Sean “Diddy” Combs Found Guilty on Two Counts in Federal Trial, Acquitted on Sex Trafficking and Racketeering Charges

Defense lawyers surround Sean "Diddy" Combs while discussing a note sent by jurors that they had reached a verdict on four of the five counts against him on Tuesday. (Jane Rosenberg/Reuters)

A federal jury on Wednesday found music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs guilty of two of the five charges brought against him in his high-profile criminal trial. The 12-member panel acquitted Combs of sex trafficking and racketeering charges but convicted him on a prostitution-related offense and one additional count.

After more than 12 hours of deliberation spread over three days, the jury reached a partial verdict. On Tuesday, jurors informed U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian that they had agreed on verdicts for counts two, three, four, and five, which included charges related to sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution. However, they were deadlocked on the first count, racketeering conspiracy.

“We have reached a verdict on counts 2, 3, 4 and 5. We are unable to reach a verdict on count 1 as we have jurors with unpersuadable opinions on both sides,” the jury’s note to the court stated.

Judge Subramanian instructed the jury to continue deliberations and to keep an open mind, but ultimately, the panel rendered split decisions.

Federal prosecutors alleged that Combs, over the span of decades, systematically abused, threatened, and coerced women into drug-fueled, marathon sex sessions known as “freak offs.” They claimed he used his entertainment empire—along with violence, firearms, kidnappings, and arson—to maintain control over his victims and protect his image.

“The defendant used power, violence, and fear to get what he wanted,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik during closing arguments. “It’s time to hold him accountable. It’s time for justice. And it’s time to find him guilty.”

Combs’s defense team pushed back forcefully against the government’s depiction of the hip-hop icon as a criminal mastermind. Lead defense attorney Marc Agnifilo acknowledged that Combs engaged in questionable behavior, including drug use and past incidents of domestic violence, but denied that he was the head of a criminal enterprise.

“He did not do the things he’s charged with,” Agnifilo argued. “He did what he did. But he’s going to fight to the death to defend himself from what he didn’t do.”

The verdict delivers a major blow to Combs, who has faced increasing scrutiny in recent years over allegations of abuse and misconduct. The federal charges marked the most serious legal challenge of his career, which spans decades in the music, fashion, and business industries.

Sentencing for the guilty counts is expected to be scheduled in the coming weeks. The status of count one, for which the jury could not reach a decision, remains uncertain as prosecutors weigh whether to pursue a retrial on that charge.