Sean “Diddy” Combs, the rap mogul who went on trial beginning in May over numerous charges – including sex trafficking and prostitution – has been found not guilty on charges of said trafficking and racketeering, although he was found guilty on two charges related to transportation with intention of prostitution.
Just under two months after Sean Combs went to trial, the Grammy-winning Bad Boy Records founder and rapper, came out mostly victorious. Still, while Combs dodged a minimum 15-year sentence in the sex trafficking charge, the government (the trial is a federal one and so deemed United States of America v. Sean Combs) is likely seeking a maximum of 20 years in prison. As of now, it has been advised that Sean Combs remain in jail until his hearing.
As for more specific counts, Sean Combs was found guilty under the Mann Act of transportation of both one-time partner Casandra Ventura and “Jane”, another accuser. On these particular verdicts, Ventura’s attorney said, “Of course, we would have liked to have seen a conviction on the sex crimes and RICO, but we understand that ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ is a high standard. We’re just pleased he still faces substantial jail time.” The Mann Act has made plenty of headlines over the past years, as the likes of Ghislaine Maxwell and R. Kelly have also been convicted under it.
The prosecution brought close to three dozen witnesses to stand trial against Sean Combs. Meanwhile, Combs’ defense team decided against witnesses entirely, briefly making their case in around 30 minutes. Expectedly, Sean Combs – who had been denied bail multiple times – had pleaded not guilty on every single charge. It took the jury three days of deliberations to reach their verdicts on the charges.
There will no doubt be many updates on the story around Sean Combs. We here at JoBlo.com will be sure to update our readers as necessary.
What do you make of Sean Combs being found not guilty of sex trafficking? Were you surprised by any of the verdicts? Give us your take as this story develops in the comments section below.
