Diddy's ex-collaborator Tony Dofat says he'll work with rapper again after verdict
Tony Dofat, who worked alongside Diddy on several projects from the early '90s to the late aughts, exclusively told The Post that he would 'definitely' collaborate with the rapper again following the surprising verdict.
The 55-year-old record exec was acquitted on racketeering and sex trafficking charges on Wednesday, July 2.
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12 One of Sean 'Diddy' Combs' former collaborators has revealed where he stands after the embattled music mogul's sex trafficking trial concluded this week.
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12 Tony Dofat exclusively told the Post that he would 'definitely' collaborate with Diddy again following the surprising verdict.
Instagram/@tonydofat
However, he was found guilty on two lesser charges of transportation to engage in prostitution.
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He also still faces 66 civil lawsuits, according to Vulture, connected to a slew of sexual impropriety allegations against him.
'I would definitely work together with him again,' Dofat told The Post shortly after the verdict was announced.
12 Dofat worked alongside Diddy on several projects from the early '90s to the late aughts.
Instagram/@tonydofat
12 'I would definitely work together with him again,' Dofat told the Post.
Instagram/@tonydofat
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'We made a lot of great records together,' he added. 'A lot of people make music together, and I don't see why I wouldn't wanna continue making music with him.'
Dofat said he first began collaborating with Diddy in 1992 when the 'I'll Be Missing You' singer introduced the New York native to the hip-hop music business and Uptown Records.
Dofat went on to compose and produce many chart-topping songs and remixes alongside Diddy, including Mary J. Blige's hits 'Love No Limit' and 'You Don't Have To Worry.'
12 Diddy was acquitted on racketeering and sex trafficking charges on Wednesday.
Getty Images for Sean Diddy Combs
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12 Diddy and Dofat first began collaborating in 1992.
Instagram/@tonydofat
12 Diddy and Dofat worked together to produce remixes of Mary J. Blige's hits 'Love No Limit' and 'You Don't Have To Worry.'
Getty Images for Strength Of A Woman Festival & Summit
Besides being a member of Diddy's Bad Boy Records in-house production team, The Hitmen, Dofat also served as the record producer for Diddy and MTV's 'Making The Band 2' from 2002 through 2004.
The last time the pair collaborated was for Diddy's 'Press Play' record in 2006, according to Dofat. While they 'severed ties' shortly after, Dofat claimed that it was not 'in a negative manner.'
'I mean, we're all artists, and this is, believe it or not, just the life that we live,' Dofat continued regarding whether he would want to collaborate with Diddy again. 'It's part of the art when you look at it like that.'
12 Diddy was still found guilty on two lesser charges of transportation to engage in prostitution.
AP
'Maybe going through these things will put them in a different perspective, and it'll probably create a different type of art, just from that point of view,' he added.
Dofat also thinks the 'Mo Money Mo Problems' rapper can mount a music career comeback after serving his sentence for the prostitution charges.
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The judge denied Diddy's request for bail. His sentencing is currently scheduled for Oct. 3.
12 Dofat also believes the 'Mo Money Mo Problems' rapper can mount a music career comeback after serving his sentence for the prostitution charges.
Instagram/@tonydofat
'Of course,' Dofat told The Post. 'I mean, the thing about Diddy's music is that he always has a passion and love for music. He has great ideas, and he's an incredible producer.'
'I can't see why not. I can't see why he would just leave music alone,' Dofat concluded. 'Music is something he's always gonna do.'
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Dofat isn't the only one who believes Diddy could make a successful comeback after his conviction, either.
12 Diddy's sentencing is currently scheduled for Oct. 3.
REUTERS
Tyrone Blackburn, an attorney representing Rodney 'Lil Rod' Jones and others in civil suits against Diddy, also believes the rapper will make a big return to music.
'Because these are not viewed as the really serious claims, or serious charges, I think he may be able to come back,' Blackburn told The Post.
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Attorney Joel Denaro said something similar.
