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What is Sean 'Diddy' Combs charged with and how long will his trial last? What has Sean 'Diddy' Combs been convicted of?
(2 months later)
The trial of American music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, who is accused of running a sprawling sex trafficking operation, has heard opening statements. Watch: BBC reporter inside courtroom on reaction as Diddy verdict read
The 55-year-old was arrested last September and faces charges including racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted. The trial of American music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, who was accused of running a sprawling sex trafficking operation, has ended with two guilty verdicts and an acquittal on three others.
Mr Combs has pleaded not guilty and denied all allegations against him. The rapper was convicted on two counts of transportation for prostitution of his ex-girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura, and another woman known as "Jane" who had testified in the trial.
Dozens of prospective jurors were screened before being whittled down to 12 - and six alternates. He was found not guilty of the most serious charge of racketeering conspiracy, as well as two charges of sex trafficking in relation to Ms Ventura and "Jane".
The first week of testimony will include two witnesses who are expected to speak briefly, prosecutors said, followed by a third witness who will see more time on the stand. Combs, 55, had pleaded not guilty and denied all allegations against him.
Mr Combs also faces dozens of civil lawsuits from individuals who accuse him of using his power to drug, assault, rape, intimidate and silence people. He has said the individual lawsuits are attempts "for a quick payday". Here is a breakdown of the charges faced by the rapper and how the jury came to its decision.
How can I follow the trial? Verdict reached in court - follow live
The court is expected to be open to the public, but proceedings will not be televised or streamed online. What is racketeering?
Cameras, phones and electronic devices are normally not allowed in US federal courtrooms. Racketeering conspiracy, or directing an illegal enterprise under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (Rico), is the formal name for the charge.
The trial proceedings began in early May with jury selection at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan courthouse in lower Manhattan. The law was created to take on mob bosses, but it has since been used in other trials, including for sex trafficking - such as in the case against disgraced R&B singer R Kelly.
US District Judge Arun Subramanian told jurors the trial could last around eight weeks. It is also sometimes used against a group of defendants. US President Donald Trump and his allies were accused of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia - charges that Trump denied.
How were jurors selected? To convict Combs on this charge, prosecutors had to prove that he used his loyal network of associates to run a criminal enterprise to commit crimes including sex trafficking, kidnapping, drugging and obstruction of justice.
Dozens of potential jurors were vetted by the court. In this case, that network would include his employees, who prosecutors argued played a part in setting up the "freak-offs" at the centre of the case.
The process included potential jurors looking through a long list of places and people that could be mentioned during trial, with names like Kanye West and Kid Cudi. These were prolonged sexual encounters at which the prosecution's key witnesses said they were coerced to have sex with male escorts while Combs watched.
The "People and Places" list was so long that Judge Subramanian said he "felt like I was reading an appendix for Lord of the Rings". In a raid on his Los Angeles mansion, police found supplies that they said were intended for use in freak-offs, including drugs and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil.
Potential jurors also had to fill out questionnaires that asked whether they had "views about hip hop artists" or "feelings concerning violence, sexual assault". Why was Diddy acquitted of racketeering?
The judge reminded the court several times of the importance of choosing a fair and impartial jury. Combs' acquittal on the most serious charge of racketeering will likely be seen as a big win by his legal team.
Nearly all the potential jurors had read news reports of the allegations in the case and many had seen footage of Mr Combs kicking his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a hotel hallway. His lawyers had sought to undermine the allegation by asking witnesses whether Combs' employees ever witnessed the freak-offs.
What are the charges and allegations against Diddy? Cassie Ventura, the star witness for the prosecution, said she did not think they were present.
In the federal criminal case being heard in New York, Mr Combs is charged with racketeering conspiracy, two charges of sex trafficking and two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. Defence lawyers argued that the case cannot be considered to be racketeering if members of Combs' staff were not knowingly complicit.
Many of the most severe allegations relate to the racketeering conspiracy charge. "Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?" said defence attorney Marc Agnifilo. "Did any witness get on that witness stand and say 'yes, I was part of a racketeering enterprise, I engaged in racketeering'?"
This includes accusations of kidnapping, drugging, and coercing women into sexual activities, sometimes using firearms or threats of violence. Robert Mintz, a criminal defence lawyer and former federal prosecutor, told the BBC that the racketeering charge was always going to be the most challenging one for prosecutors to prove to a jury.
In a raid on his Los Angeles mansion, police found supplies that they said were intended for use in orgies known as “freak offs”, including drugs and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil. To gain a conviction, lawyers needed to prove that Combs established a co-ordinated plan between himself and at least one other person to commit at least two crimes over a span of several years, Mr Mintz said.
