Sean 'Diddy' Combs sentenced to 50 months behind bars

Attorneys for Diddy said they have a strong basis to appeal the judge’s sentence, which they described as “unconstitutional.”

Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse, defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said Judge Arun Subramanian used the word “coercion” at least a dozen times during today’s sentencing hearing — even though the jury found there was no coercion.

“We think that’s unconstitutional,” he said. “We think a jury’s verdict should mean more.”

Speaking outside the Manhattan courthouse, attorney Gloria Allred called Judge Arun Subramanian “very thoughtful” and said Combs “has to pay the price for what he did.”

Allred said she represents alleged victims of Combs who were concerned he might walk free by the end of the year.

“I think they’ll be happy he’ll be in prison for a number of years,” she said.

When the sentence was read, Combs showed little emotion in court. He looked at the judge and then looked down. Combs shook his head when judge was talking about Cassie Ventura's impact in the case. When the judge talked about the impact on the kids, Combs also shook his head.

Afterward Combs turned toward his family and tapped his heart. He said to his children and his mother, “I love you, I’m sorry.” Then he said “I’ll be OK” as he gathered his papers and walked out with the marshals.

Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced to over four years in prison on prostitution-related charges. NBC News legal analyst Kristen Gibbons Feden explains what will happen to the civil claims that several women have filed against the music mogul.

Legal analyst explains where civil cases go after Combs sentencing

01:48

As the judge explained his reasoning for Combs’ 50-month sentence, several members of Combs’ family were in tears, including his eldest daughter, while others looked to one another for a sense of direction.

Aside from the tears and glances, Combs’ family and friends largely compiled with the courtroom rules, withholding verbal reactions to the verdict.

The lawyer for Combs victim Cassie Ventura said the 50-month sentence reflects the "serious offenses" committed by the music icon.

“While nothing can undo the trauma caused by Combs, the sentence imposed today recognizes the impact of the serious offenses he committed," her attorney Douglas Wigdor said in a statement.

"We are confident that with the support of her family and friends, Ms. Ventura will continue healing, knowing that her bravery and fortitude have been an inspiration to so many.”

Judge Arun Subramanian described the two women at the center of Combs’ conviction as “brave survivors” who gave others a voice.

“Jane and Cassie Ventura have been through abuse and trauma we couldn’t imagine,” he said, adding: “I can only say your families are proud of you and your children will be proud of you for coming to the court to tell you what really happened. You weren’t just talking to the jury, you were talking to the women who feel powerless.”

The judge who sent Combs away for multiple years behind bars encouraged the disgraced artist to make the most of his second chance.

"Being a champion and uplifting Black and brown communities — that’s what you set out to do at the beginning of your career decades ago," Subramanian told the defendant.

"Your letter said you lost your way but there’s a true path to redemption here: What went wrong and what can be made right."

The judge told Combs he was "counting on you to making the most of that second chance."

U.S. District Court Judge Arun Subramanian sentenced Sean Combs to 50 months behind bars.

Prosecutors had sought an 11-year, three-month prison term for his Mann Act conviction, while the defense was aiming for a 14-month sentence, which would have amounted to time served.

Combs, 55, was taken into custody in September last year so he'll have more than a year of credit toward his incarceration.

The judge also fined Combs $500,000 and ordered five years of supervised release once Combs leaves prison.

Judge Arun Subramanian said he had considered several factors in determining Combs’ sentence, including that he is a self-made artist who has “inspired and lifted up communities worldwide.”

He cited Combs work and family history, including the murder of Combs’ father, and he said that work Combs had done behind bars was impressive.

“The court hopes you will continue to do that,” the judge said.

Subramanian added that he had to consider "all" of Combs' history.

"You abused the power and control with women you professed to love," he said. "You abused them physically, emotionally and psychologically."

During his remarks, Combs said he does not take his conviction lightly and said he wants the judge to “make an example of what a person can do” with a second chance.

“I take full accountability and responsibility,” he said. “The prosecution wants you to make an example of me. I want you to make an example of what a person can do if they get another chance and if you give me another chance I will not let you down.”

Judge Subramanian called for a short break in court, following Combs' dramatic plea for mercy.

Combs said his arrest and trial have permanently changed his outlook on life as he begged a federal judge for mercy.

"I can't change the past but can change the future," he said. "I ask your honor for mercy. I beg your honor for mercy, to be a father again, a son again and be a leader in my community again and get the help I desperately need."

Combs promised he'll never be violent again.

