NEW YORK — Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs will learn his fate Friday as a federal judge prepares to sentence him on two prostitution-related convictions, with prosecutors urging a punishment of at least 11 years behind bars.
The 55-year-old hip-hop icon, once celebrated at the pinnacle of the entertainment industry, avoided life in prison when jurors in July acquitted him of sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
But the remaining counts — each carrying up to 10 years in prison — could still result in a lengthy sentence.
Prosecutors argue Combs remains “unrepentant” and a danger to the public. His defense team, however, has pleaded for leniency, asking for just 14 months — time that would essentially mean his immediate release after more than a year already spent in custody at a Brooklyn detention center.
Judge Arun Subramanian will weigh victim impact statements alongside letters of support for Combs, including an emotional plea written by the artist himself in which he apologized for past violence, expressed fear of being separated from his family, and vowed never to reoffend.
At least one former assistant, who testified under the pseudonym Mia, is expected to address the court directly.
Victims Speak Out
Among the most powerful voices ahead of sentencing has been Combs’s former partner, singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, who accused him of years of physical, emotional and sexual abuse during their decade-long relationship.
In her letter to the court, Ventura described harrowing episodes, including “freak-offs” — coerced sexual encounters with hired men, allegedly orchestrated and filmed by Combs.
She recalled a 2016 incident captured on video that showed Combs kicking and beating her as she tried to escape.
“People watched this footage dozens of times, seeing my body thrown to the ground, my hands over my head, curled into a fetal position,” she wrote, adding that she continues to suffer from nightmares and flashbacks.
Ventura said her family has since relocated out of fear of retaliation if Combs is released.
Defense Argues Legacy Already Destroyed
Combs’s lawyers have not disputed his violent behavior or his extensive sexual activity, but they insist the encounters were consensual and fell short of the legal threshold for the more serious charges.
They argue his legacy has already been “shattered,” and that his time behind bars has left him “reborn.”
“I have been humbled and broken to my core,” Combs wrote in his letter.
Still, prosecutors maintain that the weight of testimony and evidence — including videos and text messages — demands a severe sentence.
The Possibility of Clemency
Beyond the courtroom, speculation lingers over whether Combs could seek political intervention.
Reports suggest associates have reached out to the White House about the possibility of a presidential pardon.
President Donald Trump, who once shared the New York celebrity circuit with Combs, has remained noncommittal on the matter.
Judge Subramanian’s ruling Friday will determine whether Combs secures an early release or spends much of the next decade in prison.