12 Diddy was also denied bail, meaning he will remain behind bars until his sentencing later this year.
REUTERS
'Like always, people's memories will fade, and given Diddy's considerable talent, I'm sure he will flourish musically going forward,' Denario said.
However, not everybody agrees that the 'Last Night' hip-hop star will be able to 'come back' to the industry after his legal woes.
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'I do not think the court of public opinion will be forgiving,' Ann Olivarius, an attorney focused on women's rights, told The Post in a statement. 'The damage to Diddy's reputation is real, and demonstrates that the world is watching and survivors matter, even if their abusers are powerful.'
12 Not everybody agrees that the disgraced hip-hop star will be able to mount a comeback after his prostitution conviction.
Getty Images for iHeartRadio
Ana Garcia, host of 'True Crime News: The Podcast,' expressed a similar sentiment about the rapper's future.
'Combs may have been spared life in prison but I am not so sure his career can be saved,' she said. 'How can you look at Diddy and not think this man is repulsive?'
'I think Diddy's image and endorsements are ruined,' Garcia added.
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23 minutes ago
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Sean 'Diddy' Combs verdict live updates: Hip-hop mogul denied bail after being found guilty on 2 of 5 counts, acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges
Sean "Diddy" Combs will remain in jail while he awaits sentencing for his conviction on two counts of prostitution-related offenses, a judge decided Wednesday evening. Hours earlier, jurors in Combs's federal criminal trial found the hip-hop mogul guilty on two of the five counts filed against him, acquitting him of the other three. The 12-member panel acquitted Combs of racketeering and sex trafficking, the most serious charges, but found him guilty of prostitution-related offenses. The 55-year-old, who could have been sentenced to life in prison had he been convicted of racketeering or sex trafficking, now faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. At a bail hearing scheduled for 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Judge Arun Subramanian rejected a request from Combs's attorneys that he be released on a $1 million bond while he awaits sentencing, citing, in part, the defense's own testimony in the trial. "At trial, the defense conceded the defendant's violence in his personal relationships," he said, adding that the defense had failed to prove that Combs poses "no danger to any person." The jury spent more than 12 hours across three days deliberating the case. On Tuesday afternoon, the panel said that it had come to an agreement on counts two, three, four and five — sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution — but was unable to reach a verdict on count one: racketeering conspiracy. An hour into its deliberations Wednesday, the jury sent a note telling the judge that it had reached a verdict on all five counts. Follow the live blog below for the latest updates culled from various reporters and news organizations in the courtroom, including ABC News, the Associated Press, CNN, NBC News, the New York Times and USA Today. Live coverage has ended for today. Judge Arun Subramanian concluded Wednesday's bail hearing after denying the defense's request that Combs be released on bond. The next step in the trial will be a remote hearing next Tuesday to discuss when sentencing should begin. Judge Arun Subramanian suggested that sentencing could begin in four months, but indicated that he would be open to moving up that date at the defense's request. Combs will remain in custody in the interim. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison after being convicted of two prostitution-related charges, though the actual sentence could be much shorter. The final decision will be up to the judge. Judge Arun Subramanian told the courtroom that he opted to deny Combs's request for release in part because his attorneys had admitted that he had a history of violent behavior over the course of the trial. "At trial, the defense conceded the defendant's violence in his personal relationships," he said, adding that the defense had failed to prove that Combs poses "no danger to any person." Subramanian added that Combs's duties as a father and son did not rise to the level that's necessary to allow an exception to the text of the law, which mandates detention in most cases. Judge Arun Subramanian has rejected the defense's request that Combs be released on a $1 million bond while he awaits sentencing, arguing that the detention is "mandatory" under the law for the crimes he was convicted of, per the New York Times. Judge Arun Subramanian will decide whether Combs can be released or if he will be forced to remain in custody as he awaits sentencing after being found guilty of two prostitution-related offenses. His