"They need me, they’re scared and I'm scared," he said. "I have nobody to blame but myself. I will never put my hands on another person again. I have learned my lesson."

After saying that he had been “stripped down to nothing,” Sean Combs turned to his family and sobbed.

“You taught me better,” he said. “You raised me better.”

Combs blamed himself and drugs for his "disgusting, shameful and sick" behavior.

“My actions were disgusting, shameful and sick," he said. "I was sick, sick from the drugs. I was out of control, I needed help and i didn't get the help and I cannot make no excuse because my mother taught me."

He continued: "I got lost in my dream of life. I am not this larger-than-life person. I am just a human being, I was trying my best, I got lost in my excess.”

The disgraced performer and music executive told the court he wants to take responsibility for his actions.

"One of the hardest things I've had to handle was having to be quiet and not being able to express how sorry I am for my actions," he said.

"I want to personally apologize to Cassie Ventura to any harm I have caused her emotionally or physically. I don't take that lightly. I would like to apologize to her family, I am so sorry. I would like to apologize to Jane, I’m sorry. I brought you into my mess."

What Sean Combs said in court at his sentencing hearing

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Following a 10-minute break, Combs is expected to rise from the defense table to speak on his own behalf, in a final bid to avoid years behind bars.

The prosecution is seeking an 11-year prison term for him, while defense lawyers hope he'll get just 14 months, which would amount to about time served.

Combs with his lawyers Brian Steel and Alexandra Shapiro in court today. Jane Rosenberg / Reuters

Comb’s lead defense attorney argued that his client does not deserve more punishment because he was “treated in a stern, punishing fashion and the world knows that.”

Marc Agnifilo cited a lawsuit by Combs’s ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, and raids on Combs’ homes in Miami and Los Angeles — events that he said happened on a “grand public stage.”

“This is all probably one of the greatest general deterrence cases because everyone knows what happened to Sean Combs because it was destructive in every way,” he said.

Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said his client should be sentenced a little more than time served.

"We are asking for a lot, a 14-month sentence, and I want to give the court some reasons," he said.

Combs has long suffered from mental health challenges that he's willing to address, according to the lawyer.

"Sean Combs has genuine psychological challenges," Agnifilo said, citing the slaying of his client's father when he was just a child. "(In) 2014, 2017, 2020 he reported to three different doctors and he had PTSD."

Attorney Marc Agnifilo arrives at court today. Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images

Donaldson said prosecutors mischaracterized Combs' post-release plans in Miami as presumptuous "speaking engagements and instead called them community-enriching "teaching" opportunities.

"Contrary to what the government said, we do need something for him to do if he gets out today," the defense lawyer said.

"He would answer the question with teaching engagements — to help people who have been convicted to crimes to be ready, these are teaching engagements that we contacted them about if the court let him out."

Defense lawyer Xavier Donaldson said his client does not deserve a harsh penalty along the lines of a convicted "pimp."

"The government equates Sean Combs with a pimp. I want to be clear Mr. Combs is not a pimp," Donaldson told the court.

"A pimp is in the business of subjugating women, therefore he should not and cannot be considered a pimp."

Attorney Xavier Donaldson arrives at court today. Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images

A Miami pastor asked Judge Arun Subramanian to free Sean Combs from jail, saying that no amount of time spent behind bars will “change his condition.”

“As Michael Jordan said, these sneakers are just sneakers — but when Sean does things he turns them into opportunities,” said the pastor, Rev. Gary Johnson. “Sean needs an opportunity. I am asking you to give him to us and we won’t let you down.”

Combs accepts responsibility for his criminal missteps and would seek therapy immediately upon release from custody, Steel said.

"If released he would like to go back to Miami, Florida where he’s in walking distance to his mother to care for his mother," Steel told the court.

The attorney said his client "needs to repair and not be warehoused."

"He will be speaking openly about what it’s like to be incarcerated, to be on drugs, to lose a global business, to hurt the people you love, to take the happiness from your family," Steel said.

Defense attorney Brian Steel, who was the first to speak after the lunch break, took time to give a look back at Combs' history, pointing to the rapper's "untreated trauma" and "ferocious drug addiction that got out of hand."

Steel recounted stories from Combs' childhood, including instances in which Combs witnessed his friends dying, and claimed Combs has been addicted to painkillers since they were first prescribed to him in 2000. He said both the trauma and the addiction have contributed to his behavior.

Judge Subramanian took the bench, and Combs' sentencing hearing resumed following the lunch break.

