After Judge Arun Subramanian entered the courtroom, he told the parties he had read the submissions.
He then denied Sean “Diddy” Combs’ bail package.
Judge Arun Subramanian said that Diddy has not proven he would not be a risk to have outside of custody.
He noted that the defendant’s violence in his personal relationships, that Combs owned up to, is a contributing factor.
Diddy will remain behind bars until his sentencing hearing. The prosecution has suggested four to five years for the rapper’s sentence.
Fox News’ Brendan McDonald contributed to this report.
Judge Arun Subramanian scheduled a remote hearing for Tuesday at 2pm ET for the defense and prosecution to continue discussing a plan for Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sentencing.
The federal judge proposed a sentencing hearing for Oct. 3.
The date could be moved up as Diddy’s defense argued for an expedited sentencing.
A jury convicted Diddy on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution after a seven-week trial. The rapper was found not guilty on charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking.
Fox News’ Brendan McDonald contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ defense team pushed back after the judge denied the rapper’s request for bail.
According to his defense attorney, Marc Agnifilo, Diddy has done remarkable things in his life. He is a business man and a serious person, the attorney noted.
Diddy has seemingly been a model prisoner in a very difficult situation at MDC Brooklyn. According to Agnifilo, he has no issues on his record.
“Diddy is a man who has lived up to his obligations,” the lawyer said. “Jury gave him a chance at life today.”
Agnifilo also pointed out that the mother of some of Diddy’s kids has died and that the kids will have no parent with the rapper behind bars.
The government said Diddy is very wealthy, brazen, and dangerous. They noted that any chance of jailtime is a reason to flee.
They accused Diddy of having a short temper, and noted how the rapper has abused people violently.
“It was also brazen for him to have drugs and supplies for prostitution waiting while he was arrested,” prosecutors argued.
Fox News’ Brendan McDonald contributed to this report.
Judge Arun Subramanian claimed Diddy’s violence in his personal relationships, that Combs owned up to, is a contributing factor to his reasoning for keeping the rapper behind bars.
The judge cited the video evidence of Diddy’s attack on ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura at the InterContinental Hotel.
That was not the only incident of violence, he noted. An alleged incident at the London Hotel was also referenced. According to Judge Subramanian, there would be no way to guarantee safety of others should he be released.
The judge noted Diddy cannot prove he is not a risk. Since the rapper was convicted on charges, the burden of proof was now on the defense to demonstrate he does not need to be in custody. Judge Subramanian said the defense has not demonstrated that it would be a good idea to release the rapper.
Fox News’ Brendan McDonald contributed to this report.
Diddy is back in the courtroom for his bond hearing. He is again seated alone at the defense table.
His family members are in the gallery behind him. The judge has not arrived back to the courtroom yet.
The prosecution argued Diddy should remain behind bars after his conviction on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. The government insisted the rapper is still a danger to the community.
Fox News’ Brendan McDonald contributed to this report.
After Sean “Diddy” Combs was found guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution, the government argued the rapper should remain behind bars.
The prosecution insisted Diddy is still a danger to the community despite his acquittal on racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. The government pointed to his alleged assault on Jane in June 2024. The assault reportedly occurred while Diddy was under federal investigation and only three months before his arrest.
The rapper was also in possession of drugs and materials for a “freak off” while in New York City before his arrest, according to the government. They argued this proves he is “either unable or unwilling to follow the law.”
The prosecution suggested Diddy should be sentenced to four to five years.
Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer, Donna Rotunno, gave her prediction on whether Sean “Diddy” Combs’ will spend time behind bars after being found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
“I definitely think that he will have some form of confinement,” she told Fox News. “The federal government is not going to put him on any type of house arrest. If the judge sentences him to prison time, he will do that in a federal prison system housing unit.”
However, the criminal defense attorney noted that she doesn’t think Diddy will be away from home for long.
“I don’t think it’s gonna be a very long time. A maximum of 10 years and given the circumstances here and given his no background, his extensive business dealings, I just don’t see that the court will keep him for a 10-year maximum sentence,” Rotunna explained.
Diddy is facing up to 20 years behind bars for his two convictions. Each count of transportation to engage in prostitution carries a 10-year maximum sentence.