lawyers have proposed that he be freed on a $1 million bond and agreed to have him face certain conditions upon his release, including surrendering his passport, submitting to drug testing and complying with strict restrictions on where he can travel within the U.S. "He needs and wants to be with — and remain with — his family," they wrote in a letter to the judge. The prosecution has urged the judge to deny Combs bail, arguing that he "continues to be a danger to others and is either unable or unwilling to follow the law." Doug Wigdor, Cassie Ventura's lawyer, submitted a separate letter to the judge stating that his client believes Combs "likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case, including herself, as well as to the community." In the lead-up to Combs's bail hearing to decide whether he will be released ahead of sentencing, his legal team has sent a second letter encouraging the judge to allow him to be released. In the letter, they accuse the prosecution of unfairly portraying Combs as "a monster who perpetrated a 20-year federal crime spree through a racketeering enterprise," adding that this depiction was "resoundingly rejected by the jury." The letter also discussed the notoriously dangerous conditions at the Brooklyn jail where Combs has been housed. "It would be unjust to continue detaining Mr. Combs at the [Metropolitan Detention Center] even one day longer, especially since — given the sentencing guidelines for these prostitution offenses — he would otherwise be entitled to serve any additional time imposed at a lower-security facility," they wrote. In the wake of the jury's decision, legal experts have been offering their views on why the prosecution was only able to secure guilty verdicts on two prostitution-related charges and not the more serious sex trafficking and racketeering charges. Ephraim Savitt, a former federal prosecutor in New York, told Business Insider that the prosecution overstepped by attempting to portray Combs as a "mob boss" — an accusation he says was unconvincing. "They were overreaching, and in my view, it was a mistake," Savitt said. "The jury just rejected the entire notion wholesale." Former Assistant District Attorney Julie Grant suggested on CNN that jurors may have relied on their own conceptions of what something like sex trafficking should look like rather than how those crimes are defined in the law. "[They] may not see the enterprise — they may not see the sex trafficking for what it literally is by law," she said. Criminal defense attorney Dina Doll told the Associated Press that the "dream team" of lawyers Combs was able to afford likely played a major role in the outcome of the case. "A typical criminal defendant cannot do that," she said. "I think that's where his fame and celebrity helped him." In a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian, federal prosecutors asked the judge to deny the defense's request for Combs to be released on bail, arguing that he should remain incarcerated while he awaits sentencing. The letter recounted much of what the government presented during the trial. "Over the course of seven weeks, the jury heard evidence of the defendant's violence, interstate transportation of numerous individuals for prostitution, drug use and distribution, and attempts to escape law enforcement detection," their letter read. "This conduct spanned two decades. At trial, the defendant did not walk away from these facts — indeed, the defendant embraced the fact that he was a habitual drug user who regularly engaged in domestic abuse." It also argued that Combs remains a danger to the community because he "brutally assaulted" a woman who testified at his trial under the pseudonym "Jane" three months before his September 2024 arrest — while he was aware he was under federal investigation. Prosecutors also pointed out that when Combs was ultimately taken into custody at a New York hotel, he was in possession of materials for a "freak off." "The defendant's conduct after he understood that he was under federal investigation underscores that he continues to be a danger to others and is either unable or unwilling to follow the law," prosecutors wrote. Doug Wigdor, Cassie Ventura's lawyer, submitted a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian requesting that Combs not be released from custody as he awaits sentencing. 