Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced to 50 months in prison on Friday following his conviction on prostitution-related charges, concluding a high-profile legal battle that has gripped the entertainment industry for over a year.
The Federal District Court in Manhattan handed down the sentence after an emotional, daylong hearing. Prosecutors had sought 11 years, citing the serious nature of the allegations and Combs’s lack of accountability, while the defense argued for 14 months, equivalent to time already served in custody at Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center.
Addressing the court before sentencing, the 55-year-old hip-hop mogul expressed remorse, saying he was “truly sorry” and asked the judge for leniency.
“I ask your honor for mercy,” Combs said. “I beg your honor for mercy.”
Judge Arun Subramanian ultimately imposed a sentence of just over four years, balancing the emotional appeals from Combs’s family and supporters with the harrowing testimonies of his victims and the severity of the crimes.
Combs was acquitted in July of the most serious charges — including sex trafficking and racketeering — but the jury found him guilty on two counts of transporting individuals across state lines for prostitution, in violation of the Mann Act.
The convictions stemmed from a sprawling federal investigation into Combs’s alleged orchestration of sex parties and abuse involving multiple women, including his former longtime partner, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura.
Cassie, now 39, submitted a powerful victim impact statement ahead of the sentencing. In the letter, she described enduring years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse while in a relationship with Combs.
“The entire courtroom watched actual footage of Combs kicking and beating me as I tried to run away from a freak off in 2016,” she wrote.
She revealed how she and another woman, identified only as Jane, were coerced into taking part in “freak offs” — sexual encounters with hired men that Combs allegedly orchestrated and filmed.
Cassie said she continues to suffer from nightmares and PTSD, and that she and her family had fled the New York area due to fears of retaliation if Combs were to be released.
Lead prosecutor Christy Slavik accused Combs of showing only qualified remorse, stating that his actions and recent public appearances suggested a belief that he was above the law.
“His remorse was qualified. It’s as though he thinks the law doesn’t apply to him,” Slavik said, revealing that Combs had booked speaking engagements in Miami next week in anticipation of a lighter sentence.
In defense, attorney Nicole Westmoreland described Combs as an inspiration to the Black community, acknowledging his mistakes but arguing that “warehousing him in prison” would serve no benefit to society.
“No, Combs is not larger than life. He’s just a human being. He’s made mistakes,” Westmoreland said.
Combs’s six adult children delivered emotional statements, asking the court to grant their father a chance to heal with his family. His daughter D’Lila Combs pleaded:
“Please, please give our family the chance to heal together. Not as headlines but as human beings.
