A federal judge has denied Sean “Diddy” Combs’ attempt to throw out his conviction on prostitution-related charges or secure a new trial, leaving the disgraced music mogul facing a potentially lengthy prison term. The ruling, issued Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, followed a hearing last week where Combs’ legal team argued that his case was wrongly applied under the Mann Act and that his conduct was protected under the First Amendment.
Judge Subramanian rejected those arguments outright, ruling that the charges—two counts of transporting women across state lines for prostitution—fit within the scope of the century-old law, and that Combs’ claim to free speech protections as a producer and consumer of pornography did not shield him from criminal liability. Convicted in July, Combs now faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, though his sentencing is set for Friday.
The decision comes amid sharp disagreements over what punishment Combs should face. Federal prosecutors are urging the court to impose a sentence of more than 11 years, citing years of abuse against his girlfriends and employees. In a 161-page filing, prosecutors accused Combs of showing “no remorse” and attempting to shift blame onto his victims. “Time and again he has shown that he is concerned only with his own power and control. Only a significant term of imprisonment—meted out in a substantial number of years—can effectively deter him and show future victims that their abusers will be held accountable, no matter their wealth or fame,” prosecutors wrote. They are also seeking the maximum $500,000 fine permitted under the law.
By contrast, Combs’ lawyers have asked for a much lighter sentence—14 months, essentially time already served—arguing that his conduct does not warrant further prison time. They contend that evidence related to charges the jury rejected, including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking allegations, should not be considered at sentencing.
The U.S. probation department has recommended a middle ground, suggesting a sentence of five to seven years. But prosecutors have pressed the court to weigh Combs’ broader history of violence and manipulation, saying his coercion of victims was central to the crimes for which he was convicted.
Letters submitted to the court underscore the raw pain surrounding the case. Singer Cassie Ventura, Combs’ former girlfriend who testified under oath about years of abuse, urged Judge Subramanian not to show leniency. In her letter, Ventura described Combs as “the manipulator, the aggressor, the abuser, the trafficker” and said she did not believe he had changed. “He will always be the same cruel, power-hungry, manipulative man that he is,” she wrote, adding that she moved her family away from New York out of fear of retaliation.
Ventura’s parents, Regina and Rodrick Ventura, echoed that plea, calling their daughter’s 11 years with Combs a “horrific nightmare.” They warned the judge that a light sentence would “dismiss her very existence” and minimize the severity of the abuse. Other employees also submitted statements urging a substantial prison term, while one victim who testified under the pseudonym “Jane” chose not to write a letter.
The jury’s July verdict convicted Combs on the Mann Act counts but acquitted him of racketeering and sex trafficking charges related to so-called “Freak Offs” and “hotel nights”—drug-fueled gatherings where he allegedly forced girlfriends to have sex with male escorts. Prosecutors, however, say the emotional and physical toll of those events should still weigh heavily at sentencing. In a memo, they wrote: “Freak Offs and Hotel Nights left both victims scarred and caused them to question their own self-worth and desire to live. A sentence of at least 135 months’ imprisonment is necessary to reflect the defendant’s violence, threats, and other abuse that still impact the victims today.”
Combs has been held without bail since his arrest in September 2024. Judge Subramanian twice denied his release after conviction, citing a long history of violence and intimidation. Now, as Friday’s sentencing approaches, the music mogul who once stood atop the entertainment industry faces the likelihood of spending much of the next decade behind bars.
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