As a US jury is set to announce its verdict on Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ future in the coming days after deciding on four of five counts, here is what happens next.
The 55-year-old was charged with two counts of sex trafficking, one count of racketeering, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution after he was arrested last September.
He denied all allegations and pleaded not guilty.
Jurors have reached a verdict on all counts except the racketeering charge.
At the end of Tuesday, Judge Arun Subramania instructed the jury to continue deliberating, saying: ‘I received your note that you have reached verdicts on counts two to five but not on count one. I ask at this time that you keep deliberating.’
What is racketeering?
Count one is the most serious charge of racketeering – put simply, organised crime. The charge was created in the US to bring down mafia bosses, and if found guilty Combs faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
Racketeering conspiracy, or directing an illegal enterprise under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), is the formal name for the charge.
The Government argues Combs used his business empire and network of associates to run a criminal organisation and cover up his crimes.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial update
A jury can only give a verdict on a charge if all 12 jurors agree. While a decision on the other four counts has been made, the court has not heard their verdict yet.
The charge of transportation to engage in prostitution carries a maximum sentence of 10 years, while sex trafficking has a 15 years minimum sentence.
Court hearings began in New York in May, with Combs’ ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, and fellow rapper Kid Cudi among those taking the stand over the last few weeks.
The court has heard about Combs’ alleged days-long sex parties, or ‘freak offs’ during which he allegedly coerced multiple alleged victims into sex acts.
After six weeks of testimony, the jury began their deliberations on Friday, and are so far unable to reach a unanimous verdict due to jurors with ‘unpersuadable views’.
Combs was arrested on September 16, 2024, and initially charged with three offences – racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.
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Two extra counts of the latter two offences were added in April, bringing the total to five.
Combs is currently being held at the courthouse having been behind bars since his September arrest at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, New York, which was previously home to rapper R Kelly and Ghislane Maxwell.
The jurors will return to the court in New York on Wednesday, July 2, at 9am New York time, which is 2pm in the UK.
Friday 4 July is a federal holiday and the jury will not sit if deliberations continue until then.
‘The freak offs became a job,’ previously Venture told jurors, reportedly sharing that they could last up to 36 or 48 hours, with the longest one she was involved in taking four days.
Those participating in the marathon sex sessions would routinely require recovery from drug use, dehydration and fatigue, it was alleged.
Combs would allegedly blackmail Ventura with videos of the ‘freak offs’ to get her to do more, she claimed.
Last year, after Ventura and Combs settled a suit in which she alleged rape and physical abuse over the course of their 11-year, on-off relationship, CCTV footage emerged of the rapper assaulting Ventura and dragging her across the floor of the InterContinental Hotel in LA.
The footage was played out during the first day of his trial in May.
Combs previously issued an apology shortly after the video was made public.
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