Sean “Didi” Kombs was found guilty on Wednesday for transport to join prostitution in his federal process in New York, but the music tycoon was acquitted of more severe accusations in a racketeering for conspiracy and trafficking in sex.
Combs was convicted of two charges of prostitution. Each number has a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Prosecutors said they would seek a prolonged sentence for Combs on both sentences.
When the verdict was announced, Kombs turned, kneel on the ground, put his hands on his chair and prayed. He and his family erupted in strong applause, cheering a strong and whistle.
Following the decision, Kombs’ lawyers claim that he would be released immediately from custody and would be able to return to his home in Miami, stressing that this was his first sentence. Prosecutors opposed the defense request and called on Judge Arun Submanian to detain the combs detained until his sentence.
Submanian admitted that Kombs did not want to return to a Federal Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he was in custody after his arrest last September. Combs shook his head.
The judge asked both the prosecution and the defense to submit letters why the combs should be released on Wednesday or remain detained. The court was expected to resume at 1 pm Eastern time.
The developments come after the jurors said on Tuesday that they agreed with four of the five issues against the combs but disagreed with regard to the conspiracy racket. They reached all five on Wednesday morning.
Jurors began to discuss At the US District Court in Lower Manhattan on Monday. They said they had reached a partial sentence on Tuesday, but Submanian sent them back to continue to discuss the remaining number.
What were the accusations against Sean “Didi” combs?
The accusation of the large hearing against the 55-year-old combs, in September 2024, initially charged the hip-hop tycoon with three charges after his arrest At a hotel in Manhattan. In April, before the process began, prosecutors submitted additional feesBy adding the total number of the number against it in five.
Combs has pleaded innocent of all fees.
The accusations against the combs are:
Count 1: Conspiracy Information 2: Sexual Trafficking Traffic with Power, Fraud or Coercion (Kazardra Ventura) Count 3: Transport to participate in prostitution (Cassandra Ventura) Issue 4: Traffic for sex on power, fraud or coercion (“jane”) Issue 5: Transport to engage in prostitution (“Jane”)
“Jane” is a nickname used in court for a former friend of combs that testifies to him.
What is the law on Man?
Prostitution -related allegations claim that violations of the Mann Act, a law that makes a federal crime for transporting someone to state prostitution lines.
The prosecution for racketeering requires prosecutors to prove a number of elements: that there is an agreement between two or more people to participate in a model of activity to influence interstate trade; that the defendant deliberately joined him; And that conspiracy members have committed two or more racketeering acts. The charging document lists a number of alleged racketeering acts, including abduction, bribery, sexual traffic and forced labor.
Prosecutors claim that the Combs Business Empire has been creating a criminal endeavor that he has been using for years to conceal acts of violence and abuse and to force women to fulfill his sexual desires. The jurors have heard from more than 30 witnesses for seven weeks as the prosecution went through his case.
Combs denied the allegations, but chose not to take the position to testify in his defense. His lawyers did not call any witnesses during the trial, although they conducted extensive cross -interrogations by government witnesses. CombS lawyers say the prosecutor’s office did not prove the allegations beyond reasonable doubt.
“Freaks” some of the emotional and graphic evidence
A high -profile test that started in MayThey included graphic and emotional testimonies from two of Kombs’ ex -girlfriends.
Kazandra Ventura, the singer of R&B, known as Cassie, who spent more than a decade with him, evidence of drugs fueled by drugs, which is said to have been referred to as “freaks“Ventura testifies that he has directed all the meetings that can continue for days and that she feels forced to participate to make him happy.
Ventura testifies This combs controlled every aspect of her life and that she often does things out of fear, since physical abuse was “frequent”.
Combs lawyers say the meetings are consensus. During cross -interrogationThe defense showed the jury a message from 2009 from Ventura to combs, which said, “I’m always ready to be scared.”
Ventura also testifies to an incident in 2016 that has been caught Monitoring video Display Kombs beats and kicks it in a corridor of a hotel in California. Combs apologized at the time, saying that his behavior was “inexplicable” and that he took “full responsibility” for his actions.
Ventura testified that the attack had happened when she tried to leave a “freak”, which became violent. A former hotel security officer testified that Combs had offered him cash after the attack, which the employee said he realized it was a bribe.
Ventura filed a civil case against the Combs in 2023, accusing him of physical and sexual abuse. Combs denied the claims and quickly reached an agreement With her. In his Final argument On Friday, the lawyer of the defense Mark Agnifilo said: “If you had to choose a winner in this whole thing, it is difficult not to choose Cassie.”
Another ex -girlfriend of Combs testifies under the pseudonym Jane to protect her identity. She told the court that she often participated in what she called “Hotel Evening”, which also included drugs. Jane testifies that he will have sex with a male escort while Combs watched. She said she had told Combs many times that she didn’t want to have sex with other men and did not like “hotel dinners”.
Combs lawyers showed messages showing the creation of “hotel dinners”. Jane said she I felt pressure And that it has become financially dependent on combs.
In Prosecution’s final argumentsUS lawyer’s assistant, Christie Slavic, has identified Kombs as “the leader of a criminal endeavor. He does not accept no response. And now you know about the many crimes he has committed with members of his enterprise.”
She said he used a “small army” of employees to harm women and then cover it. “He believed that his glory, wealth and power put him on the law,” Slavic said.
Agnifilo counteract disputes that prosecutors “poorly exaggerated” evidence of a swing and threesome lifestyle, combining it with the use of recreation drugs and called it a racket conspiracy.
“He has not done the things he has been accused of. He does not racketeering for conspiracy and sexual traffic,” Kombs lawyer said.
“Sean Didi Combs: The Sentence”, a one -hour special in the case, will broadcast CBS News 24/7 At 9:00 pm and ET on the night of the jury decision. Download Free news app CBS To look at your mobile or streaming device or to stream Paramount+S
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