Cassie Ventura’s friend, Deonte Nash, sent a letter to the judge asking for Sean “Diddy” Combs to remain detained ahead of the rapper’s sentencing.
Diddy was convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Nash, who testified during the trial, noted Combs would be “a serious and immediate threat to victims, witnesses, and the broader community.”
“His pattern of violence – particularly while engaged in the trafficking of individuals for prostitution – combined with unchecked substance abuse, makes it clear that he is not ready to re-enter society safely or responsibly,” the letter, obtained by Fox News Digital, read.
Nash claimed that releasing Diddy would send a message “that wealth and influence can shield someone indefinitely from accountability.”
The former stylist of Diddy and Cassie testified that the rapper had become physically violent with him on at least one occasion. He told the jury that he also witnessed Diddy physically assault Cassie multiple times. Nash, who worked for the “Last Night” rapper from 2008 until 2018, claimed Cassie and Diddy went to hotels nearly every week. To prepare for these hotel outings, Cassie would allegedly pack a duffle bag with sex toys.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
A jury found Sean “Diddy” Combs guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution after seven weeks of witness testimony in the rapper’s trial.
The “I’ll Be Missing You” rapper was acquitted on charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. Diddy’s career requires a “complete overhaul” despite the court win, brand expert Doug Eldridge told Fox News Digital.
“At this point, Diddy is still facing jail time, so the question surrounding his brand really hinges on whether you’re talking about a post-prison or prison-free Combs,” he explained.
“He was always a master marketer, so Diddy will likely try to package and rebrand this as being ‘the victim of a corrupt judicial system.’ But even if that were true, it still came down to a jury of his peers and that reality undercuts the victim high ground he’d almost certainly try to command.”
“If there is a future for Combs, it’ll require a complete overhaul. The only difference between a pile of broken tiles and a beautiful mosaic is how (and whether) you can pick up the pieces and make something entirely new. It remains to be seen whether Combs possesses that ability or will be given that opportunity…”
Sharay Hayes revealed he believes the verdicts in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial were “proper.”
The male escort, also known as The Punisher, testified to having sex with Diddy’s ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura while the rapper watched.
“As I have empathy for all involved and their experiences, I do believe todays verdict was the proper one,” Hayes said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Mr. Combs actions at times are clearly not favorably but, in my opinion, align with Domestic Violence.”
“The long-standing partnered relationship dynamics, expression of mutual love and care, coupled with numerous examples of sexual consent made it difficult to shift from a complicated relationship to sex trafficking,” he added. “I hope all involved are on the road to healing and being in a better space in spite of this extremely difficult time.”
Hayes told the jury about the “freak offs” he participated in with the former couple. According to Hayes, he and Cassie would allegedly perform oral sex on each other, while slathered in baby oil, in front of Diddy. The male escort claimed Diddy would direct Cassie’s movements.
Former Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard, who testified in Diddy’s sex trafficking and racketeering trial, reacted to the verdict Wednesday.
“Today’s split verdict is a disappointment, but the criminal charges are different than the civil claims we filed and have been fighting against Sean Combs,” Richard’s attorney, Lisa Bloom, wrote. “We will continue to aggressively fight our case until we obtain full and complete justice for Dawn.”
Richard testified that she told Cassie Ventura to leave Diddy after witnessing the Bad Boy Records founder’s violent behavior toward his girlfriend. Although Cassie was allegedly torn, Richard testified that Cassie would listen, but she could see the fear.
The singer said she “observed Cassie being attacked.” She alleged that Diddy came downstairs screaming, hit her in the head and beat her.
Richard claimed Diddy “came downstairs angry saying where the f— is his eggs.” She then alleged Diddy grabbed a skillet of eggs and attempted to hit Cassie in the head. Cassie allegedly fell to the ground, anticipating the hit, but it didn’t hit her.
“She went into a fetal position … literally trying to hide her face,” Richard said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Cassie Ventura’s lawyer requested Sean “Diddy” Combs remain behind bars until his sentencing hearing.
“Detention is mandatory post-conviction on these charges, and Ms. Ventura believes that Mr. Combs is likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case, including herself, as well as to the community,” the attorney wrote in a letter.
Cassie testified in the sex trafficking and racketeering trial against Diddy. She claimed she was forced into participating in “freak offs,” where she had sex with male escorts while the rapper watched.