Separately, Mr Combs faces a number of lawsuits accusing him of rape and assault. "It's a very complicated charge, used typically in the past in organized crime prosecution," Mr Mintz said, adding it is unsurprising that this charge gave the jury the most difficulty.
What is Diddy found guilty of?
Combs was convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution relating to Ms Ventura and an anonymous victim known as "Jane".
In simple terms, it means the jury found Combs guilty of transporting the two women to places where they would participate in sex acts and prostitution.
The felony dates back to the Mann Act, which was enacted in 1910.
What is the Mann Act?
The Mann Act is a US federal law that was passed to combat human trafficking and sexual exploitation of women.
Initially referred to as the "White-Slave Traffic Act", the more than 100-year-old law prohibits the transportation of individuals across state lines for illegal sex acts or prostitution.
Both Ms Ventura and "Jane", who had dated the rapper, separately testified about "freak-offs" or "hotel nights". They described these as sexual encounters in which the couple would hire male escorts to have sex with the female partner while Combs watched, at times recording or directing them.
In its early days, the Mann Act was used by federal prosecutors as a way to criminalise some forms of consensual activity, including interracial relationships.
Combs' lawyers referenced that history in an unsuccessful attempt to get one of the charges against the rapper dismissed, arguing that he was being unfairly persecuted because of his race.
Combs has been held at this Brooklyn jail
How much prison time is Diddy facing?
Transportation for purposes of prostitution - the charge that Combs was convicted of - carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. And Combs was convicted on two counts.
After the verdict, his lawyer Marc Agnifilo immediately asked for his client to be released from federal detention until his sentencing hearing, and suggested a $1m bail. But a judge denied that request and said the hip-hop mogul will remain in jail until he is sentenced.
Prosecutor Maurene Comey has said she will push for the full 20 years - a decade for each conviction. "It is clear that the defendant does pose a danger," she said.
Combs has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, since his arrest on 16 September 2024.
Critics describe the prison as overcrowded and understaffed, with a culture of violence.
His lawyers argued for his release in 2024, citing the jail’s “horrific” conditions, but a New York federal judge denied the bail request, describing Combs as a “serious flight risk”.
When will Diddy be sentenced?
Judge Arun Subramanian proposed 3 October as a sentencing date for Combs, but the defence asked for an expedited schedule. The lawyers will meet again on 8 July to further discuss the schedule. The judge said Combs would get 10 months credit for time served.
While the rapper faces a maximum sentence of 10 years on each count, it will be up to the judge to decide the length of time he will ultimately serve.
What are the other allegations against Diddy?
Separately, Combs faces a number of lawsuits accusing him of rape and assault.
Tony Buzbee, a Texas lawyer handling some of these cases, said that more than 100 women and men from across the US had either filed lawsuits against the rap mogul or intended to do so.Tony Buzbee, a Texas lawyer handling some of these cases, said that more than 100 women and men from across the US had either filed lawsuits against the rap mogul or intended to do so.
In December 2023, a woman known in court papers as Jane Doe alleged that she was "gang raped" by Mr Combs and others in 2003, when she was 17. She said she was given "copious amounts of drugs and alcohol" before the attack. In December 2023, a woman known in court papers as Jane Doe alleged that she was "gang raped" by Combs and others in 2003, when she was 17. She said she was given "copious amounts of drugs and alcohol" before the attack.
Mr Combs' legal team dismissed the flurry of lawsuits as "clear attempts to garner publicity." Combs's legal team dismissed the flurry of lawsuits as "clear attempts to garner publicity".
Sean Combs and Cassie Ventura were in an on-and-off relationship for more than a decadeSean Combs and Cassie Ventura were in an on-and-off relationship for more than a decade
Mr Combs' current legal issues began in late 2023 when he was sued by Ms Ventura, also known as Cassie, for violent abuse and rape. Combs' current legal issues began in late 2023 when he was sued by Ms Ventura, also known as Cassie, for violent abuse and rape.
That lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount a day after it was filed, with Mr Combs maintaining his innocence. That lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount a day after it was filed, with Combs maintaining his innocence.
Since then, dozens of other people have filed lawsuits accusing Mr Combs of sexual assault, with accusations dating back to 1991. He denies all the claims. Since then, dozens of other people have filed lawsuits accusing Combs of sexual assault, with accusations dating back to 1991. He denies all the claims.
His controversial history with Ms Ventura resurfaced in 2024, when CNN leaked CCTV footage from 2016 showing Mr Combs kicking his ex-girlfriend as she lay on a hotel hallway floor. His controversial history with Ms Ventura resurfaced in 2024, when CNN published leaked CCTV footage from 2016 showing Combs kicking his ex-girlfriend as she lay on a hotel hallway floor.
