Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has been sentenced to over four years behind bars for his prostitution conviction after being eviscerated by a judge, marking a stunning fall from grace for the shamed rap mogul.
The producer, 55, hung his head as Judge Arun Subramanian handed down the sentence of 50 months in a Manhattan courtroom on Friday, as Diddy’s weeping family watched on from the gallery.
Diddy has been in custody since September 2024. With the 13 months he has already spent behind bars, he is on course to be freed in November 2028.
The judge also slapped him with a fine of $500,000 as he condemned him for his ‘savage’ abuse of his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, saying he was making an example of him because he caused ‘irreparable harm’ to his victims.
Diddy was not actually convicted of any offense against Ventura, but was famously filmed beating her up, with Friday’s acknowledgement of her abuse likely to provide some solace for the abused model.
‘Deterrence requires a significant sentence’ he said, noting that Diddy held more ‘freak offs’ even after he had been subjected to search warrants and public shaming over his abuse of Ventura.
The producer stood emotionless and stunned as the judge handed him the sentence, staring straight ahead as he was slated for abusing his victims ‘physically, emotionally and psychologically’.
‘You abused the power and control you had over the lives of women you professed to love dearly,’ the judge said. ‘Why did it go on so long? Because you had the power and resources to keep it going.’
The decision came following a tumultuous sentencing hearing that went from bad to worse for Diddy, with the judge deciding at the start of the day he would still consider evidence from sex trafficking and racketeering charges that he was cleared of back in July.
A courtroom sketch artist showed the star mirroring the iconic ‘Scream’ painting during the proceedings as it appeared to dawn on him that he was facing a lengthy stint in prison.
Prosecutors then told the judge Diddy had arrogantly arranged speaking arrangements for Monday in Miami, suggesting he didn’t believe he was going to spend any more time behind bars at all.
Diddy’s attorney Nicole Westmoreland broke down in tears in her floundering argument for a light sentence, claiming he deserved leniency because he was awarded Menswear Designer of the Year by the American Fashion Council in 2004.
‘It wasn’t just about an award, it was about breaking barriers,’ she said, as courtroom reporters said she appeared to start crying.
The sentence handed down on Friday completes the disgrace of the 55-year-old who was once one of the most powerful men in the entertainment industry.
