Hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced Friday (October 3, 2025) to 50 months in federal prison following his conviction on prostitution-related charges stemming from a high-profile sex-trafficking investigation. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, brings a decisive conclusion to a case that has captivated public attention for over a year.
Combs, who has already spent 12 months at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, will receive credit for time served. Additionally, the 55-year-old music executive faces five years of supervised release following his prison term.
The sentencing comes after a jury found Combs guilty in July on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, violations of the federal Mann Act. However, jurors acquitted Combs on one count of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion — denying prosecutors a verdict that could have sent him to prison for the rest of his life.
During the emotional hearing, Combs tearfully addressed the court and apologized to victims, his children and other domestic violence survivors. The music mogul specifically apologized to his former girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura, acknowledging the harm he caused her both emotionally and physically.
Judge Subramanian said a substantial sentence was required “to send a message to abusers and victims alike that exploitation and violence against women is met with real accountability”. While acknowledging Combs’s business accomplishments and cultural impact, the judge emphasized that past achievements cannot erase the criminal conduct.
Federal prosecutors had pushed for a considerably harsher sentence. The feds filed their sentencing recommendation requesting 11 years and three months in federal prison for Combs and “a hefty fine”. Meanwhile, defense attorneys argued their client deserved no more than 14 months, contending the punishment should reflect only the charges for which he was convicted.
The case centered on allegations that Combs orchestrated elaborate sexual encounters, dubbed “freak-offs,” involving his girlfriends and male escorts transported across state lines. Prosecutors characterized it as “a case about a man who did horrible things to real people to satisfy his own sexual gratification,” with prosecutor Christy Slavik adding, “He didn’t need the money. His currency was control”.
Before his sentence was handed down, Combs told the judge, “One of the hardest things I’ve had to handle is having to be quiet, not being able to express how sorry I am for my actions”. The rapper expressed remorse for a 2016 security video showing him physically assaulting Ventura in a hotel hallway, calling it “disgusting” and “despicable.”
The conviction marks a dramatic fall for the music industry titan who built an empire through Bad Boy Records and helped transform hip-hop into mainstream popular culture. Throughout the proceedings, Combs maintained his innocence on the more serious charges while acknowledging problematic behavior in his personal relationships.
With time served factored in, Combs will serve approximately three additional years before his release.
