Sean "Diddy" Combs was found guilty on two federal counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, while a New York jury acquitted him of sex trafficking and racketeering charges on Wednesday, closing a dramatic chapter in a case that began with civil claims from former girlfriend Cassie Ventura.
Cassie's legal team responded swiftly to the partial verdict. Douglas H. Wigdor, her attorney, said in a statement, "This entire criminal process started when our client Cassie Ventura had the courage to file her civil complaint in November 2023. 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."
Combs, 55, was charged with multiple counts, including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. The verdict handed down by a 12-person jury - eight men and four women - left him acquitted on the more serious counts but convicted on two violations of the Mann Act. Each of those counts carries a potential 10-year sentence. Prosecutors have asked that any sentences be served consecutively, opening the possibility of a 20-year prison term.
During the seven-week trial, Ventura testified that Combs forced her into orchestrated sexual encounters, referred to as "freak-offs," involving male escorts while he watched. "Sean proposed this idea, this sexual encounter that he called voyeurism," she told the jury. "I just remember my stomach falling to my butt, just the nervousness and confusion in that moment."
Ventura further testified about enduring severe physical abuse. He would "knock me over, drag me, kick me, stomp me in the head," she stated. Surveillance footage from a Los Angeles hotel in 2016, showing Combs kicking her in a hallway, surfaced last year and added a new dimension to the case.
Combs publicly apologized after the video went viral, saying in an Instagram post, "It's so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you got to do that. I was f----- up. I mean I hit rock bottom but I make no excuses." He added, "My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I'm disgusted."
Ventura's lawyer emphasized her role in bringing these issues to light. "By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice," Wigdor said. "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."
He added, "This case proved that change is long overdue, and we will continue to fight on behalf of survivors." Ventura, who testified while eight and a half months pregnant, gave birth to her third child - a son with husband Alex Fine - on May 27.