The singer-songwriter claimed she took drugs in order to participate in the sex sessions.
Sean “Diddy” Combs will return to the Manhattan courthouse Wednesday at 5pm ET to find out if he’ll be released pending sentencing.
Diddy has remained behind bars following his September 2024 arrest. After the jury found him not guilty of RICO and sex trafficking, the rapper’s legal team argued for Combs to be released until a sentencing hearing is held.
His defense team argued it would be “inappropriate” for him to remain at MDC Brooklyn while awaiting a decision on his sentence on two counts of transportation to engaged in prostitution.
The disgraced music mogul could be sentenced to 20 years, as each count carries a 10-year maximum.
Prosecutors in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex-trafficking and racketeering trial chose to rest their case against the disgraced music mogul on June 24.
Diddy’s defense team immediately moved for a judgment of acquittal before resting their case. Attorney Alexandra Shapiro argued the government failed to prove the counts against the rapper.
“There’s, at best, thin proof any of the other employees participated,” Shapiro said before noting that “there is no evidence any of them believed he was sex trafficking.”
Shapiro argued the employees “cleaned hotel rooms, but didn’t know any of what happened, aside from them using baby oil, Astroglide, and drank alcohol, and perhaps did drugs.”
Diddy addressed Judge Arun Subramanian. When asked how he was doing, he told the judge, “I’m doing great your honor,” and “thank you, you’re doing an excellent job.”
The judge asked if Diddy understood he had the right to testify or not testify, and if he had discussed his rights with his attorney. Diddy responded, “Yes, thoroughly,” before admitting it was “solely my decision” to not testify.
Fox News’ Kirill Clark contributed to this report.
Diddy’s jury seemed to believe that his relationships were genuine, according to Fox News contributor Paul Mauro.
The jury found the “Last Night” rapper not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking on Wednesday.
“At the end of the day, the jury did not believe that the sex trafficking was coercive,” the retired NYPD inspector told Fox News Digital.
“They seemed to believe the relationships were genuine and/or transactional. That took those charges and the RICO with it. It argues that the case was overcharged under the evidence the government had.”
Diddy’s ex-girlfriends, Cassie Ventura and Jane, testified throughout the rapper’s seven-week trial. Each claimed they had traveled with Combs to multiple states to engage in “freak offs” or “hotel nights,” where the women were allegedly forced to have sex with male escorts while Diddy watched.
Prosecutors in Sean “Diddy” Combs federal trial cited the Bail Reform Act for keeping the rapper in custody, and said he is “not entitled to release.”
The jury on Wednesday found Diddy not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
“Over the course of seven weeks, the jury heard evidence of the defendant’s violence, interstate transportation of numerous individuals for prostitution, drug use and distribution, and attempts to escape law enforcement detection,” prosecutors wrote in a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian.
“This conduct spanned two decades. At trial, the defendant did not walk away from these facts—indeed, the defendant embraced the fact that he was a habitual drug user who regularly engaged in domestic abuse.”
They added, “The evidence presented over the course of seven weeks showed that the defendant did this repeatedly, including after the defendant undisputedly knew that he was under federal investigation.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team proposed release conditions for the rapper to the tune of $1 million.
In a letter sent to Judge Arun Subramanian, Diddy’s defense offered a bail package co-signed by his mother, Janice Combs, his sister and the mother of his oldest daughter.
Additionally, “Mr. Combs’s travel will be restricted to the Southern District of Florida, Central District of California and the Southern District of New York (to attend Court and meet with his counsel) as well as the Eastern District of New York or the District of New Jersey (only to the extent that his travel to and from New York involves an airport in those Districts),” the proposed offer noted.
Diddy would also surrender his passport to pretrial services, in addition to drug testing.
The jury on Wednesday found Diddy not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ defense moved for release of the rapper pending his sentencting proceeding.
In a letter sent to Judge Arun Subramanian Wednesday, Diddy’s legal team cited the jury’s “clear verdict acquitting Mr. Combs of the RICO conspiracy and sex trafficking counts,” and said that “conditioned detention of Mr. Combs is inappropriate.”
“As these proceedings have demonstrated, and as we told the Court from the outset of this case, Mr. Combs came to New York to surrender in order to defend against the government’s charges because he was ‘committed to showing his innocence,’” the defense wrote.