Just before the afternoon session began, Combs waved at his supporters and mother in the gallery.

The defendant also made a prayer gesture and blew a kiss toward his mother, Janice Combs.

More than 30 members of Combs' family and friends are sitting in the first couple of rows inside the New York federal courtroom. Among those people are two women with whom he shares children, and six of his kids, who earlier made a statement on their dad's behalf.

Combs was emotional when his kids took the stand in his defense, but really broke down when one of his daughters, Jessie, began crying while she spoke.

Throughout the sentencing hearing, Combs has been fixing his shirt every time he gets up and sits back down.

Judge Subramanian adjourned court for lunch, asking all parties to return before 2:15 p.m. EDT.

Combs' defense is set to continue its case, arguing that he should be sentenced to no more than 14 months in prison.

A sobbing D’Lila Combs asked the judge to deliver a fair sentence that could "heal" their family.

"Our 2-year-old sister is asking, 'Where dad is?' the same way we grew up motherless," D’Lila said. "It's a hole that can’t be filled. We are tired of being strong. We have already lost so much: our mother, our father. Please, give us the chance to heal together and move forward together."

Her comments wrapped up Combs' children's time on the stand. Subramanian thanked all six of them, saying he knows "how hard it is to stand up here and it is very important for me to hear."

Quincy Brown, second from left, walks with twin sisters Jessie James Combs and D'Lila Star Combs as they arrive at court today. Anthony Behar / Sipa USA via Reuters

The defense is now playing a video that is approximately 11 minute long. In the video produced by the defense, Combs is seen with his children, praying and engaging in philanthropic work. 

As his six children took the stand to testify in his defense, Combs began to cry, holding his head in his hands and wiping away tears before putting his head down.

His daughter Jessie told Subramanian that her dad "promised he would always be there to keep us safe," and her sister Chance added that they are just "daughters who need our father."

"We have emptiness in our lives," Chance said, adding that Combs is thoughtful and that he has made mistakes, but that he wants to do better.

Chance added that she's seen a difference in how he listens and responds to her, and that his time in jail has been "unexpectedly healing."

Sean Combs breaks down and cries during the playing of a video about his life today.  Elizabeth Williams via AP

The 27-year-old Combs said his dad has made it a life goal to "spread positive energy " and asked Judge Subramanian to "give us grace and please give him mercy."

"He is the greatest in the world, he is my hero, has always been my hero, and always will be my hero; he always taught me to treat women with respect, " Christian said.

His dad's time behind bars has made an impact, Christian said, adding that he can tell Combs "has changed."

"I ask you with the utmost respect, please give us grace and please give him mercy to let him out and become the man we all know he is," Christian asked Subramanian.

Christian "King" Combs arrives with Raven Tracy at court today. Brendan McDermid / Reuters

Quincy Brown, Combs' eldest son, and his brother, Justin Brown, spoke in support of their father alongside their four other siblings.

Quincy said his father is a "changed man" who has learned his lesson, and that his kids love him unconditionally.

Justin added that he hopes his dad will get a second chance at life "to right this wrong and to be the man he truly is." He added that his father is now drug-free and has learned his purpose in life.

Quincy Brown arrives at court today. Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images

The defendant's children are now addressing the court. Afterward, defense attorney Brian Steel said his team will play an 11-minute video about Combs' role as a mentor, community leader and philanthropist.

In defending Combs, attorney Nicole Westmoreland spoke about the ways in which he has helped others and inspired those around him, but stressed that her client "is not larger than life. He is just a human being."

She noted that Combs has made mistakes, like everybody has, but that not everybody can say they have "helped so many lives... past our family or friends or people in our close circle."

That he has helped so many is an important aspect of Combs' life, Westmoreland said, and "it wouldn't be right to take it from him because he's made mistakes," and that "somewhere along his way he lost his journey."

After 13 months in jail, Westmoreland said her client is clear-headed, drug-free, determined, focused, and remorseful — something the prosecution earlier said they have not seen or heard from Combs.

Defense lawyer Nicole Westmoreland got emotional during her presentation, telling Judge Subramanian that Combs occupies a key space in the community, and the community would suffer without him.

"Our community finally had a seat at the table, a voice, and after Sean Combs figured out how to move within that industry he moved onto help others," Westmoreland said. "He gave others an opportunity to have a voice on multiple networks, a way to show his community they are important, and issues affecting the Black community they are important."

Defense attorney Nicole Westmoreland took time in court to point out Combs' positive contributions to the world, namely the "inspiration [he] has given to others" and "what he has done at MDC," the New York correctional facility where he has been held over the last year.