'Ms. Ventura believes that Mr. Combs is likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case, including herself, as well as to the community,' Wigdor wrote in the letter, per CNN. In a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian, Combs's defense team outlined its proposed conditions for his release: a. A $1,000,000 bond;b. Co-signed by Sean Combs, his mother, his sister, and the mother of his oldest daughter;c. Mr. Combs's travel will be restricted to the Southern District of Florida, Central District of California and the Southern District of New York (to attend Court and meet with his counsel) as well as the Eastern District of New York or the District of New Jersey (only to the extent that his travel to and from New York involves an airport in those Districts);d. Mr. Combs's passport surrendered to Pretrial Services;e. Drug testing as ordered by Pretrial Services.f. All other standard conditions of pretrial supervision. His lawyers argued that Combs poses no flight risk and that he has already missed several important family events due to his incarceration. "As just a few examples of what Mr. Combs has missed, since he has been incarcerated, he has missed the biggest moments in his daughters' life," the letter read. "He missed his twins' high school graduation — they did not have any parent there with them, because their mother, Kim Porter, tragically passed away in 2018. He missed his twins' prom. He has a minor daughter (2.5 years old) who has been without him for 9 months. He needs and wants to be with — and remain with — his family." A note from Deonte Nash, a celebrity stylist and friend of Cassie Ventura, was included in the prosecutors' letter stating why they are against Combs being released while he awaits sentencing. 'While I appreciate the fairness you have shown throughout this proceeding, I feel compelled to be unequivocal about the danger he poses to the public and to the individuals who have risked everything by coming forward,' Nash wrote, per the Associated Press. Nash continued, 'Mr. Combs has a long, well-documented history of violent, coercive, and retaliatory behavior. Over the years, he has repeatedly escaped meaningful accountability, and each time this has only reinforced his sense of impunity. If he is released now, I have no doubt he will see it as yet another license to continue intimidating, threatening, and harming people who challenge or expose him.' During the trial, Nash testified that Ventura was attacked by Combs. A hearing to determine whether Combs will be released on bail has been set for 5 p.m. ET. Combs has been held without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., since his arrest last September. Judge Arun Subramanian had requested that both sides submit letters containing their arguments for and against his release in writing ahead of the hearing. Sean Combs's mother, Janice Combs, who has been a constant presence throughout the trial, expressed satisfaction with the verdict in her son's case. "Yes, I was happy," she said when asked in the courthouse cafeteria if she approved of the jury's decision, according to NBC News. "Wouldn't you be happy?' Earlier, she was seen smiling and giving a thumbs-up as she exited the courthouse following the announcement of the verdict. The lawyer for singer Dawn Richard, who testified during the trial, was unhappy with the verdict. 'Today's split verdict is a disappointment, but the criminal charges are different than the civil claims we filed and have been fighting against Sean Combs,' Richard's attorney, Lisa Bloom, wrote in a statement obtained by the Associated Press. 'We will continue to aggressively fight our case until we obtain full and complete justice for Dawn.' Richard previously told jurors that Combs threatened to kill her if she told anyone that she saw him physically assault Cassie Ventura, his longtime girlfriend. According to her testimony, Combs threatened Richard and another woman who saw the attack, saying "we could go missing" if they ever told anyone about it. Rosie O'Donnell said she was angry about the Combs trial verdict, in which the jury found him not guilty of sex trafficking. "i guess a jury just never wants to believe that a woman stays because of power and coercion — wow —they just think women stay because what? money — fame — 'they love the abuse' — what a f***ing joke — this decision got me angry #cassie," O'Donnell wrote in an Instagram post on Wednesday morning. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rosie O'Donnell (@rosie) The "power of coercion" O'Donnell is referring to are counts two and four: sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion regarding Victim 1 (Cassie Ventura) and Victim 2 ("Jane"). Combs was found not guilty on both counts. No photographs or video recordings were allowed during the federal trial. So the only images from inside the courtroom as the verdict was announced were portraits by sketch artists, including Jane Rosenberg, who captured Combs looking back, pumping his fist and dropping to his knees underneath the defense table. Sean 'Diddy' Combs's longtime hip-hop rival 50 Cent, who mocked Combs on social media throughout the trial, posted a message on Instagram shortly after the jury found Combs guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted him on the more serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. 'Diddy beat the Feds that boy a bad man!' 50 Cent wrote on Instagram with clapping hands emojis. 'Beat the [RICO], he like the Gay John Gotti,' he added in a reference to the infamous mob boss who was similarly acquitted on racketeering charges. