Judge Hands Down Prison Sentence to Sean “Diddy” Combs After Emotional Plea for Mercy

The 55-year-old mogul, who has already served one year behind bars, could be released in about three years with credit for time served. Prosecutors had pushed for more than 11 years, while Combs’ legal team sought immediate release, arguing his time in jail had already instilled remorse and sobriety.

Inside a Manhattan courtroom on Friday, Combs wept, begged for leniency, and admitted to his mistakes.

“I have nobody to blame but myself,” he told the court. “I know I’ll never put my hands on another person again. I know that I have learned my lesson. And I take full accountability and responsibility.”

Judge’s Stern Rebuke

U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian delivered the sentence with a sharp rebuke, questioning why Combs’ pattern of abuse went unchecked for so long.

“Because you had the power and the resources to keep it going, and because you weren’t caught,” the judge said.

Subramanian also fined Combs $500,000 the maximum penalty and praised the courage of the accusers who testified, noting that their words gave a voice to countless others who endured similar abuse.

“You stood up to power,” the judge told them.

Combs, who had been smiling and chatting with family earlier, looked subdued and dejected during sentencing. 

The Charges and Trial

Combs was convicted in July under the Mann Act, which prohibits transporting people across state lines for sexual crimes. Jurors heard disturbing testimony from former partners, assistants, and others who described a decade-long pattern of violence, coercion, and drug-fueled sexual exploitation.

One of the most harrowing accounts came from Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, Combs’ former girlfriend, who testified that he forced her into degrading sexual acts with strangers hundreds of times. Jurors were also shown a video of Combs dragging and beating her in a Los Angeles hotel hallway.

Another woman, identified only as “Jane,” testified she was pressured into sex during “hotel nights” while Combs watched or filmed.

Although Combs was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have put him in prison for life, prosecutors argued that sparing him a significant sentence would minimize years of violence.

“It’s a case about a man who did horrible things to real people to satisfy his own sexual gratification,” prosecutor Christy Slavik said. “His currency was controlled, and he weaponized that currency.”

A Plea for Redemption

Before sentencing, defense lawyers played a video highlighting Combs’ career, philanthropy, and role as a father. Through tears, Combs pleaded:

“I ask your honor for a chance to be a father again, a son again, a leader in my community again … for a chance to get the help that I desperately need to be a better person.”

His six children addressed the court, asking for mercy. His daughter D’Lila, who lost her mother Kim Porter in 2018, said through tears:

“Please, your honor, please give our family the chance to heal together not as a headline, but as human beings.”

The Aftermath

Combs’ lawyers vowed to appeal, arguing the judge overstepped by acting like a “13th juror.” They also claimed the government was criminalizing “consensual, if unconventional” sexual behavior.

But for the victims, the sentence was valid. Cassie’s attorneys said in a statement that while “nothing can undo the trauma,” the punishment recognizes the seriousness of Combs’ actions.

Judge Subramanian left Combs with a final message:

But you will have a life afterward.”