Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has been sentenced to four years and two months in prison after being found guilty of transporting individuals across state lines for prostitution.
The sentence was handed down by Judge Arun Subramanian on Friday, following an emotional hearing in a New York courtroom.
Federal prosecutors had sought an 11-year term, describing Combs as someone who “abused power for decades,” but the judge opted for a lesser sentence. His lawyers argued that the 55-year-old had already served over a year in custody in Brooklyn and deserved leniency.
Before sentencing, Combs addressed the court, expressing remorse for his actions. “I am truly sorry,” he said. “I ask your honour for mercy. I beg your honour for mercy.”
The Bad Boy Records founder had earlier been cleared of sex trafficking and racketeering charges in July but was convicted on two lesser counts related to prostitution.
His former partner, singer Casandra Ventura, popularly known as Cassie, submitted a powerful victim statement describing years of alleged physical, emotional, and sexual abuse during their relationship. She urged the judge to consider “the many lives that Sean Combs has upended with his abuse and control.”
Ventura detailed in her letter that the entire courtroom had watched footage of Combs attacking her. “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 added that she continues to endure “nightmares and flashbacks on a regular, everyday basis.”
Ventura and another woman, identified as “Jane,” said they were forced into “freak-offs” — sexual encounters with hired men allegedly arranged and sometimes recorded by Combs.
Lead prosecutor Christy Slavik told the court that Combs had shown limited accountability for his actions. “His remorse was qualified. It’s as though he thinks the law doesn’t apply to him,” Slavik said. She added that Combs had booked public speaking engagements in Miami before sentencing, expecting leniency, calling it “the height of hubris.”
Defence attorney Nicole Westmoreland described Combs as “an inspiration” to the Black community and a man who had made mistakes but was trying to change. “No, Combs is not larger than life. He’s just a human being. He’s made mistakes,” she said. “It’s of no benefit to anyone to warehouse him in a prison.”
Combs’s six adult children also appealed to the court for mercy. His eldest, Quincy Brown, described him as “a changed man,” while his daughter, D’Lila Combs, made an emotional plea, saying, “Please, please give our family the chance to heal together. Not as headlines but as human beings.”
Despite the appeals from his family and legal team, Judge Subramanian upheld the 50-month prison sentence, stating that it reflected both accountability and the need for justice. Combs, once one of hip-hop’s most influential figures, will serve his term in federal custody.