Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking charges on Wednesday but found guilty of a lesser offense transportation for the purpose of prostitution following a high-profile seven-week trial in New York.
After three days of deliberation totaling 13 hours, the jury made up of eight men and four women convicted the 55-year-old on two counts of transporting individuals for prostitution, each carrying a potential 10-year prison sentence.
Combs appeared visibly relieved as the verdict was read, thanking the jury and shaking hands with one of his attorneys. “Thank you,” he said to the jurors as they exited the courtroom.
Judge Arun Subramanian also addressed the jury, expressing gratitude for their commitment:
“You listened, you worked together, you were here every day—rain or shine,” he said. “You did so with no reward, other than the satisfaction that comes from serving the public.”
The verdict concludes a dramatic trial where prosecutors painted Combs as the head of a long-running criminal enterprise, accusing him of orchestrating offenses ranging from forced labor and drug trafficking to kidnapping, bribery, and arson.
For a racketeering conviction, jurors would have had to determine that a criminal organization existed and committed at least two qualifying offenses. Late Tuesday, the jury reported being deadlocked on that charge, prompting Judge Subramanian to instruct them to continue deliberations.
Combs, once considered one of the most influential figures in the global music scene, has consistently denied all allegations.
The trial featured emotional and often disturbing testimonies, as well as thousands of pages of evidence including phone records, financial documents, and video footage.
