Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced To Over 4 Years In Prison On Federal Prostitution Charges

Sean “Diddy” Combs has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison after being convicted in July on two counts of prostitution-related charges. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian handed down the sentence on Friday, along with a $500,000 fine, following a high-profile trial that included testimony from multiple women who accused Combs of abuse.

“A history of good works can’t wash away the record in this case,” Judge Subramanian said from the bench. “You abused these women. You used that abuse to get your way, freak-offs and hotel nights. The evidence of the abuse is massive. This was subjugation — that is the reality of what happened. These offenses irreparably harmed two women. You plied them with drugs. Why did it happen so long? You had the power and resources to keep it going.”

The judge went on to thank the women who came forward — including Cassie Ventura — before quoting Martin Luther King Jr., telling Combs he had the power to change.

In a lengthy statement before his sentencing, the rap mogul broke down in court, apologizing to his seven children and his community. “I hate myself right now. I’ve been stripped down to nothing. … I’m not a bad person. People can change; I know I’ve changed,” Combs said, begging the court for mercy.

Combs had faced up to 20 years behind bars after prosecutors accused him of running a network of sex-fueled parties that exploited women, though he was acquitted of the most serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. Prosecutors had pushed for at least 11 years, calling him “unrepentant.”

The trial gained national attention after federal raids on Combs’ Los Angeles and Miami homes yielded large amounts of electronic devices, reportedly containing evidence tied to the case. Prosecutors alleged Combs orchestrated a network of parties where women were abused, while the rapper claimed his sexual encounters were consensual but “unorthodox.”

The conviction and sentencing have already cast a shadow over Combs’ business empire and music legacy, with critics furious that he was acquitted on the heavier charges.