Sean “Diddy” Combs will be sentenced on October 3 for a federal conviction related to transportation for purposes of prostitution, nearly a week after being acquitted of more serious charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.

The decision follows a lengthy and closely watched trial in New York’s Southern District, where federal prosecutors accused the 55-year-old music executive of orchestrating a network of abuse involving two former romantic partners: Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and a second woman referred to as “Jane.” Both testified in detail, alleging they were pressured into sexual encounters with male escorts during their relationships with Combs. The government framed these incidents, described in court as “freak-offs” or “hotel nights, as part of a broader criminal operation facilitated by Combs and members of his staff.

Prosecutors alleged that Combs' inner circle, including personal assistants and bodyguards, helped arrange travel, hotel rooms, and other logistics, often involving drugs and sex paraphernalia. The government attempted to build a racketeering case, arguing that these coordinated efforts amounted to a criminal enterprise. The jury disagreed, clearing Combs of the conspiracy charges as well as sex trafficking.

However, the jury did return a guilty verdict on a narrower charge: that Combs paid for male escorts to travel across state lines to engage in sexual activity with his partners while he observed. While not rising to the level of sex trafficking, the offense carries significant penalties. Prosecutors say the applicable sentencing guidelines suggest a range of 51 to 63 months in prison and may ask the court for an even longer term. Combs’ defense team argues that a sentence in the lower range of 21 to 27 months is more appropriate.

Since his arrest in September 2024, Combs has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Judge Arun Subramanian has indicated that time served will be credited toward his sentence. Initially, Combs’ attorneys requested an expedited sentencing, but they ultimately agreed to the court’s proposed October 3 date just ahead of a scheduled hearing this week.

In court, Combs’ legal team maintained that the case had been overreached, distinguishing the admitted history of domestic violence from the specific legal definitions of trafficking. “Domestic violence is not sex trafficking,” was a phrase repeatedly cited by lead attorney Marc Agnifilo throughout the proceedings.

The verdict last week led to an emotional moment in the courtroom. Combs, visibly shaken, knelt and thanked the jury after avoiding a potential life sentence. Speaking afterward, Agnifilo addressed Combs’ family, particularly his children. “He gets his life back with all of you,” he said, emphasizing the significance of the acquittals.

Despite those acquittals, Judge Subramanian denied Combs’ request to be released pending sentencing, ruling that the defense had not sufficiently demonstrated he would pose no risk to the community. Outside the courthouse, Agnifilo said the legal battle is not over. “We’re not nearly done fighting,” he told reporters, adding that the defense would continue working toward Combs’ eventual release.

With sentencing set for early October, the case now enters a new phase, and reputational consequences of the trial will continue to shape the next chapter of Combs’ career and public life.