She also noted how Combs has "used his success to help others." She spoke about how, when he started his own record label, there were not many Black owners, but he did it anyway and lifted others with him.

Combs "was pouring himself into the work, and it sent a message that you can do it, you do not have to be assigned to be the label, you can be the label," she said.

The lawyer said Combs' work changed both the music industry and individual lives, and that he would always encourage others, saying, "They could do it," teaching artists how to improve and lifting them up.

A prosecutor lashed out at Combs for allegedly acting in "the height of hubris" and booking speaking engagements starting next week, assuming he gets a short prison sentence.

"That is the height of hubris, that is the opposite of the rule of law," Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik said earlier today.

In a letter filed with the court yesterday by a Florida nonprofit, the group said Combs already has speaking engagements set for Oct. 14, 17, 23, 25, and 29.

The defense is seeking a 14-month sentence, which could amount to time served.

CORRECTION (Oct. 8, 2025, 5:07 p.m. ET): An earlier version of this post contained an incorrect link to the nonprofit that submitted a letter with the court for Combs' speaking engagements. It is RE Entry One Inc., not the Miami Foundation.

The defense has begun its bid for a shorter prison sentence for Combs.

Prosecutors are seeking an 11-year, three-month prison sentence, while the defense is aiming for a 14-month sentence, which could amount to time served.

The performer and music executive was taken into custody in September last year.

Combs left the courtroom during a quick five-minute break. He returned shortly after, hugging his attorneys and making heart signals to his family, who are in the gallery.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs' family in attendance at hearing as he awaits sentencing

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While Combs has said he has moved on and now has full control of his anger, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik argued in court that victims of Combs cannot move on like he has and that they testified that they are still picking up the pieces.

Slavik again reiterated that Combs has not accepted responsibility for his actions, has downplayed abuse, and has blamed everyone but himself.

"The abuse was not rare, he was violent with Cassie at any perceived slight," Slavik said, pointing to "freak offs" that were frequently discussed in testimony.

His violence is something "the public must be protected from," Slavik said, adding, "there was nothing mutual about the dynamic of the relationships."

"The defendant had all the power," Slavik continued. "You saw photos of them with bruises, but no injuries to him."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik urged Judge Subramanian to view Combs' conviction as more than acts of transporting people for sex, but as aggression that should draw long prison sentences.

Combs did not deny kicking or throwing Cassie to the ground, and even downplays these acts of violence, Slavik said in her arguments this morning.

"This type of harm is real, it is deeply intimate and personal," Slavik said.

Combs' defense claims its client might have his Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights violated if prejudicial evidence is used against him at this sentencing.

"I want to be clear, there are Fifth and Sixth Amendment issues, double jeopardy" at stake here, Alexandra Shapiro, one of Combs’ defense lawyers, said.

The Fifth Amendment protects Americans from being tried twice for the same underlying action, while the Sixth Amendment guarantees fair and speedy trials.

After discussing how the court can consider content from acquitted charges in today's sentencing, the judge noted how Combs has denied the facts of guilt by saying he was paying for time, and not for sex, in evidence brought by prosecutors during the trial.

Combs did not express remorse for the charge of transporting people for prostitution, which the judge said is flatly inconsistent with reality and his accepting responsibility, Subramanian said.

Subramanian said Combs has also challenged his guilt "full-throatedly," which means he may not receive any sentencing adjustment for acceptance of responsibility.

Judge Subramanian gave prosecutors at this sentencing hearing the freedom to cite "acquitted conduct," referring to actions by Combs in charges for which he was found not guilty.

"The court will be best to determine whether it qualifies as relevant conduct," he said. "We consider all the facts to impose the sentence, but not greater than necessary."

So even though Combs was cleared of the most serious charges of running a criminal enterprise, testimony about the alleged coercion he might have used against former girlfriends Jane and Mia could be cited.

Judge Subramanian chided Combs' defense team, saying the "tone" of a letter his lawyers submitted to the court about an accuser pseudonymously known as "Mia" was "inappropriate."

In a court filing Wednesday, Combs' lawyers forcefully pushed back on the prosecution's request that "Mia" be allowed to speak at this sentencing hearing. "She lied that she had sexual contact with Sean Combs without her consent. She lied that she was a victim," the defense team said. "Virtually everything that came out of her mouth was a lie."

