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The music mogul Sean Combs is set to be sentencing on Friday morning by a US district judge in New York City, following his guilty verdict earlier this 2025 on federal prostitution-related charges.

Here is a overview of his criminal case: what he was indicted for, what happened at trial, and what might happen next.

What Charges Was He Found Guilty Of?

During July, following a two-month trial, a jury convicted Combs of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He was found not guilty of the more severe allegations against him, racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, which could have resulted in the possibility of a life imprisonment.

The offenses on which he was convicted each have a maximum penalty of a decade. Combs had pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

The presiding judge, Arun Subramanian, who oversaw the trial, will deliver the ruling on Friday, with the court session due to begin at 10am ET in federal district court in lower Manhattan.

Combs, 55, has been detained without bond at the Brooklyn metropolitan detention center since his apprehension in September last year. Since the decision, the judge has rejected two bail requests from Combs’s lawyers, and recently Subramanian also rejected a motion to overturn the convictions.

What Allegations Was Combs Accused Of?

Federal prosecutors alleged the music executive of leveraging his status and resources, and employing intimidation and coercion, to coerce former partners into participating in drug-fueled sexual marathons with paid companions. Such events were often referred to by the defendant as “freak-offs”, which they said Combs orchestrated, observed, pleasured himself to and sometimes filmed.

The government asserted that for over twenty years, Combs ran a illegal operation – aided by employees and associates – to conduct and conceal crimes including sex trafficking, drug dealing, bribery and kidnapping.

Although found guilty on two counts, Combs has disputed any misconduct. His attorneys have maintained that all sexual activity was consensual and that no criminal enterprise was present.

What Transpired At Trial?

The prosecution presented more than 30 witnesses, including two of Combs’s former girlfriends – artist Cassie Ventura and a second individual who gave evidence under the pseudonym of “Jane” – who recounted the alleged events in graphic detail, and claimed that Combs pressured and intimidated them into taking part.

Ventura was the key witness for the prosecution. She stated that during her long-term relationship with Combs, he exposed her to physical, sexual and emotional abuse and to extortion. The jury was shown the 2016 hotel surveillance footage of Combs assaulting Ventura in a hallway. Jane also testified of a violent altercation with Combs.

Additional testimony included former employees, escorts, police officers, hotel staff and public figures including rapper Kid Cudi and singer Dawn Richard. Combs chose not to take the stand.

Combs’s defense attorneys admitted previous incidents of abuse, but denied that any coercion or sex trafficking took place. They argued that all sexual activity was consensual and part of a “alternative lifestyle”, and argued that Ventura and Jane were consenting adults in the sex acts.

What Sentence Could He Serve?

Combs’s attorneys have asked the court for a sentence of no more than 14 months in jail, which, given time already served, would permit his freedom by year's end. They claim that Combs has already been “sufficiently penalized” by serving 13 months in the “harsh environment” at the detention center.

Federal prosecutors, however, have sought at least 135 months (over a decade) and a half-million-dollar penalty. In legal documents, they described Combs as “showing no remorse” and said that “his background and behavior” demonstrate years of abuse and violence.

What Was Said By the Victims?

The government filed several victim impact statements to the court ahead of the sentencing, including one from Ventura.

“Although the jurors did not seem to grasp or accept that I participated in the events because of the force and coercion the accused used against me, I know that is the reality, and his sentence should account for the truth of the evidence and my lived experience as a victim,” Ventura wrote.

“I am so fearful that if he is released, his first actions will be immediate revenge towards me and others who spoke up about his abuse, at court,” she wrote.

“If there is one thing I have learned from this experience, it is that those affected will never be secure,” she continued. “I hope that your decision takes into account the facts at hand that the panel overlooked.”

What Comes After Sentencing?

After sentencing, Combs’s legal team could appeal against the sentence. Combs’s team is also likely to contest his verdict.

Additionally, Combs faces numerous civil lawsuits alleging of sexual assault and other misconduct. He has denied every claim in those proceedings.