Hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs will remain in federal custody after a New York judge denied his request for bail, following his conviction for transporting individuals for prostitution.
While a jury acquitted him of the more serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, he now faces up to 20 years in prison at sentencing, scheduled for October 3.
During the Wednesday court hearing, Judge Arun Subramanian cited Combs’ history of violence as the basis for denying bail, despite arguments from his legal team that he posed no flight risk.
Defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo told the court that Combs had voluntarily enrolled in a domestic violence rehabilitation program and had not exhibited violent behavior since 2018.
He insisted the rapper had shown efforts to reform and should be trusted.
However, the judge sided with prosecutors and cited a letter from Combs’ ex-girlfriend, singer Casandra Ventura, warning that he would pose a danger to victims if released.
“The defense conceded violence in his personal relationships,” Judge Subramanian noted, calling it a key reason for keeping him in custody.
The verdict came at the end of a high-profile, nearly two-month federal trial in which prosecutors accused Combs of using his celebrity and business empire to operate a criminal network that exploited women.
Although jurors cleared him of racketeering—a charge that could have brought a life sentence—they found him guilty of facilitating prostitution.
Over 30 witnesses testified for the prosecution, including Ventura, who was eight months pregnant when she took the stand.
She alleged that Combs coerced her into degrading sex acts and threatened to release recordings if she resisted. Prosecutors also presented 2016 hotel surveillance footage showing Combs physically assaulting Ventura—evidence that security personnel testified he tried to cover up.
Other witnesses included rapper Kid Cudi, hotel employees, and former staff members, some of whom described disturbing incidents known as “freak-offs,” where women were allegedly pressured into sexual acts with escorts under Combs’ direction.
While prosecutors pushed for conviction under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, arguing that Combs used his inner circle to commit crimes like trafficking and obstruction, the jury ultimately could not reach a consensus on that charge.
As the verdict was read, Combs became emotional, dropping to his knees and bowing his head in apparent prayer.
The rapper, who rose to fame in the 1990s after founding Bad Boy Records and launching a global fashion and media empire, still faces multiple civil lawsuits involving allegations of sexual assault and abuse.
Although he avoided the most severe penalties, Combs’ legal battles are far from over—and the conviction marks a major fall from grace for one of hip-hop’s most powerful figures.
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