New York, October 4, 2025 — Hip-hop legend and business mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced on Friday to just over four years in prison (50 months) after being convicted on prostitution-related charges involving his two former girlfriends.
The 55-year-old music icon, known for shaping the hip-hop industry through his record label Bad Boy Records, faced a highly emotional court session that saw tears, apologies, and sharp exchanges between prosecutors and the defense team.
Judge Says Sentence Sends a Message
Before announcing the sentence, Judge Arun Subramanian said a significant penalty was necessary “to send a message” and deter similar crimes. The judge noted that Combs’ fame and wealth made his crimes particularly harmful.
“This was subjugation,” Judge Subramanian said. “You abused them physically, emotionally, and psychologically. Both women will carry that trauma for life.”
Combs, who has already spent 13 months in a New York jail, will receive credit for that time. He was also ordered to pay a $500,000 fine.
Combs’ Apology in Court
In a trembling voice, Combs addressed the courtroom — his first public words since the trial began nearly two months ago.
“My actions were disgusting, shameful, and sick,” he said. “I got lost in excess, I got lost in my ego.”
He apologized to his victims, Casandra Ventura (known publicly as Cassie) and another woman identified only as “Jane.” Combs also turned to his children seated behind him.
“I’m so sorry. They deserved better,” he said. “I ask your honour for mercy. I beg your honour for mercy. I don’t have nobody to blame but myself.”
Emotional Testimonies from His Children
Several of Combs’ seven children spoke on his behalf, many in tears.
His son Quincy Brown described his father as “a changed man” who has “evolved, something we haven’t seen in 15 years.”
His daughter Delila Combs, 18, pleaded: “We can’t watch our baby sister grow up fatherless the same way we grew up motherless… Please give our family the chance to heal.”
Judge Subramanian thanked them for speaking, saying their words helped him understand the impact of the case.
Prosecutors Push for Harsher Sentence
Prosecutors accused Combs of using his fame and fortune to control, manipulate, and abuse women, describing his actions as part of a larger pattern of exploitation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik said Combs used “freak-offs” — encounters where he paid male escorts to have sex with his girlfriends while he watched and filmed — as part of his abuse.
“He didn’t need the money, his currency was control,” Slavik said. “A lighter sentence would let him get away with years of domestic violence and abuse.”
Prosecutors initially sought 11 years in prison, citing his long history of alleged domestic abuse.
Defence Argues Combs Has Changed
Combs’ attorneys, led by Jason Driscoll and Nicole Westmoreland, had argued for a 14-month sentence, saying he had turned his life around in jail.
“Mr. Combs personally inspired me,” Westmoreland said tearfully, describing him as a mentor to black entrepreneurs and artists.
Driscoll claimed Combs was not a pimp, arguing the charges did not fit because he did not make money from the offenses. The conviction fell under the Mann Act, a 1910 law that criminalizes transporting women for prostitution or “immoral purposes.”
The Trial and the Verdict
During the two-month federal trial, prosecutors accused Combs of running a criminal enterprise that sexually exploited his ex-girlfriends.
He was found not guilty in July on the most serious counts — racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking — but convicted on two charges of transporting women for prostitution.
Throughout the trial, witnesses described physical abuse, manipulation, and intimidation. The court was shown graphic photos of injuries suffered by the women.
Judge Rejects Claims of Consent
Before finalizing the sentence, Judge Subramanian said he reviewed a 15-minute video presented by the defense showing Combs’ achievements, charitable work, and community involvement.
But he ultimately rejected the defense’s portrayal of the relationships as consensual.
“You had the money and the power to keep it going,” the judge said. “This was not love. This was control.”
After the sentencing, Combs’ lawyer Marc Agnifilo told reporters the legal team plans to appeal the decision, insisting the case was “overcharged and unfair.”
Meanwhile, prosecutors said the ruling marked a victory for victims of abuse. “Today is about accountability and justice,” Slavik said.
Combs will remain in federal custody as he begins serving his sentence. He is expected to spend about three more years behind bars, considering time already served.
Once a global icon of hip-hop and entrepreneurship, Sean “Diddy” Combs now faces a very different stage — one inside a prison cell.
