By James Fanelli and Corinne Ramey
Sean "Diddy" Combs was found not guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking but convicted of less serious offenses in a setback for prosecutors who had targeted the music mogul in a sprawling case that alleged he ran a criminal enterprise for over two decades.
Combs, 55 years old, was accused by federal prosecutors of committing a litany of offenses as part of the alleged enterprise: kidnapping, bribery, sex crimes and subsequent coverups. While he was acquitted of the most serious charges against him, the jury convicted Combs on two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Combs was arrested in September, following a monthslong investigation and a series of lawsuits filed by women accusing him of sexual abuse. His trial kicked off in May in a federal courthouse in lower Manhattan, garnering worldwide attention and attracting throngs of journalists, social-media influencers and his supporters.
The trial gave the public a glimpse into Combs's glamorous lifestyle, one involving yachts, private jets and jaunts to the Caribbean. But witness testimony took many dark turns and depicted him as an exacting boss who demanded his staff cater to his every whim at all hours of the day. There were also occasional celebrity cameos, including one by Kanye West, a friend of Combs, who showed up one day to try to get a seat in the courtroom.
Prosecutors argued that Combs's high-ranking employees, including bodyguards, aided his criminal activity. Some of these employees who testified at trial were granted immunity to do so.
The prosecution's star witness, singer Cassie Ventura, told jurors that she had an on-again, off-again relationship with Combs for more than a decade. The relationship was complicated, she said, because she loved Combs and valued the time she was with him, including during drug-fueled sex parties dubbed "freak offs."
But as time went on, Ventura and other witnesses testified, Combs became violent, assaulting her in a hotel hallway and attempting to hit her on the head with a skillet. Prosecutors showed jurors photos of her bruises and other injuries. She said she stayed with him because of the power he exerted over her, including by threatening to release sex tapes, maintaining influence over her career and keeping tabs on her location.
Two other accusers, who testified under the pseudonyms Mia and Jane, recounted similar incidents of sex and violence. Mia, who worked as Combs's personal assistant, told jurors he had brainwashed her. "He was my authority figure, the only authority figure," she testified.
Other witnesses testified that they saw Combs commit criminal acts, including one personal assistant who said Combs kidnapped her at gunpoint and took her to break into the home of musician Kid Cudi, who had a relationship with Ventura.
Combs's lawyers declined to call any witnesses, and the hip-hop mogul didn't take the stand.
During cross-examination, his defense attorneys sought to portray the witnesses as inconsistent and unreliable. They argued that all sex was consensual, and showed jurors messages in which the accusers indicated they wanted to have sex with Combs.
In one BlackBerry message, Combs asked Ventura when she wanted to schedule a sex party. "I'm always ready to freak off," Ventura replied.
They also suggested some accusers were financially motivated. Ventura filed a 2023 civil lawsuit accusing Combs of rape and abuse, which she subsequently settled for $20 million.
Combs, a rapper who found more success as a producer, shepherded the careers of artists including the Notorious B.I.G. and Faith Evans. He spun his fame into a business empire selling alcohol, clothes and cologne. Annual U.S. sales of his fashion line, Sean John, grew to more than $400 million in 2006.
He released his fifth studio album, "The Love Album: Off the Grid," in 2023.
Write to James Fanelli at james.fanelli@wsj.com and Corinne Ramey at corinne.ramey@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
July 02, 2025 10:25 ET (14:25 GMT)
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