Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced to over four years in prison on Friday by Judge Arun Subramanian following the rap mogul’s July conviction on federal prostitution charges.
Prior to the sentence being read, Judge Subramanian stated in part: “A history of good works can’t wash away the record in this case. You abused these women. You used that abuse to get your way, freak-offs and hotel nights. The evidence of the abuse is massive. I was sitting right here, during the testimony … 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.”
After reading the sentence, the judge thanked the woman “who came forward: Ms. Ventura and Jane, you’ve been through trauma we can’t imagine.”
“As Doctor King taught us, out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope. Mr. Combs, your mom writes that you have always been a good son. The same power that enabled you to hurt these women, you could use to help,” Judge Subramanian concluded, adding that a $500,000 fine would be imposed as well. “Adjourned.”
In a lengthy statement before the sentencing, Combs said in part: “I hate myself right now. I’ve been stripped down to nothing. I want to apologize to my seven children — I’m so sorry. You deserve better. … I’m not a bad person. I’m sorry to my community; I let y’all down. People can change; I know I’ve changed.”
“I beg your Honor for mercy, to be a father again, to be a son again,” he added.
The sentencing comes after the convicted rap mogul wrote a letter to the judge begging for leniency ahead of his sentencing on Friday. In the four-page letter, Diddy blamed his behavior on drug addiction and apologized “for all of the hurt and pain that I have caused.”
“I lost my way,” he wrote in part. “My downfall was rooted in my selfishness. I have been humbled and broken to my core.”
Combs was found guilty of two prostitution charges in July and was facing up to 20 years in prison. He was acquitted of the more serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering.
Prosecutors wanted to see the rapper behind bars for at least 11 years, but Combs’ lawyers petitioned for him to be released later this month. Prosecutors called Diddy “unrepentant.”
“The defendant tries to recast decades of abuse as simply the function of mutually toxic relationships,” prosecutors wrote in a September filing. “But there is nothing mutual about a relationship where one person holds all the power and the other ends up bloodied and bruised.”
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The federal investigation into Combs gained national attention earlier this year when raids on his Los Angeles and Miami properties yielded large amounts of electronic devices, reportedly containing potential evidence connected to the charges. Prosecutors alleged that Combs orchestrated a network of parties and events where women were trafficked and abused. Meanwhile, the rapper claimed that his sexual exploits were unorthodox but fully consensual.
Beyond the courtroom, the fallout has already impacted Combs’ vast business empire. This has led to speculation about whether his music legacy can survive the scandal.
Many critics were furious that Combs was acquitted of the more serious charges.
After the verdict was delivered, Combs appeared to celebrate the jury’s decision that acquitted him on several of the charges. He raised his hands in a prayer motion and then hugged one of his defense attorneys, Teny Geragos.
His lawyer also said Diddy received a standing ovation from fellow inmates following the conclusion of the trial.
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