After an intense eight-week trial in federal court, music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. The jury acquitted him of the more serious charges—two counts of sex trafficking and one count of racketeering—but the convictions still carry a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison for each count.

Prosecutors accused Combs, founder of Bad Boy Records, of coercing several women into participating in drug-fueled “freak-offs,” extended sexual encounters involving male escorts. During a dramatic, four-day testimony, his former partner of 11 years, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, described repeated physical assaults and psychological abuse. The courtroom was shown photos of her injuries and videos purportedly documenting these marathon sex parties.

An anonymous witness referred to as “Jane,” who dated Combs between 2021 and 2024, told jurors that he forced her to take drugs and participate in “freak-offs,” using rent payments as leverage. In what prosecutors labeled “the most clear-cut example of sex trafficking in this case,” Combs allegedly “punched, kicked and dragged Jane into the house before giving her drugs and inviting over a male escort.” Jane testified that Combs then mocked the legal jeopardy he faced, asking, “Is this coercion?”

“Mia,” another pseudonymous witness who worked for Combs as a personal assistant and later as an executive, testified that she was physically assaulted and raped by the music executive. Several other witnesses described alleged misconduct spanning two decades, including:

A former stylist who witnessed Combs’ violence toward Ventura.
A fashion designer who claimed Combs held her over a 17th-story balcony railing.
A hotel security guard who said Combs bribed him with $100,000 to delete footage of a 2016 assault on Ventura.

Even fellow artists weighed in. Kid Cudi, who briefly dated Ventura in 2011, alleged that Combs once broke into his home and, on another occasion, orchestrated the arson of his car.

Prosecutors portrayed Combs as the leader of a criminal enterprise whose “inner circle” of security guards and staff aided in the alleged crimes—ranging from sex trafficking and drug distribution to arson and bribery—and then covered them up.

The defense countered that Combs was merely engaged in a consensual “swingers lifestyle,” insisting the “freak-offs” were entirely voluntary. They argued that Combs lacked any co-conspirator necessary to sustain a racketeering charge and that his assistants were simply performing job duties, not participating in criminal activity.

Central to the prosecution’s case was a 2016 surveillance video showing Combs violently assaulting Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel room during one such party. The footage, replayed multiple times for jurors, captured Combs repeatedly striking Ventura. Lead defense attorney Marc Agnifilo conceded during closing arguments, “We own the domestic violence,” but stressed that the violence was separate from any “freak-off” activity.

Agnifilo implored the jury to return a verdict of not guilty on all counts. “He sits there innocent,” he urged. “Return him to his family who have been waiting for him.” Combs’ mother, Janice, and his children—including sons Christian and Justin—were present throughout the trial, visibly offering their support.

With the split verdict, sentencing will hinge on the two prostitution-related convictions. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years, and federal guidelines could recommend significantly less time. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.