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 50 Cent (@50cent) Early in the trial, amid speculation that President Trump might pardon Combs, 50 Cent posted clips from past interviews of Combs criticizing Trump. "Trump don't like s*** like this, buddy," 50 Cent wrote in an Instagram post sharing one of the clips. "You run your mouth too much." The jury for Combs's trial was made up of 12 New Yorkers, eight men and four women, along with six alternates. One alternate was swapped in for a juror on June 16 after Judge Arun Subramanian expressed concern that the juror had been inconsistent about where he lived. Each juror has a college degree, and the group works in a variety of fields, with a few being retired. The group's ages ranged between 30 and 74 years old. Some have kids or live with family, and others live alone. Before the trial began in May, at least seven of the jurors said they had heard about the case before arriving at jury selection, but said they would remain unbiased during the trial, ABC News reported. Sean 'Diddy' Combs was found guilty of transporting his former girlfriends for prostitution but acquitted of the most serious charges: sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. Had he been convicted on either of those counts, Combs could have been facing a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Instead, he is facing 20 years in prison, as the two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution carry maximum sentences of 10 years apiece. Prosecutor Maurene Comey said that the government will seek the maximum possible sentence of 20 years, but the hip-hop mogul's defense team will argue he's a first-time offender who has already spent close to a year in jail. The final sentence will be up to a judge. Jay Clayton, acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, which prosecuted the case, released a statement in response to the verdict: Sex crimes deeply scar victims, and the disturbing reality is that sex crimes are all too present in many aspects of our society. Victims endure gut-wrenching physical and mental abuse, leading to lasting trauma. New Yorkers and all Americans want this scourge stopped and perpetrators brought to sex crimes requires brave victims to come forward and tell their harrowing stories. We and our law enforcement partners recognize the hardships victims endure and have prioritized a victim-centered approach to investigating and prosecuting these we recognize the important work of the SDNY's Civil Rights Unit as well as the tireless efforts of the women and men at [Homeland Security Investigations] who are devoted to combatting human trafficking. We thank the Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York, Digital Forensic Unit and the Complex Analytics and Social Media Enhancement (CASE) Team at the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. We would also like to thank our partners at the NYPD for their assistance in this matter and for sharing our victim-centered approach to combatting sex crimes. Judge Arun Subramanian concluded Wednesday's bail hearing after denying the defense's request that Combs be released on bond. The next step in the trial will be a remote hearing next Tuesday to discuss when sentencing should begin. Judge Arun Subramanian suggested that sentencing could begin in four months, but indicated that he would be open to moving up that date at the defense's request. Combs will remain in custody in the interim. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison after being convicted of two prostitution-related charges, though the actual sentence could be much shorter. The final decision will be up to the judge. Judge Arun Subramanian told the courtroom that he opted to deny Combs's request for release in part because his attorneys had admitted that he had a history of violent behavior over the course of the trial. "At trial, the defense conceded the defendant's violence in his personal relationships," he said, adding that the defense had failed to prove that Combs poses "no danger to any person." Subramanian added that Combs's duties as a father and son did not rise to the level that's necessary to allow an exception to the text of the law, which mandates detention in most cases. Judge Arun Subramanian has rejected the defense's request that Combs be released on a $1 million bond while he awaits sentencing, arguing that the detention is "mandatory" under the law for the crimes he was convicted of, per the New York Times. Judge Arun Subramanian will decide whether Combs can be released or if he will be forced to remain in custody as he awaits sentencing after being found guilty of two prostitution-related offenses. His lawyers have proposed that he be freed on a $1 million bond and agreed to have him face certain conditions upon his release, including surrendering his passport, submitting to drug testing and complying with strict restrictions on where he can travel within the U.S. "He needs