Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has been found not guilty of the most serious charges in his high-profile federal trial, including racketeering and sex trafficking. However, the jury returned a guilty verdict on one count: transportation to engage in prostitution, relating to his ex-partner Casandra Ventura and another woman referred to as “Jane.”

The verdict marks a partial legal victory for the 55-year-old hip-hop icon, who had pleaded not guilty to all charges at the start of the trial nearly two months ago. The jury of 12 deliberated for several days following an intense courtroom process that featured 34 witnesses, including former girlfriends, male escorts, ex-employees, and federal agents.

Combs, who has been a dominant figure in the music industry for decades, sat stone-faced as the verdict was read. He had faced five charges in total, and legal experts had earlier identified the racketeering count as the most complex and difficult for prosecutors to prove.

The racketeering charge, which carried a potential life sentence, required prosecutors to show that Combs had operated a criminal enterprise over several years involving at least two criminal acts. That burden, the jury concluded, had not been met.

Combs was also acquitted of charges related to sex trafficking, a key element of the case that had drawn significant public and media attention. The two women involved—Ventura, his former long-time partner, and a second, unnamed accuser referred to only as “Jane”—had testified that they were coerced into sexual acts and exploited during their relationships with the music mogul.

While clearing him of those more severe charges, the jury convicted Combs on the transportation to engage in prostitution count, citing credible evidence that he had facilitated interstate travel for both women for the purpose of engaging in paid sexual encounters. That offence carries a lesser sentence but still holds serious legal consequences.

Chioma Kalu

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