“Since his arrest and detention on September 17, 2024, Mr. Combs has obeyed the Court, respected these proceedings, and demonstrated model behavior at the MDC. And today, the jury unambiguously rejected the government’s allegations that Mr. Combs ran a years-long criminal enterprise or engaged in sex trafficking—the core of the government’s case.”
The jury on Wednesday found Diddy not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Sean “Diddy” Combs is now facing up to 20 years behind bars after being found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. The jury found Diddy guilty of transporting his ex-girlfriends, Cassie Ventura and Jane, for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
Each count carries a maximum of 10 years.
The jury acquitted the disgraced music mogul on charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team for his sex-trafficking and racketeering trial in New York is stacked with a high-profile group of lawyers.
Marc Agnifilo , who represented NXIVM cult leader Keith Raniere, and Brian Steel, who recently represented rapper Young Thug, are among the team of lawyers who were listed on Diddy’s court docket.
The others included Teny Geragos, Anna Estevao, Jason Driscoll, Xavier R. Donaldson and Alexandra Shapiro.
Since the musician had a hefty legal team, experts have estimated the price tag for his eight-week trial and months of pretrial motions and preparations will cost him a pretty penny.
Criminal defense attorney John Day told Fox News Digital that he estimates Combs’ trial will cost him $15 million “for the entire package.” “This is literally a ‘money is no object’ defense,” Day said.
The jury on Wednesday found Diddy not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Janelle Ash and Larry Fink.
After Sean “Diddy” Combs was found not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering, crowds gathered outside the Manhattan courthouse. A woman took her clothes off while maybe 50-60 people filmed her.
A man sprayed baby oil on onto her while people cheered. Court officers did not allow press cameras in the vicinity.
Fox News’ Marly Carroll contributed to this report.
The verdict in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal trial was not surprising, attorney David S. Seltzer told Fox News Digital.
“This verdict is not a shock,” Seltzer said. “The Government brought State Court charges in Federal Court, at huge taxpayer expense and man hours. The Government charged Mr. Combs as a mobster, yet they were only able to prove that he is a sexual deviant, likes sex toys, and not boyfriend material.”
Seltzer added, “Additionally, the Government was unable to prove any evidence of a criminal enterprise, which was the crux of their indictment. Given the expedition, Mr. Combs now has the strong possibility of being home for Christmas since his estimated federal guidelines are now in the 1-3 year range. That’s a big defense verdict.”
The jury on Wednesday found Diddy not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
The government reacted to the not guilty verdict in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking and racketeering trial. The rapper was found guilty on two counts of transportation to engaged in prostitution.
“Sex crimes deeply scar victims, and the disturbing reality is that sex crimes are all too present in many aspects of our society,” representatives for the Southern District of New York and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) said in a statement. “Victims endure gut-wrenching physical and mental abuse, leading to lasting trauma. New Yorkers and all Americans want this scourge stopped and perpetrators brought to justice.”
“Prosecuting sex crimes requires brave victims to come forward and tell their harrowing stories. We and our law enforcement partners recognize the hardships victims endure and have prioritized a victim-centered approach to investigating and prosecuting these cases.”
Hollywood immediately reacted after the jury in the Sean “Diddy” Combs sex trafficking and racketeering trial reached a verdict on all counts Wednesday.
The jury on Wednesday found Diddy not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Rosie O’Donnell shared on Instagram, “Guess a jury just never wants to believe that a woman stays because of power and coercion—wow—they just think women stay because what? money—fame—‘they love the abuse.’ What a f—ing joke. This decision got me angry.”
Rapper 50 Cent also reacted.
“Diddy beat the Feds,” he wrote, “that boy a bad man ! beat the Rico.”
Queen Latifah shared her thoughts on Diddy’s ex-girlfriends who testified against the disgraced rapper during the intense nearly two-month trial as well as “all the other people harmed over the decades.”
“Please send prayers for Cassie and all the other people harmed over the decades. All that evidence and people still don’t believe women the first time,” she wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox New’s Stephanie Giang-Paunon.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ family showed up to court throughout the trial to support the disgraced music mogul. The family returned to the courtroom right before 1pm ET as the rapper awaited a decision on whether he’d be released until sentencing.