The attorneys who represent "Mia" defended their client's integrity in a statement to NBC News: "Mia was incredibly brave to walk into a public courtroom and testify truthfully about the worst events of her life, and stand up for herself, her friends, and abused women everywhere."

Combs watches as "Mia" testifies on May 29. Jane Rosenberg / Reuters

A woman, referred to only by a pseudonym throughout Combs' trial, was expected to offer a witness impact statement during Combs' sentencing today. However, moments after the court began this morning, it was announced that she no longer wished to speak.

Instead, she submitted a victim impact statement that prosecutors are asking the court to consider in Combs' sentencing.

The government referred to the woman as “Victim-4” in Combs' indictment, but through the trial, she was referred to as "Mia." "Mia" used to work for Combs as a personal assistant, telling the court that she witnessed Combs' frequent bouts of violence and had to clean up hotel rooms after Combs' drug-fueled sex marathons, which included sex workers.

She also told the court that Combs sexually assaulted her while she worked for him. At the end of her testimony, "Mia" told jurors that she had never wanted to discuss some of these moments in public.

"It’s the most traumatizing, worst thing that’s ever happened to me," she testified.

Subramanian said he's received reams of paperwork on both sides of the case, and he's ready to proceed.

The material includes sentencing memos, exhibits, letters from family friends and inmates, and a defense video.

"I have read all the material and read the letters and greatly appreciate those," he told the court.

Judge Subramanian has taken the bench and Combs' sentencing hearing is underway.

The rapper entered the courtroom at 10:10 a.m. for his sentencing hearing, wearing a cream sweater with a white button-down underneath and black pants.

He gave hugs to and shook hands with his legal team, and took a look at a folder at his seat when he sat down. Finally, he gave his family a look.

Combs' mom and other close family members and friends started to file into the courtroom around 9:45 a.m. Combs' family and friends were mainstays during his weekslong trial.

The courtroom is almost full as the sentencing hearing is about to begin.

Janice Combs, Sean Combs' mother, arrives at court today. Leonardo Munoz / AFP - Getty Images

Combs’ family members, all seven children and his mother, are expected to be in attendance and many will speak.

His legal team has also requested to speak on his behalf and is preparing a 15-minute video to present to the court.

In their presentencing filing, defense attorneys included letters from 70 family members, music collaborators and other supporters, including fellow inmates at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, who described him as a role model who has maintained calm in prison and helped them improve their lives.

Combs' former girlfriend Virginia Huynh also submitted a letter to the court this week. She did not testify at trial but stated that she had met with prosecutors before his trial. In her letter, she wrote that she "felt “pressured to feel like a victim by prosecutors during interviews.

Prosecutors had planned to call her as a witness; however, as the trial approached, they told the court they could not reach her or her attorney.

Justin Combs, one of Sean Combs' sons, arrives at court today. Richard Drew / AP

Combs' lawyers appear relaxed as they arrive in federal court, ahead of a crucial hearing that will determine their client's fate. Alexandra Shapiro and Brian Steel are in the cafeteria having a chat as the latter loads up on valuable potassium via a morning banana.

Outside the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan, there were lines and crowds everywhere. While a crowd of people, including news media and interested onlookers, gathered for the Combs' sentencing, many others were there for a naturalization ceremony in the courthouse.

At least a half-dozen NYPD officers were lined up on the sidewalk where Combs’ family is expected to arrive.

The prosecutor who led the team in convicting Combs at trial this summer won't be speaking at his sentencing after being fired by President Donald Trump's administration.

Former federal prosecutor Maurene Comey was fired just weeks after Combs was found guilty on two Mann Act charges. Comey has filed a lawsuit against the administration, alleging that her termination was “without cause, without advance notice, and without an opportunity to contest it."

The DOJ declined to comment on the ongoing litigation when the suit was filed last month.

Comey's father, former FBI Director James Comey, was indicted by the Trump administration last week on one count of making a false statement and one count of obstruction of a congressional proceeding stemming from testimony he gave to Congress in 2020.

He has denied the allegations, saying in a video on Instagram that he and his family "have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump."

In the 1990s and 2000s, few personalities swaggered through the music industry quite like Sean Combs. In his decades in the public eye, Combs established himself as a multihyphenate cultural force, building an empire that toppled amid allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct. 

Combs founded the Bad Boy Records label in 1993 and cultivated the talents of Mary J. Blige, Usher and the Notorious B.I.G. He was their producer and one-man hype machine. In the recording studio, Combs blended rap lyrics with catchy R&B samples, creating a new template for a generation of artists. 

