USA v. Combs has finally come to an end.
The federal government's case against Sean "Diddy" Combs reached its conclusion on Friday (October 3) with a day-long sentencing hearing that culminated with the mogul being sentenced to 50 months in federal prison and a $500,000 fine.
Combs was in Manhattan federal court to be sentenced for two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, related to his now infamous "freak offs" or "hotel nights" — drug-fueled, hours- or days-long sexual encounters involving a girlfriend and male escorts that Combs would arrange, orchestrate, pay for, and often record. He was facing a maximum of twenty years in prison.
Diddy had been convicted following an eight-week trial earlier this summer, in which he was acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking charges.
Complex was there for all of Friday's sentencing.
The courtroom and overflow rooms were packed with Combs family and supporters, as well as press and curious observers. Diddy's mother Janice, six of his children, his sister Keisha, and producer Dallas Austin were among those on hand to watch (and, in the case of his children, participate in) the proceedings.
Diddy, dressed in a tan sweater and dark slacks, spent much of the proceedings as he spent the trial: whispering and passing notes to his attorneys, primarily Brian Steel and Nicole Westmoreland. But there were moments he was tearful, especially during scenes featuring the late Kim Porter, the mother of four of his children, in the 11-minute video his team showed to the court.
A surprise to start the day
The day began with a surprise. A former employee of Diddy's who testified pseudonymously during the trial as "Mia," was supposed to give a victim impact statement.
However, lead prosecutor Christy Slavik said that the woman had changed her mind, and one factor was a harsh letter objecting to her statement by Diddy's attorneys Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos. The letter, whose tone the judge pointedly called "inappropriate," said that "everything that came out her mouth" during her testimony "was a lie." While Judge Arun Subramanian ultimately okayed Mia's appearance the day before the hearing, Slavik said she backed out "at least in part" due to the letter.
Slavik pointed out that Combs' team objected to Mia's statement, but wanted to bring on numerous people to speak about Combs' character.
"There is some level of irony" in that, Slavik said. "The defense is trying to drown out the voices of victims for character witnesses."
Guidelines
Judge Subramanian spent the early part of the hearing deciding on the federal sentencing guideline range — the sentence that is recommended for Combs by law, though he would be within his rights to ignore it. That guideline range was the subject of much contention leading up to the hearing, which we went through in detail here.
Ultimately, the judge sided with the Probation Department rather than the defense or prosecution, and set the guideline range between 70-87 months. To get there, he had to determine, among other things, that Combs used coercion in the process of committing the crimes he was convicted of; and that he was the organizer or leader of an "extensive" criminal scheme.
"This isn't just about freak offs"
After that, Slavik gave a speech. In it, she talked about the victims in the case, Cassie Ventura and Jane Doe.
"This isn't just a case about freak offs and hotel nights," she said. "It's a case about real victims. [V]ictims whose lives have been shattered by the defendant's abuse and exploitation."
Slavik pointed out despite facing sentencing, Combs had booked speaking engagements in Florida for next week.
"That is the height of hubris," she said, arguing that it meant he was not accepting responsibility or acknowledging the gravity of his conduct.
Slavik, in a position Judge Subramanian ultimately backed up at the end of the hearing, stood starkly against the defense's contention that the "freak offs" were choices made by consensual choices made by adults. She recounted the abuse testified about during the freak offs and said, "There's nothing mutual about that."
"Mr. Combs showed the world that social justice is important"
After that, Combs' attorneys spoke. Jason Driscoll began, arguing that a long sentence in this case would create a disparity with comparable Mann Act cases. His primary argument was that long sentences in Mann Act cases were largely reserved for pimps, which Combs was not because he didn't make any money.
Following Driscoll, an emotional Nicole Westmoreland took a turn. Crying almost throughout, she described hearing Diddy speak at a conference eight years ago, and how he inspired her to follow her dreams.
She spoke about his success in music, fashion, media, spirits, and activism, and how he used that success to give other people opportunities.
Her mention of Combs' former TV network Revolt in particular got the attorney extremely emotional.
"It gave Black journalists the opportunity to have a voice," she said of the network. "Mr. Combs showed the world that social justice is important.... He has dedicated so much of his life to breaking the the chains of systemic racism."
The children speak
Following Westmoreland, six of Combs' children — Quincy, Justin, Christian, Chance, and twins Jessie and D'Lila — jointly spoke to Judge Subramanian. The common themes were their father's transformation upon getting clean from drugs while in jail; and how much they need him in their lives.
Jessie and D'Lila in particular were extremely emotional. Jessie recounted Diddy comforting her and her sister when their mother, Kim Porter, died unexpectedly in 2018.