The jury on Wednesday found Diddy not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Diddy’s mother, Janice Combs , along with his children, Chance Combs, Jessie Combs, D’Lila Combs, Justin Combs, Quincy Brown, King Combs and Christian Combs sat in the courtroom as opening statements began in May for the rapper’s trial. His mother and a handful of his children have attended previous court hearings.
Diddy’s children have defended their father since his arrest in September.
“The past month has devastated our family,” they wrote in a joint post shared in October. “Many have judged both him and us based on accusations, conspiracy theories, and false narratives that have spiraled into absurdity on social media.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs was found not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking on Wednesday morning.
The case against Diddy proved to be a “total failure” by the prosecution, who made a number of “fatal self-induced errors,” former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told Fox News Digital.
“Today’s verdict is nothing less than a complete and total failure by the prosecution in what will go down as the most expensive prostitution trial in American history. The jury didn’t believe any of the victims. Cassie was discredited because of her emails and text messages saying she enjoyed the freak offs. Mia didn’t tell law enforcement or prosecutors that she was sexually assaulted, and she posted on social media that she loved Diddy. Jane accepted money and gifts from Diddy and he continues to pay her rent, so the jurors concluded that she knew what she was getting herself into and that it was a transactional relationship.”
“The sex trafficking charges were weak because of the overwhelming evidence of consent. The prosecution’s only real chance of a victory was racketeering and to prove a non-sex related predicate act like kidnapping, arson, extortion, or bribery. The fact that the jury even rejected that argument shows the many flaws in the prosecution’s case.”
“The government made a number of fatal self-induced errors. They included Gina in the indictment as victim 3 when they didn’t have assurances that she would show up, and she went missing days before trial. They failed to lean on and flip key members of Diddy’s inner circle like KK and D-ROC. They didn’t anticipate that the victims’ messages and social media posts would be used against them and failed to elicit the bad testimony during their direct examination to take the sting out of cross. The prosecution didn’t call any of the sexual assault victims who filed civil lawsuits who did not have a romantic or professional relationship with Diddy. Victims who were minors can’t consent, so that avoids the defense’s best argument. And victims who don’t have a relationship with Diddy wouldn’t have messages expressing admiration for him.”
“The big question in the case was why did the victims stay if they were abused? The prosecution failed to answer that question. And the prosecution in the Harvey Weinstein retrial also failed to answer that question.”
“Even though the Mann Act carries a potential 10 year maximum sentence, Diddy is going to get time served or close to it. His sentencing guideline range may be as low as 15-21 months. Judge Subramanian should grant him bail today, and Diddy should be a free man. The jury has spoken and prosecutors in the prestigious Southern District of New York should take this very embarrassing loss and move on.”
Cassie Ventura’s lawyers spoke out after jurors reached a verdict in Sean “Diddy” Combs federal trial.
The jury found on Wednesday Diddy not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
“This entire criminal process started when our client Cassie Ventura had the courage to file her civil complaint in November 2023,” Cassie’s lawyer, Doug Wigdor, said in a statement.
“Although the jury did not find Combs guilty of sex trafficking Cassie beyond a reasonable doubt, she paved the way for a jury to find him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution. By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice.”
Wigdor added, “We must repeat – with no reservation – that we believe and support our client who showed exemplary courage throughout this trial. She displayed unquestionable strength and brought attention to the realities of powerful men in our orbit and the misconduct that has persisted for decades without repercussion. This case proved that change is long overdue, and we will continue to fight on behalf of survivors.”
The jury in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking and racketeering trial reached a verdict on all counts Wednesday.
The jury found Diddy not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
COUNT 1 – RICO: NOT GUILTY
COUNT 2 – SEX TRAFFICKING, CASSIE VENTURA: NOT GUILTY
COUNT 3 – MANN ACT TRANSPORTATION, CASSIE VENTURA: GUILTY
COUNT 4 – SEX TRAFFICKING, JANE: NOT GUILTY
COUNT 5 – MANN ACT TRANSPORTATION, JANE: GUILTY
A federal RICO violation can result in a 20-year sentence. The transportation to engage in prostitution charge could carry a sentence of up to 10 years, while sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion may carry a 20-year sentence.