While the defense is asking for a sentence of 14 months, essentially time served, prosecutors have requested that the judge sentence him to 135 months in prison, or approximately 11 years and three months.

The probation department is recommending seven years, three months.

Prosecutors plan on reading letters, some of which were submitted in a filing earlier this week, including those from Combs’ former longtime girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, her parents, Combs' former assistant, and stylist Deonte Nash. Just days ago, Nash filed a lawsuit against Combs, citing years of mental and physical abuse.

Prosecutors want Diddy sentenced to 11 years, while defense asks for 14 months

01:06

Combs has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his arrest in September 2024. Judge Subramanian denied Combs’ efforts to be released on bail, saying in part that he "fails to satisfy his burden to demonstrate an entitlement to release."

Subramanian said Combs had not shown that he did not pose a flight risk or a danger, or demonstrated an “exceptional circumstance” that would justify sending him home.

Line sitters from Same Ole Line Dudes, LLC wait outside court for Diddy sentencing in New York this morning. Samantha Cookinham / NBC News

Dozens of people who were paid to hold spots in line for the main courtroom, where Combs will be sentenced, are starting to leave as court reporters and members of the public arrive in taxis and Ubers ahead of the 10 a.m. ET sentencing.

According to the line sitter company, Same Ole Line Dudes, LLC, people started lining up at 9 a.m. yesterday. Most of them braved the declining New York City temperatures, sleeping on the street in tents and sleeping bags.

In a letter yesterday to U.S. District Court Judge Arun Subramanian, Combs apologized for the pain he’d caused and wrote, “I lost my way.”

"I lost my way. I got lost in my journey. Lost in the drugs and the excess. My downfall was rooted in my selfishness," Combs wrote in the letter filed in court.

Combs asked for mercy, and he wrote that he takes full responsibility for his actions.

"I am so sorry for the hurt that I caused, but I understand that the mere words ‘I’m sorry’ will never be good enough as these words alone cannot erase the pain from the past," Combs wrote.

Read the full story here

U.S. government prosecutors accused Sean Combs of orchestrating a decade-spanning “criminal enterprise” and forcing women to participate in marathon, drug-dazed sexual encounters with male escorts known as “freak offs.”

He “abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct,” prosecutors for the Southern District of New York wrote in the indictment. 

Combs pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations against him.

In the end, the jury of 12 everyday New Yorkers delivered a mixed verdict. Combs was acquitted on two charges that each carried a maximum sentence of life in prison: racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.

But they found him guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. The prostitution charges are otherwise known as the Mann Act, a federal law passed in 1910 that makes it illegal to move people across state lines for “immoral purposes.”

Allegations against Combs first surfaced to the public in November 2023, when his former girlfriend filed a lawsuit accusing him of physical, emotional and sexual abuse.

Casandra Ventura, also known as Cassie, alleged that Combs raped her, beat her in fits of “uncontrollable rage” and exerted a “tight hold over her life” between 2007 and 2018. She alleged that he would force her to engage in freak offs with other men, often sex workers whom he’d pay to travel with them, while he watched.

Combs denied the claims, and the suit was settled the following day between the two parties.

But Ventura's lawsuit opened the floodgates. Combs is now facing dozens of lawsuits, many of which accuse him of sexual misconduct.

In March 2024, federal agents executed raids on Combs' properties in New York, Los Angeles and Miami. The Southern District of New York issued the warrant, four law enforcement sources told NBC News at the time.

Combs wouldn't face charges until September 2024, when he was indicted by a grand jury and arrested in New York. He has been in federal detention since his arrest Sept. 16, 2024.

His trial began May 12 and continued until the closing arguments by attorneys June 26. Jurors spent 13 hours deliberating across three days.

Combs was acquitted on two counts of sex trafficking and one count of racketeering, but found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

Anticipation is high, and tension will fill the 26th-floor courtroom of the U.S. District Court in Manhattan as Combs enters to learn his fate and how much more time he could end up spending in prison. The sentencing hearing could last up to four hours and may include testimonials from family members, victims, attorneys, and a video produced by the defense. 

For Combs, a longtime music producing mogul who ran his empire with an iron fist, judgment day is nigh. Combs, who did not speak during the trial, is expected to address the court for what is called an allocution, a chance to express remorse and beg for mercy. 

Last night, Combs apologized and expressed "how sincerely sorry I am for all of the hurt and pain that I have caused" in a letter to U.S. District Court Judge Arun Subramanian.