and wants to be with — and remain with — his family," they wrote in a letter to the judge. The prosecution has urged the judge to deny Combs bail, arguing that he "continues to be a danger to others and is either unable or unwilling to follow the law." Doug Wigdor, Cassie Ventura's lawyer, submitted a separate letter to the judge stating that his client believes Combs "likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case, including herself, as well as to the community." In the lead-up to Combs's bail hearing to decide whether he will be released ahead of sentencing, his legal team has sent a second letter encouraging the judge to allow him to be released. In the letter, they accuse the prosecution of unfairly portraying Combs as "a monster who perpetrated a 20-year federal crime spree through a racketeering enterprise," adding that this depiction was "resoundingly rejected by the jury." The letter also discussed the notoriously dangerous conditions at the Brooklyn jail where Combs has been housed. "It would be unjust to continue detaining Mr. Combs at the [Metropolitan Detention Center] even one day longer, especially since — given the sentencing guidelines for these prostitution offenses — he would otherwise be entitled to serve any additional time imposed at a lower-security facility," they wrote. In the wake of the jury's decision, legal experts have been offering their views on why the prosecution was only able to secure guilty verdicts on two prostitution-related charges and not the more serious sex trafficking and racketeering charges. Ephraim Savitt, a former federal prosecutor in New York, told Business Insider that the prosecution overstepped by attempting to portray Combs as a "mob boss" — an accusation he says was unconvincing. "They were overreaching, and in my view, it was a mistake," Savitt said. "The jury just rejected the entire notion wholesale." Former Assistant District Attorney Julie Grant suggested on CNN that jurors may have relied on their own conceptions of what something like sex trafficking should look like rather than how those crimes are defined in the law. "[They] may not see the enterprise — they may not see the sex trafficking for what it literally is by law," she said. Criminal defense attorney Dina Doll told the Associated Press that the "dream team" of lawyers Combs was able to afford likely played a major role in the outcome of the case. "A typical criminal defendant cannot do that," she said. "I think that's where his fame and celebrity helped him." In a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian, federal prosecutors asked the judge to deny the defense's request for Combs to be released on bail, arguing that he should remain incarcerated while he awaits sentencing. The letter recounted much of what the government presented during the trial. "Over the course of seven weeks, the jury heard evidence of the defendant's violence, interstate transportation of numerous individuals for prostitution, drug use and distribution, and attempts to escape law enforcement detection," their letter read. "This conduct spanned two decades. At trial, the defendant did not walk away from these facts — indeed, the defendant embraced the fact that he was a habitual drug user who regularly engaged in domestic abuse." It also argued that Combs remains a danger to the community because he "brutally assaulted" a woman who testified at his trial under the pseudonym "Jane" three months before his September 2024 arrest — while he was aware he was under federal investigation. Prosecutors also pointed out that when Combs was ultimately taken into custody at a New York hotel, he was in possession of materials for a "freak off." "The defendant's conduct after he understood that he was under federal investigation underscores that he continues to be a danger to others and is either unable or unwilling to follow the law," prosecutors wrote. Doug Wigdor, Cassie Ventura's lawyer, submitted a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian requesting that Combs not be released from custody as he awaits sentencing. 'Ms. Ventura believes that Mr. Combs is likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case, including herself, as well as to the community,' Wigdor wrote in the letter, per CNN. In a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian, Combs's defense team outlined its proposed conditions for his release: a. A $1,000,000 bond;b. Co-signed by Sean Combs, his mother, his sister, and the mother of his oldest daughter;c. Mr. Combs's travel will be restricted to the Southern District of Florida, Central District of California and the Southern District of New York (to attend Court and meet with his counsel) as well as the Eastern District of New York or the District of New Jersey (only to the extent that his travel to and from New York involves an airport in those Districts);d. Mr. Combs's passport surrendered to Pretrial Services;e. Drug testing as ordered by Pretrial Services.f. All