Embattled music mogul, Sean “Diddy” Combs may face more than 11 years in prison, as US federal prosecutors have urged a New York court to impose a lengthy sentence following his conviction on prostitution-related charges.
According to Reuters and ABC News, prosecutors in a memo filed on Tuesday asked for “at least 135 months’ imprisonment” along with a $500,000 fine.
US District Judge Arun Subramanian is scheduled to deliver the sentence on Friday in Manhattan.
LEADERSHIP recalls that Combs, 55, was found guilty on July 2 after a two-month trial on two counts of transporting male prostitutes across state lines to engage in what prosecutors described as “drug-fueled sexual performances” with his girlfriends, while he watched, recorded video, and masturbated.
He was, however, acquitted on the more serious racketeering and sex trafficking charges, which carried a potential life sentence.
In their memo, prosecutors argued that Combs was “violent, abusive and left victims in fear,” insisting that despite his acquittal on the more serious counts, he remains “unrepentant.”
“The defendant will not be punished for any crimes of which he was acquitted, of course, but punishment for his crimes of conviction must take into account the manner in which he committed them,” prosecutors wrote.
They further alleged that Combs held power over the women involved, particularly singer Cassie Ventura, who was allegedly left “bloodied and bruised” as seen in hotel security footage.
“The defendant also horrifically physically abused Ventura throughout their relationship, a point he conceded at trial,” prosecutors said, adding that the sentence should reflect his “decades of unchecked violence” and the “psychological, emotional and physical damage he has inflicted.”
On the other hand, Combs’ lawyers have asked for a much lighter punishment of around 14 months, an outcome that could see him released by the end of the year due to time already served at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Centre since his September 16, 2024, arrest.
Defence attorneys described the government’s recommendation as “draconian,” claiming in their earlier filing that it amounted to, “Verdict be damned—lock him up and throw away the key.”
Combs’ legal troubles stemmed from his September 2024 arrest, which led to multiple federal charges, including racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation for prostitution. His trial opened on May 5, 2025, with jury selection completed a week later.
After weeks of proceedings, the jury on July 2 acquitted him of racketeering and sex trafficking but convicted him on two transportation counts involving Ventura and another woman.
