US Rapper Diddy Sentenced to 50 Months Imprisonment

American music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has been handed a prison sentence of more than four years after being convicted on charges related to prostitution.

The 55-year-old rapper and business executive was found guilty of transporting individuals across state lines for sex. 

His sentencing took place at a federal courthouse in New York on Friday, presided over by Judge Arun Subramanian.

While acknowledging Combs’ long-standing influence in the music industry, Judge Subramanian said the crimes could not be overlooked.

“You have a history of success, but you also have a history of causing serious harm,” the judge stated. 

“The pain you inflicted on these women cannot be ignored.”

Subramanian directly referenced testimonies from Cassie Ventura and another woman identified as Jane Doe, both of whom accused Combs of forcing them into sexual encounters. 

He described their decision to testify as “a courageous act that gave voice to the voiceless.”

The judge further told Combs, “Your actions stripped these women of dignity and safety. That’s something the law cannot permit.”

Combs, who had been awaiting sentencing at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn for the past 14 months, was earlier convicted on two counts of transportation for prostitution. 

Prosecutors said the encounters, which he labelled “freak-offs,” often involved his girlfriends and hired escorts.

He was, however, acquitted of more severe charges, including sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, as well as racketeering conspiracy.

Federal prosecutors had sought an 11-year prison term, portraying Combs as “a man without remorse” whose victims still lived in fear. 

His legal team countered with a request for time served, arguing that he had already spent over a year in custody.

The sentencing comes after a wave of accusations against the music executive, with more than 120 individuals, including a minor, stepping forward since September 2024 with claims ranging from abuse and blackmail to kidnapping and prostitution-related offences.

Outside the courthouse, legal analysts noted that while the sentence was lighter than prosecutors requested, it still marked a dramatic fall from grace for one of hip-hop’s most recognisable figures.

“Diddy’s influence in entertainment is undeniable, but this ruling underscores that fame is not a shield from accountability,” one observer said.