Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has been sentenced to just over four years jail time in relation to his conviction over the illegal transportation of two women to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors had been pushing for a jail term in excess of eleven years, but the judge ruled that such a draconian sentence was “not reasonable”.
Meanwhile the musician’s lawyers had argued their client should serve just fourteen months in jail. Given time already served, that would have meant Combs being released this year. So much so, he had already allegedly scheduled at least seven speaking arrangements, something dubbed the “height of hubris” by the prosecution ahead of his sentencing on Friday.
Prior to being sentenced, Combs admitted that his past behaviour towards women – who were forced to perform sexual acts during so called ‘freak offs’ – was “disgusting, shameful and sick”. He apologised to his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura and the other unnamed woman who testified against him during his criminal trial, and asked the judge to show “mercy” when sentencing him for his crimes.
But Judge Arun Subramanian told Combs that he had abused the two women “physically, emotionally and psychologically”. He added, “You had the money and the power to keep it going – this was subjugation”. He then said that his sentence of Combs should “send a message to abusers and victims alike that exploitation and violence against women is met with real accountability”.
Responding to the sentencing, attorneys from Wigdor LLP, which represented Ventura in the civil lawsuit that preceded the criminal case, said in a statement, “While nothing can undo the trauma caused by Combs, the sentence imposed today recognises the impact of the serious offences he committed”.
They then added, “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”.
Combs’ lawyers are already planning to appeal the musician’s conviction and sentencing. There were also previously reports that people linked to the musician had approached President Donald Trump about a possible pardon.
Although Combs was hoping for a more lenient sentence, the 50 months of prison time handed down on Friday is relatively low compared to the sentence he potentially faced when originally charged last year.
Prosecutors also accused Combs of racketeering and sex trafficking, alleging that he used his entertainment business to facilitate and cover up the sexual abuse of men and woman at a significant scale in multiple states across the US. He was acquitted on those charges. Had he been found guilty, he could well have spent the rest of his life in jail.
While appealing the lesser crimes of which he was convicted, Combs is also still fighting a plethora of civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault and other illegal conduct. And once released from jail, he may struggle to relaunch his music career and rebuild his business empire, given the revelations made during the trial and in any subsequent civil court hearings.
