Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs will remain behind bars after a federal judge denied him bail on Wednesday, following his conviction on two felony charges related to transporting women for prostitution.
U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, presiding over the high-profile trial in Manhattan, ruled that Combs must stay in federal custody as he awaits sentencing, citing the serious nature of the charges and concerns over flight risk.
Combs, 55, was convicted earlier this week on two counts of transporting individuals across state lines for the purpose of prostitution. He was acquitted on three other charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking—charges that could have put him behind bars for life.
Even so, Combs now faces up to 20 years in prison—10 years for each count on which he was convicted.
The trial featured graphic and disturbing testimony from Combs’ ex-girlfriends, including R&B singer Cassie Ventura and a woman referred to only as “Jane.” Both women detailed years of manipulation, violence, and coercion, claiming Combs routinely arranged drug-laced group sex sessions he dubbed “Freak Offs.”
Jane, who was in a relationship with Combs from 2021 to 2024, described being flown across the country for what she called “hotel nights” in cities like Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and even the Turks and Caicos Islands. She testified that Combs controlled all travel arrangements and forced her into group sexual encounters, often with paid male escorts.
Ventura, who dated Combs on and off from 2007 to 2018, recounted similar events and said male escorts were typically paid in cash—between $1,500 and $6,000 per encounter. She claimed Combs used threats and emotional blackmail to keep her compliant.
Federal prosecutors backed up both accounts with hard evidence—flight logs, credit card records, hotel invoices, and explicit video footage of the encounters—some of which was shown in court but sealed from public release. The evidence, prosecutors argued, clearly tied the interstate travel to paid sex acts, making it a federal crime.
Despite his legal team’s efforts to portray the encounters as consensual and part of an “unconventional lifestyle,” the jury was not convinced. While they did not find sufficient proof for racketeering or trafficking, they unanimously agreed that Combs had violated federal prostitution laws.
Judge Subramanian emphasized the weight of the conviction after he denied possible bail, adding that the possibility of a long prison sentence made Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs a substantial flight risk.
Sentencing is expected to take place in October, and federal prosecutors have already indicated they will seek the maximum sentence of 20 years.
Combs, who has been incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his arrest last fall, showed little emotion as the ruling was read. His legal team said they will appeal both the conviction and the bail denial.
In the meantime, Combs is still facing a barrage of civil lawsuits from multiple accusers who allege rape, sexual assault, and years of psychological abuse. Those cases are expected to gain momentum following the federal conviction.
