Oct. 3 sentencing date set for Sean 'Diddy' Combs for conviction on prostitution-related crime

An Oct. 3 sentencing date has been set for Sean "Diddy" Combs after his conviction last week on prostitution-related charges.

Defense attorneys and prosecutors had a brief conference call Tuesday after Combs' team asked the hearing be advanced as quickly as possible.

Both sides initially agreed on a Sept. 22 date, but pushed it back to early October.
Under the current schedule, the crucial presentence report, which makes recommendations on sentencing, will be due from the Probation Office by Aug. 29.

This gives defense lawyers until Sept. 5 and prosecutors until Sept. 12 to raise objections, according to a joint letter. After any amendments are made to the report, prosecutors will have until Sept. 26 to tell the judge how much prison time they believe Combs deserves for his conviction on transporting people across state lines for the purpose of prostitution.

A Manhattan federal jury acquitted the Bad Boy Records founder of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, finding the U.S. Attorney’s office failed to prove that he had coerced two of his former girlfriends to participate in drug-fueled, marathon sex sessions — dubbed "freak-offs."

Combs compelled the women to have sex with male escorts, who were often flown across the country and internationally, according to prosecutors. Personal assistants told the court how they would set up hotel suites for the sex binges and security staff helped to keep the women in check when inevitably, they became disenchanted with their role as Combs’ sex object.

Prosecutors had argued the hip-hop entrepreneur used his business empire as a criminal enterprise to further criminal sexual behavior.

Nearly three dozen witnesses testified over seven weeks of the trial, painting Combs as a volatile, demanding boss and a controlling, manipulative and sometimes violent lover.

His conviction exposes him to a maximum of 10 years in prison; however, federal guidelines may whittle the time down to a maximum of 5 years and 3 months, according to prosecutors.

The U.S. attorney's office requested permission to submit a summary of "offense conduct" that would likely work against Combs at sentencing. Though he was acquitted of the worst offenses, defense lawyers admitted his drug use, domestic violence and other crimes.

Prosecutors repeatedly played a 2016 surveillance video from the InterContinental Hotel hallway showing Combs, dressed only in a towel and socks, pulling his former partner of 11 years, Casandra Ventura, to the floor and then kicking her repeatedly before attempting to drag her back to his suite.

Hotel security staffers testified that Combs security personnel and his chief of staff went into high gear to squelch the episode, ultimately paying $100,000 for a copy of the video to prevent it from going public.

Ventura, a former pop singer who performed under the name Cassie, sued Combs, who also created the Sean John fashion label and built a multimillion tequila and vodka company, for sex trafficking and sexual assault in 2023, prompting a federal investigation.

Combs settled the suit with Ventura within days for $20 million. She also settled with the InterContinental Hotel for another $10 million.

During that trial, however, Ventura admitted being a willing participant in the sex marathons, sometimes choosing the male escorts and paying them with her own money. In addition to Ventura, a former girlfriend of Combs who testified under the pseudonym Jane to protect her identity as a sex crime victim said she initially enjoyed the sex sessions, but soon discovered it was the focal point of the relationship.

"That night really opened a Pandora’s box for our relationship," Jane said during the trial. "It set the tone for our relationship going forward. ... It was a door that I was unable to shut."

Both women testified they had transported cocaine, ecstasy, mushrooms, ketamine and other drugs across state lines for freak-offs.

The jury also heard from a former assistant who said she was raped and sexually assaulted by Combs, but nonetheless continued to work for him.

Prosecutors presented ample evidence — witness testimony, text messages, airfare and hotel receipts — that men were shuttled across the country to participate in Combs’ sex romps.

However, the jury had to vote that he had committed two other crimes, such as bribery, drug distribution and forced labor, to be convicted on racketeering conspiracy.

After two and a half days, they acquitted Combs of the most serious crimes, allowing him to dodge a possible life sentence, and convicted him of the crime of transporting people across state lines for the purpose of prostitution.