Diddy sentencing

Photo Credit: Tingey Law

There will be no eleventh-hour rescue for Sean Combs ahead of his sentencing this week in the highly publicized sex-trafficking case.

On Tuesday in New York federal court, Judge Arun Subramanian confirmed there will be no new trial or acquittal for Sean “Diddy” Combs. The Bad Boy Records founder’s long-scheduled October 3 sentencing will reveal his fate in the highly publicized sex-trafficking case—and prosecutors are pushing for the full 11-year prison sentence.

According to Judge Subramanian, there was “overwhelming evidence of Combs’ guilt” related to his treatment of two former girlfriends: singer Cassie Ventura and a woman known in court as Jane Doe. Both women testified that Combs physically attacked them and threatened to cut off financial support if they refused to engage in drug-fueled sexual performances called Freak-Offs with male prostitutes.

“The government proved its case many times over,” wrote the judge.

Further, Judge Subramanian also rejected arguments that evidence used to support the more serious racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges on which Combs was acquitted had tainted the prostitution case.

The 55-year-old Combs was found guilty by a Manhattan jury on July 2 of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, after an eight-week trial. Combs pleaded not guilty to all charges and is still expected to try to appeal his conviction.

Prosecutors have asked for a sentence of just over 11 years in prison at Combs’ scheduled sentencing on October 3. Meanwhile, the defense has asked for no more than 14 months, which could result in Combs’ freedom this year since he would be granted credit for time served at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center. He has been held there since his arrest on September 16, 2024, having been denied multiple requests for bail.

Even with the potential government shutdown on the horizon as of midnight Tuesday, the courts are anticipated to stay open and running until at least the end of the week. Therefore, it is unlikely that Combs’ sentencing will be delayed.