Sean 'Diddy' Combs sentenced to 4 years in prison over prostitution case

Sean 'Diddy' Combs was sentenced to just over four years in prison on Friday, bringing a dramatic turn in the career of one of hip-hop’s most influential figures.

The 55-year-old music mogul stood silently in a Manhattan courtroom as US District Judge Arun Subramanian delivered the 50-month prison term, capping a day-long hearing that drew intense attention.

The judge rebuked Combs for what he called years of abuse and exploitation of two former girlfriends, saying the conduct went far beyond the charges he was convicted of. 

For Combs, whose name has been synonymous with music, fashion, and nightlife for decades, the sentencing marks a stunning downfall. Once celebrated as a trailblazer who built an empire beyond hip-hop, he now faces the reality of years behind bars.

He could be released in less than three years after receiving credit for the time he has already spent locked up at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his September 16, 2024 arrest.

Combs had faced a maximum possible sentence of 20 years behind bars over his conviction in July on two counts of arranging for paid male escorts to travel across state lines to take part in drug-fueled sexual performances with Combs' girlfriends while he recorded video and masturbated.

The jury acquitted him on the more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking, which could have earned him a life sentence.

Those charges hinged on prosecutors' accusation that Combs used violence and threats to coerce two of his girlfriends — the rhythm and blues singer Casandra Ventura, and a woman known in court by the pseudonym Jane — to take part in the performances, sometimes known as "Freak Offs."