Hip-hop icon Sean Combs dropped to the floor on his hands and knees in a dramatic reaction after being shockingly acquitted on Wednesday of the most serious federal charges against him—racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking—for allegedly forcing former partners to live out his degrading sexual fantasies for years.
The music mogul, better known by his stage name Diddy, was instead found guilty on lesser prostitution-related charges. Diddy somehow escaped a harsher life sentence following a two-month-long trial that exposed disturbing details about his personal life, including his reported preference for "freak-offs," during which he would regularly watch his lovers engage in intense, drug-fueled sexual encounters with male escorts.
Sound of Victory
Diddy had been facing life behind bars if found guilty on the top charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. However, the jury ultimately found Combs guilty only on prostitution charges related to shipping escorts across state lines — a conviction that could carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
The verdict came after 13 hours of deliberation over three days, culminating in a tense moment in a Manhattan federal courtroom on Wednesday morning.
As the verdict was announced, Combs repeatedly nodded, pumped his fist in relief when he was acquitted of the sex trafficking charge, and softly said "thank you" upon being cleared of the most severe allegation.
He then pressed his hands together in a prayer-like gesture and raised them toward the jury in a sign of gratitude.
In the end, the jury convicted Combs on two counts under the Mann Act, which involve prostitution-related crimes, with each count carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years behind bars.
After the verdict, Combs' attorney, Marc Agnifilo, requested that the judge allow his client to be released from jail and placed under home confinement, noting that he had been cleared of the most serious allegations.
"My proposal would be that he be released today, that he be permitted to live at his home in Florida," Agnifilo said. "It would be a bond of whatever size your honor sees fit, maybe $1 million?"
Assistant District Attorney Maurene Comey objected to the motion, saying that despite the acquittal on the most severe charges, Combs was still found guilty of serious crimes and remained a potential threat.
"There is serious, serious relevant conduct here that will merit a lengthy period of incarceration," she said.
Thanking His Luck
As the judge left the courtroom, Combs dropped to his hands and knees in a moment of prayer. At the same time, his family and supporters broke into loud cheers, while several members of his legal team hugged each other.
Combs then rose to his feet, blew a kiss in their direction, and left through a side door.
The verdict marks another dramatic chapter in the downfall of the Harlem-born mogul, who transformed his Bad Boy Records label into a nearly $1 billion empire, became a household name in the music industry, and threw star-studded "white parties" in lavish locations like Beverly Hills and the Hamptons.
"He thought that his fame, wealth, and power put him above the law — but over the course of this trial, his crimes have been exposed," Assistant US Attorney Christy Slavik told jurors in closing statements.
Prosecutors called 34 witnesses as they portrayed Combs as the mastermind behind a network responsible for numerous crimes spanning two decades — including allegedly setting fire to Kid Cudi's Porsche and breaking into his home in a jealous outburst over the rapper's connection to Combs' longtime on-and-off partner, Cassie Ventura.
Jurors were repeatedly shown an infamous surveillance video from 2016, capturing Combs shoving, kicking, and dragging Ventura through a Los Angeles hotel hallway. They also heard testimony that Combs tried to pay off security personnel with $100,000 in an unsuccessful attempt to suppress the footage.
Ventura's attorney, Douglas Wigdor, praised the conviction. "We're pleased that he's finally been held responsible for two federal crimes. He still faces substantial jail time," Wigdor told reporters outside the courthouse.
Combs, who has been held at a Brooklyn detention center since his arrest at a Midtown hotel in September 2024, did not testify during the sensational trial, which attracted a large number of spectators, including his mother, children, and loyal supporters.
Throughout the proceedings, the "All About the Benjamins" artist remained seated at the defense table, wearing a rotating selection of muted sweaters layered over crisp white dress shirts. His noticeably graying hair marked a stark contrast to the polished, high-fashion image he once projected at red carpet events and star-studded parties.
