It’s the eve of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs‘ sentence for violating the Mann Act twice. Judge Arun Subramanian declined earlier this week to overturn his convictions. Instead, Diddy is facing years in prison or the possibility of going home soon.
In July, a jury found him guilty of flying people around the country, including his girlfriends and male sex workers, to engage in paid sexual encounters. However, he was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges, which could have put him in prison for life.
So, how much time will the music mogul spend behind bars? We’ll soon find out. But in the meantime, here’s everything to know about the Mann Act and what could happen next.
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What Is The Mann Act & How Does It Apply To Diddy?
According to the Associated Press, the Mann Act makes it illegal to transport someone across state lines for prostitution or other illegal sex acts. Combs was convicted of counts involving two former girlfriends: singer Cassie and a woman who testified under the pseudonym “Jane.” Both women said at trial that Combs had pressured them into degrading sex marathons with strangers, who were paid for the sexual performances. Jane said Combs once beat her for refusing to participate. Cassie said that when she tried to walk out of one such event, Combs beat her and dragged her down a hotel hallway. That assault was captured on surveillance footage and fueled the prosecution’s case.
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How Much Prison Time Could Diddy Get?
As mentioned, Diddy could face nearly two decades in prison if the judge aims for a maximum sentence of 10 years per guilty count. Prosecutors have been rooting for him to spend at least 11 years behind bars, while his defense team wants no more than 14 months. They’re arguing that he’s suffered enough being locked up in a Brooklyn jail since September 2024.
It’s uncertain how the judge will lean on Friday (October 3). He did not buy the defense’s reasons for why he should toss Diddy’s convictions. They claimed that Combs was not a sex trafficker or engaging in prostitution. Instead, the defense tried to say Diddy was an amateur pornographer and that finding him guilty was a First Amendment violation.
In response, Judge Subramanian basically said “aht aht.” He shut down those ideas, clarifying that he agrees with the jury’s verdict that Diddy’s acts were criminal and inexcusable.
“Illegal activity can’t be laundered into constitutionally protected activity,” Subramanian wrote.
The judge called Sean Combs’ filming “incidental.” He pointed to trial evidence proving Diddy didn’t typically give notice or ask for consent for filming. In contrast, that’s what an alleged film producer would do.