He apologised for his behaviour, saying: "I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I was disgusted then when I did it. I'm disgusted now."He apologised for his behaviour, saying: "I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I was disgusted then when I did it. I'm disgusted now."
'He thought of himself as a king': The parties that led to Diddy's downfall'He thought of himself as a king': The parties that led to Diddy's downfall
'Studio sex' and 'hitman threats': Insiders speak out about Diddy's 90s music'Studio sex' and 'hitman threats': Insiders speak out about Diddy's 90s music
Diddy's violence left me broken, says CassieDiddy's violence left me broken, says Cassie
What has Diddy said about the charges against him? How were the New York jurors selected?
In a statement to the BBC about the federal criminal charges, Mr Combs' lawyer said: "In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr Combs never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone - man or woman, adult or minor." Dozens of potential jurors were vetted by the court.
Diddy's lawyers later filed a motion to dismiss one part of the federal indictment in which he is accused of transportation to engage in prostitution. His team argued he was being unfairly targeted due to his race. The process included potential jurors looking through a long list of places and people that could be mentioned during trial, with names like Kanye West and Kid Cudi.
In a hearing in New York a week before the trial officially began, his attorneys told the court that the rapper led the "lifestyle" of a "swinger" and was not a criminal. Potential jurors also had to fill out questionnaires that asked whether they had "views about hip hop artists" or "feelings concerning violence, sexual assault".
They said he thought it was "appropriate" to have multiple sex partners, including sex workers. The judge reminded the court several times of the importance of choosing a fair and impartial jury.
At the same hearing, prosecutors revealed that Mr Combs had rejected a plea deal.
Mr Combs' lawyers have consistently denied the allegations made against him in the civil lawsuits, describing them as "sickening" and suggesting they were made by "individuals looking for a quick payday".
How long could Diddy spend in jail if he is found guilty?
Mr Combs has been held at this Brooklyn jail
If convicted on the racketeering charge, Mr Combs faces up to life in prison.
He faces another statutory minimum sentence of 15 years if he is found guilty of sex trafficking.
Transportation for purposes of prostitution carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
Mr Combs has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, since his arrest on 16 September 2024.
Critics describe the prison as overcrowded and understaffed, with a culture of violence.
His lawyers argued for his release, citing the jail’s “horrific” conditions, but a New York federal judge denied the bail request, describing Mr Combs as a “serious flight risk”.
Prosecutors previously alleged that Mr Combs had broken prison rules by contacting potential witnesses.
They accused him of "relentless efforts" to "corruptly influence witness testimony".
A judge granted Mr Combs permission to wear non-prison clothing during his trial rather than the jumpsuits he wears in jail.
When he appeared in court for jury selection, the rapper wore a blue sweater and white shirt with glasses on his head.
How did 'Sean 'Diddy' Combs become successful?How did 'Sean 'Diddy' Combs become successful?
Mr Combs - who has also gone by the names Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love - emerged in the hip-hop scene in the 1990s. Combs - who has also gone by the names Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love - emerged in the hip-hop scene in the 1990s.
His early music career success included helping launch the careers of Mary J Blige and Christopher Wallace - aka Biggie Smalls, or The Notorious B.I.G.His early music career success included helping launch the careers of Mary J Blige and Christopher Wallace - aka Biggie Smalls, or The Notorious B.I.G.
His music label Bad Boy Records became one of the most important labels in rap and expanded to include Faith Evans, Ma$e, 112, Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez.His music label Bad Boy Records became one of the most important labels in rap and expanded to include Faith Evans, Ma$e, 112, Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez.
Mr Combs also had a prolific business career outside of music, including a deal with British drinks company Diageo to promote the French vodka brand Cîroc. Combs also had a prolific business career outside of music, including a deal with British drinks company Diageo to promote the French vodka brand Cîroc.
In 2023, he released his fifth record The Love Album: Off The Grid and earned his first solo nomination at the Grammy awards. He also was named a Global Icon at the MTV Awards.In 2023, he released his fifth record The Love Album: Off The Grid and earned his first solo nomination at the Grammy awards. He also was named a Global Icon at the MTV Awards.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs: Who is the US rapper accused of sex trafficking?Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs: Who is the US rapper accused of sex trafficking?
Get all the latest trial updates on the BBC Sounds 'Diddy on Trial' podcast available wherever you get your BBC podcasts.Get all the latest trial updates on the BBC Sounds 'Diddy on Trial' podcast available wherever you get your BBC podcasts.