that the music tycoon is involved in establishing an illegal operation, which is charged with numerous offenses such as human trafficking, coerced labor, and abduction.

The indictment outlines numerous instances of alleged mistreatment, dating as far back as 2008. Additionally, accusations unrelated to this federal indictment span a longer period, with many individuals claiming that Combs physically harmed or mistreated them during the 1990s in civil court lawsuits.

Over 50 lawsuits claiming mistreatment by Combs have been brought forth, with the accusers being a mix of former romantic partners, aspiring entertainers, club and party attendees, and many others. Several of these individuals assert they were underage during the reported incidents. The music mogul is the defendant in these cases.

In response to a fourth lawsuit filed against him in December 2023, Combs declared unequivocally that he did not commit the atrocious acts accused. He vowed to defend his reputation, his family, and the truth.

What charges did he face?

Initially, Combs faced a three-count federal indictment for crimes including sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transporting individuals for prostitution. Over time, more charges were added against him: an extra count of sex trafficking and another for transporting people involved in prostitution.

Currently, Combs is looking at a potential sentence of 10 years imprisonment for every count of facilitating prostitution he’s been convicted of (specifically, two counts).

Prior to the commencement of closing arguments, the prosecution sent a letter to the presiding judge, indicating they would drop certain charges against Combs. This move aimed to simplify the instructions provided to the jury before deliberations, as reported by USA Today, based on court documents it examined. The dropped allegations were connected to the racketeering charge and encompassed accusations of attempted kidnapping, arson, and aiding and abetting sex trafficking, according to the news outlet.

In their final statements, it seemed that the prosecutors brought up the accusations of arson and kidnapping, as reported by the Associated Press. Nevertheless, the charges against Combs were not dismissed by the prosecution.

What happened during the trial?

During the court proceedings, various individuals such as a male escort, friends, mother, and federal agents were summoned to give their testimonies. The main focus of the prosecution’s case revolved around the statements made by three women, including Ventura. On the other hand, neither the defense called any witnesses nor did Combs himself take the stand. His legal team maintained that all the sexual encounters brought up in the trial were consensual.

At the time of her court appearance, Ventura, who was nearly nine months pregnant, tearfully detailed the coercive “incidents” that she claimed Combs forced her to be involved in, according to The New York Times. In her testimony, she stated that these incidents ranged from 36 hours up to four days and involved unwanted sexual advances. She testified that once, an escort made her drink urine until she started choking and raised her hands, as reported by the Times. Additionally, she recounted a 2016 incident at a Los Angeles hotel, along with other instances where she alleged she suffered physical and sexual abuse at Combs’ hands.

During questioning, Combs’s legal team highlighted messages between Ventura and Combs suggesting she willingly engaged in the “freak-offs”, as reported by the Times. However, Ventura asserted that her participation was due to complying with Combs’s demands and fear of potential violent repercussions. The Times also mentioned that they had an opiate addiction during their relationship.

During her testimony, Ventura stated that she received a sum of $20 million from Combs as part of settling a civil lawsuit. However, she expressed regret about this, stating, “I’d return that money if I could avoid those disagreements,” as reported by the Times.

Multiple other witnesses reportedly testified that they saw or heard Combs beating Ventura.

A different individual, identified as Mia while testifying, also appeared in court, according to The Times. Mia started working for Combs in 2009 and served in various positions during her eight-year tenure. During her testimony, she recalled an instance when she was asleep in Combs’s house; she claimed he sexually assaulted her without her consent. She also alleged another incident where she was coerced to perform a sexual act on him. Mia testified that she feared retaliation and felt powerless to refuse him, as reported by The Times.

She admitted that she couldn’t refuse him a sandwich or any request he made, as she explained,” according to the Times.

In the course of her testimony, Mia recounted an instance where she claimed to have observed Combs assaulting Ventura.

A woman identified as Jane appeared in court, sharing details of her relationship with Combs. She dated this music industry titan from 2021 up until his arrest in September. During their time together, she claimed that what started as an intense romance evolved into a string of encounters involving unwanted sexual acts with male escorts. She described a particular incident in June 2024 where an argument allegedly escalated into a physical fight, leaving her with a black eye and marks on her forehead. According to reports from the Times, she testified that Combs told her to apply ice to her injuries and get dressed before offering her an Ecstasy pill and asking her to sleep with a male escort he had invited over.

Federal investigators testified, detailing the items confiscated during a search at Combs’s LA residence, which included firearms, narcotics, approximately 200 containers of baby oil, and around 900 bottles of Astroglide, according to the Times.

During the court proceedings, the prosecution presented the jury with video excerpts from what were referred to as “freak-offs.” These videos had been obtained from devices that Ventura had given to federal investigators, as stated in the Times. Since these videos are under seal, neither the public nor the media could watch them. Instead, the jurors viewed the videos on screens while wearing headphones. In their rebuttal, the defense chose specific clips from those videos to present to the jury, arguing that these clips provided strong evidence suggesting that the sexual activity in question was consensual and not coerced, according to the Times report.

As a devoted cinephile, I found myself riveted by the dramatic turn of events on Friday, as Ventura’s and Jane’s testimonies took center stage in the closing arguments. Prosecutor Christy Slavik spoke passionately for nearly five hours, painting a chilling picture of Combs’ manipulation tactics. She alleged that he coerced these women into participating in “freak-offs” through intimidation, violence, and blackmail. In her words, they were victims of forced labor. The Washington Post reported on this gripping narrative.

Slavik stated, as reported by the Post, that it’s not necessary to prove that all or even most instances where the defendant had disagreements with Ventura or Jane were a result of force or coercion. Instead, he explained to the jury that if there was just one instance when the defendant knew or deliberately ignored the fact that Ventura or Jane was participating due to his lies, threats, or violence, then that’s enough for him to be found guilty.

In a contrasting stance, the defense asserted that the women willingly took part in the unusual events. Marc Agnifilo, Combs’s lawyer, stated during his lengthy closing (approximately 4 hours) that the evidence strongly suggests Cassie was eager to participate. As reported by the Post, at one point, Agnifilo described the abusive relationship between Combs and Ventura as a “romantic tale of modern times.” However, he added that Jane might be second-guessing her involvement in these events, but Agnifilo argued that ‘regret’ is not equivalent to the intention at the time, according to the Post.

During a nearly hour-long counterargument, prosecutor Maurene Comey branded the defense’s points as repeated justifications for actions that were indefensible, given their criminal nature, according to the Post.

In this high-profile trial, a juror was removed weeks later due to Judge Arun Subramanian identifying inconsistencies in where the juror claimed to reside, as reported by AP. The judge explained that these discrepancies raised significant doubts about the juror’s honesty and whether they might have deliberately provided misleading information to serve on and remain part of the jury.

Combs’s legal team objected to the removal, expressing apprehensions about replacing the dismissed juror, a Black man, with an alternate juror who happens to be white.

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2025-07-02 19:06

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