D'Lila spoke of the only sibling not at the podium: their sister Love, who is just shy of three years old.
"We cannot watch our baby sister grow up fatherless the same way we grew up motherless," she said. "We've already lost so much."
24 years of addiction
After a viewing of the aforementioned video, Brian Steel spoke. After calling Combs "a fighter for civil rights and equality," he turned to talking about his client's drug issues.
Steel said that Combs got addicted to painkillers following an operation in 2000. From that point until the fall of 2024, Steel said, "Sean was high every single day."
Steel asked the judge not to punish what he charactered as trauma and drug addiction with imprisonment, and instead get to "the root of the problem" with therapy and counseling.
"He is completely broken," Steel said of his client. "He has punished himself more than anyone will be able to punish him."
Steel also spent a large amount of time reading excerpts of Cassie's testimony, arguing that the freak offs she participated in were consensual.
Character witnesses
Two people spoke about Combs' character and his plans once released — in particular, his wish to continue the "Free Game With Diddy" business class that he gave to his fellow inmates. In addition, attorney Xavier Donaldson discussed the potential "collateral consequences" if Combs were to be imprisoned further.
The lead attorney speaks
The last of Combs' lawyers to speak was Marc Agnifilo. He admitted that asking for a 14-month sentence — effectively time served — was "a lot," and set out to explain why he was doing it.
"It's clear that Sean Combs has genuine psychological challenges," he began, citing diagnoses Diddy had received of PTSD, major depressive disorder, and major anxiety disorder; as well as his "overwhelming" drug use.
Agnifilo argued that his client had already been punished "in one of the most public ways that I can think of."
"Everybody knows what happened to Sean Combs," he continued. "And what happened to Sean Combs is just immensely destructive in every way."
He reiterated Steel's call to get to "the root problem" — Combs' mental health.
A rebuttal
Christy Slavik then had her chance to answer the five attorneys.
She started by hearkening back to the defense's denial that Combs was a pimp.
"Really, what are pimps?" she asked. "Pimps exploit and control their victims. That's what the defendant did here."
She also poked at Combs' slickly-produced video, contrasting it to the now-infamous video of the mogul beating Cassie at the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles.
"The production quality of the Intercontinental video is obviously much different from the video that the defense played," she said. "It's pixilated. The picture sometimes jumps. There is no musical overlay. But it shows the defendant for who he is when he doesn't realize that the cameras are rolling."
She called Combs a "master manipulator," and said that "you can't trust his words," pointing out that he had already apologized and promised to change in a spring 2024 Instagram post shortly after that video became public.
"But for months after that, for months after he claimed to be a changed man, he continued committing crimes," she said. "He continued violating the Mann Act. He viciously assaulted Jane. He had drugs in his hotel room when he was arrested. He was not a changed man then, and, despite what he says now, he's not a changed man now."
Diddy speaks
After that, it was Combs' turn to talk.
He spent much of his speech apologizing for the "disgusting, despicable" conduct shown in the Intercontinental video, which he said happened because he was "sick from the drugs" and "got lost in excess."
"I've been humbled and broken to my core," he said. "I hate myself right now."
He apologized to his children and, voice breaking, to his mother Janice.
"Mommy, I failed you as a son," he said. "I'm sorry."
The sentence
Then it was time for Subramanian to issue his sentence.
Almost immediately, he made clear that, in his view, Combs had indeed coerced Cassie and Jane into participating in the freak offs.
"The Court rejects the defense's attempt to characterize what happened here as merely intimate, consensual experiences, or just a sex, drugs, and rock and roll story," he said. "The evidence of the abuse in connection with freak-offs and hotel nights is massive.
"This was subjugation, and it drove both Ms. Ventura and Jane to thoughts of ending their lives. That is the reality of what happened."
The judge also came back to the image of Combs as a john.
"You were no john. You were more than that," he said. "Even if your currency was satisfying your sexual desires, instead of money. But the coercion was the same, if not worse."
At that point, the judge announced the 50-month sentence — far less than the defense wanted, and 10 months less than the Probation Department recommended.
It was short enough, the judge told Combs, that "you will have a life afterwards."
Subramanian got the final word after some final legal business. He spoke first to Cassie and Jane.
"Ms. Ventura and Jane, you've been through abuse and trauma that most of us can't imagine," he said. "To Ms. Ventura and the other brave survivors who came forward, I want to say first, we heard you.
"I can only say that I know your families are proud of you, and your children, when they are old enough, will be proud of you. And I am proud of you for coming to the Court to tell the world what really happened."
He told Combs, "Your violence, coercion, and abuse had devastating effects." But, he continued, "You and your family are going to get through this."
The judge addressed Diddy directly with his final words: "I'm counting on you to make the most of your second chance."