Diddy’s lawyers call verdict an ‘enormous victory and win,’ claim disgraced mogul ‘will be able to sleep at night’: Recap
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By MELISSA KOENIG and GERMANIA RODRIGUEZ POLEO, CHIEF U.S. REPORTER and EMMA RICHTER and DANA KENNEDY FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and DANIEL BATES AT THE DANIEL PATRICK MOYNIHAN FEDERAL COURTHOUSE IN NYC FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
Lawyers representing Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs declared the verdict in the disgraced music mogul’s trial an ‘enormous victory and win.’
The 55-year-old hip hop artist was found not guilty of sex-trafficking and racketeering on Wednesday, but was convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
He will now remain in custody until his sentencing, which is tentatively scheduled for October 3.
But after Diddy returned to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, his attorney said he ‘will sleep well at night.’
‘He was acquitted of sex trafficking, acquitted of RICO conspiracy and he will sleep well at night knowing that,’ attorney Anna Estavao told reporters outside the Manhattan federal courthouse.
Diddy was convicted of the two counts under the federal Mann Act for transporting people, including his girlfriends and paid male sex workers, to engage in prostitution.
Each count of the felony crime carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison, but if he had been convicted on the top charge – racketeering conspiracy – he could have been sentenced to life in prison.
Below, DailyMail.com shares all of the important updates from Diddy’s conviction.
Lawyers declare verdict is an ‘enormous victory and win’ and say Diddy will ‘sleep well’ tonight
Anna Estavao, one of the lawyers on Diddy’s defense team, declared the verdict an ‘enormous victory and win.’
‘This is a reminder to everyone I hope of the flaws in the criminal justice system and for everybody to take a second look when the government charges people with crimes,’ she told reporters outside of the Manhattan courthouse.
‘This is a huge win,’ she continued. ‘He was acquitted of sex trafficking, acquitted of RICO conspiracy and he will sleep well at night knowing that.’
Diddy’s lawyers celebrate their ‘enormous victory and win’
Breaking:Diddy is DENIED bail
Diddy has been denied a $1million bond request.
Judge Arun Subramanian said Diddy showed disregard for the law after his homes were raided as part of the federal investigation.
Subramanian cited Jane’s testimony that she was assaulted by the mogul in June 2024 to drive home his point. The judge also said Diddy’s ‘violence was depicted in the video’ of the assault on Cassie in 2016.
He said prosecutor’s were right to note that detention is ‘mandatory’ for a Mann Act conviction and added that the limited exception to mandatory detention was not met.
‘For present purposes, the defendant is unable to meet his burden’ to show by clear and convincing evidence a ‘lack of danger to any person or the community,’ Subramanian said.
‘Prior to the trial, the court denied bail, and sees noreason to reverse that now,’ the judge concluded.
Diddy was convicted of prostitution-related offenses but acquitted Wednesday of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have put one of hip-hop’s most celebrated figures behind bars for life.
His lawyers had cited his need to take care of his six children and his elderly mother as reasons for his release on bond.
Prosecutors said he remained a flight risk. They cited a letter from the lawyer for Diddy’s main accuser, Cassie Ventura, pleading for the judge to not release the music mogul.
All the explosive testimony from inside Diddy courtroom on Daily Mail’s podcast The Trial
To hear all the explosive testimony from singer Cassie Ventura and the other witnesses in Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs’ trial, tune in to Daily Mail’s hit podcast The Trial.
From sworn testimony to video evidence and the rapper’s every subtle move, our team of journalists take you inside the courtroom of the world’s biggest celebrity case.
Daily Mail has been following Diddy’s downfall from the very beginning. Join us as we hear from experts involved in the case, and members of the rapper’s inside circle.
All the explosive testimony from inside Diddy courtroom
From sworn testimony to video evidence and the rapper’s every subtle move, our team of journalists take you inside the courtroom of the world’s biggest celebrity case.
06:39
‘Dangerous’ Diddy sent back to prison
Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs has been sent back to jail to await sentencing after a dramatic verdict day that saw him cleared of the most serious charges he faced – but found undeniably guilty of others.
Combs, 55, had pleaded for mercy and freedom, telling the judge he should be allowed back to Florida to look after his ailing mother.
‘Dangerous’ Diddy is sent back to jail to await sentencing
Diddy has not been seen in public since September 2024, when he was arrested on suspicion of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.
