Payam Javan: Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has been sentenced to 50 months in prison and fined $500,000 after being convicted of transporting individuals across state lines for prostitution and other illegal sex acts. The 55-year-old appeared in federal court in New York City, where U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian delivered the ruling, citing both Combs’s successful career and his history of “erratic and violent behavior.” The judge stated that Combs’s charitable works could not erase the harm inflicted on the women he abused.

During an emotional hearing, Combs apologized directly to singer Cassie Ventura—his former longtime partner—and to all victims of domestic violence, calling his actions “disgusting, shameful, and sick.” His defense presented a short film portraying him as a businessman and father, and his legal team argued that trauma and self-punishment had already transformed him. However, prosecutors countered that Combs’s remorse was “qualified,” accusing him of portraying himself as a victim rather than accepting full responsibility.

The sentencing follows a July 2 conviction on two counts of violating the Mann Act, related to the transportation of two women—including Ventura and another identified as “Jane”—for illegal sexual activity. Both women testified about enduring years of abuse and coercion under Combs’s control. Prosecutors had initially sought more than 11 years in prison, emphasizing that the case was about “accountability and justice” for victims whose lives were shattered. Combs has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his arrest in September 2024.