06:05
Job not yet done, lawyers say
Lawyers representing Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs vowed to keep fighting following the bail hearing.
‘The job is not yet done,’ Xavier Donaldson declared at a news conference.
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo also said, ‘We are not nearly done fighting. We are just getting started.
‘Today was a major, major step in the right direction,’ he said, but added: ‘We’re not gonna stop until he walks out of prison a free man to his family.’
06:00
Lawyer asserts Combs did not sexually assault anyone
Defense attorney Teny Geragos re-asserted on Wednesday night that ‘Sean Combs has not sexually assaulted anybody.
‘I’ve been saying that for months,’ she argued. ‘The media got it wrong.’
05:38
Diddy tells children to ‘stay in the light’
When Diddy’s family learned their reunion would be delayed because the rapper has to remain behind bars until his sentencing, he offered some words of encouragement.
‘Stay in the light, I’ll see you all when I get out,’ he said, and blew them a kiss.
Combs then turned his attention to his mother, Janice, saying: ‘Mama, I love you. Stay strong.’
05:32
Diddy’s defense says it was a ‘great day’
Following the bail hearing, defense attorney Marc Agnifilo declared: ‘Today was a great day.’
‘He gets his life back,’ the lawyer said of the rapper, whose family was standing nearby.
‘You can live your life and you can live a good life.’
05:29
Cassie Ventura ‘at peace’ with verdict
Cassie Ventura is ‘at peace’ with the verdict, despite expecting Combs to be convicted on the sex trafficking count involving her.
In an interview with ABC News, Ventura’s attorney, Douglas Wigdor, said the sex trafficking charge was the ‘most important count to her.
‘I think that obviously she would be a lot happier if the jury had convicted on that,’ he said. ‘But she’s at peace with the verdict. She is moving ahead with her beautiful family and her husband.’
The attorney added that he will now speak to his client about giving a victim impact statement at Diddy’s sentencing.
‘I wouldn’t be surprised if she makes the decision to do that, because it’s important,’ Wigdor said.
05:24
Diddy’s sons celebrate outside courthouse
Diddy’s sons Christian ‘King’ Combs and Justin Dior Combs were seen celebrating their father’s verdict outside the Manhattan courthouse on Wednesday.
The two boys were seen embracing and doing celebratory push ups.
‘I’m so happy again, my father’s coming home,’ King said prior to the bail hearing, in which Diddy’s $1million bail request was denied.
‘God bless. God bless the whole world.’
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05:20
Court adjourns with Combs sent back to prison
The hearing has officially ended, with Combs sent back to prison.
His defense attorneys and prosecutors are now set to meet for a remote conference on Tuesday to discuss a proposal to move up the sentencing date, which is tentatively scheduled for October 3.
05:14
Judge reaffirms bail ruling
After hearing arguments from both defense attorneys and prosecutors, US District Judge Arun Subramanian reaffirmed his ruling that Combs will not be allowed bail.
‘The application for bail is denied for the reasons I said,’ he told the court.
05:11
Prosecutors hit out at Combs
Maurene Comey, a prosecutor, argued that the law states that someone who is convicted of the Mann Act should be detained, and argued that the only thing exceptional about Diddy are ‘his wealth, his violence and his brazenness.’
‘There is nothing exceptional about this case except for his continued criminality,’ she argued.
04:55
Diddy requests meeting with judge
Diddy has requested a meeting with Judge Arun Subramanian after he denied the rapper’s bail and ordered him held until his sentencing.
‘Mr. Combs wants to talk to you,’ Combs’ defense attorney Marc Agnifilo told the judge.
04:53
Defense continues to plea for release – but is quickly shut down
Defense attorneys are begging Judge Arun Subramanian to reconsider his decision to hold Diddy without bail.
‘He is a man who’s in the process of working on himself,’ said attorney Marc Agnifilo of his client, calling Combs a ‘model prisoner’ and saying, ‘I just think we should trust him. He’s not going to flee.’
But the judge then acknowledged that the defense admitted that Combs has a history of violence.
‘You full-throatedly in your closing argument told the jury that there was violence here,’ he noted.
04:41
Diddy’s mood turns as he learns he won’t be released on bond
Diddy’s smiles lessened on Wednesday after he learned he will remain in jail as he awaits sentencing.
The mogul sat withhis hands on his lap, looking down, as his lawyers argued for a lower sentence.