other standard conditions of pretrial supervision. His lawyers argued that Combs poses no flight risk and that he has already missed several important family events due to his incarceration. "As just a few examples of what Mr. Combs has missed, since he has been incarcerated, he has missed the biggest moments in his daughters' life," the letter read. "He missed his twins' high school graduation — they did not have any parent there with them, because their mother, Kim Porter, tragically passed away in 2018. He missed his twins' prom. He has a minor daughter (2.5 years old) who has been without him for 9 months. He needs and wants to be with — and remain with — his family." A note from Deonte Nash, a celebrity stylist and friend of Cassie Ventura, was included in the prosecutors' letter stating why they are against Combs being released while he awaits sentencing. 'While I appreciate the fairness you have shown throughout this proceeding, I feel compelled to be unequivocal about the danger he poses to the public and to the individuals who have risked everything by coming forward,' Nash wrote, per the Associated Press. Nash continued, 'Mr. Combs has a long, well-documented history of violent, coercive, and retaliatory behavior. Over the years, he has repeatedly escaped meaningful accountability, and each time this has only reinforced his sense of impunity. If he is released now, I have no doubt he will see it as yet another license to continue intimidating, threatening, and harming people who challenge or expose him.' During the trial, Nash testified that Ventura was attacked by Combs. A hearing to determine whether Combs will be released on bail has been set for 5 p.m. ET. Combs has been held without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., since his arrest last September. Judge Arun Subramanian had requested that both sides submit letters containing their arguments for and against his release in writing ahead of the hearing. Sean Combs's mother, Janice Combs, who has been a constant presence throughout the trial, expressed satisfaction with the verdict in her son's case. "Yes, I was happy," she said when asked in the courthouse cafeteria if she approved of the jury's decision, according to NBC News. "Wouldn't you be happy?' Earlier, she was seen smiling and giving a thumbs-up as she exited the courthouse following the announcement of the verdict. The lawyer for singer Dawn Richard, who testified during the trial, was unhappy with the verdict. 'Today's split verdict is a disappointment, but the criminal charges are different than the civil claims we filed and have been fighting against Sean Combs,' Richard's attorney, Lisa Bloom, wrote in a statement obtained by the Associated Press. 'We will continue to aggressively fight our case until we obtain full and complete justice for Dawn.' Richard previously told jurors that Combs threatened to kill her if she told anyone that she saw him physically assault Cassie Ventura, his longtime girlfriend. According to her testimony, Combs threatened Richard and another woman who saw the attack, saying "we could go missing" if they ever told anyone about it. Rosie O'Donnell said she was angry about the Combs trial verdict, in which the jury found him not guilty of sex trafficking. "i guess a jury just never wants to believe that a woman stays because of power and coercion — wow —they just think women stay because what? money — fame — 'they love the abuse' — what a f***ing joke — this decision got me angry #cassie," O'Donnell wrote in an Instagram post on Wednesday morning. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rosie O'Donnell (@rosie) The "power of coercion" O'Donnell is referring to are counts two and four: sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion regarding Victim 1 (Cassie Ventura) and Victim 2 ("Jane"). Combs was found not guilty on both counts. No photographs or video recordings were allowed during the federal trial. So the only images from inside the courtroom as the verdict was announced were portraits by sketch artists, including Jane Rosenberg, who captured Combs looking back, pumping his fist and dropping to his knees underneath the defense table. Sean 'Diddy' Combs's longtime hip-hop rival 50 Cent, who mocked Combs on social media throughout the trial, posted a message on Instagram shortly after the jury found Combs guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted him on the more serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. 'Diddy beat the Feds that boy a bad man!' 50 Cent wrote on Instagram with clapping hands emojis. 'Beat the [RICO], he like the Gay John Gotti,' he added in a reference to the infamous mob boss who was similarly acquitted on racketeering charges. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 50 Cent (@50cent) Early in the trial, amid speculation that President Trump might pardon Combs, 50 Cent posted clips from past interviews of Combs criticizing Trump. "Trump don't like s*** like this, buddy," 50 Cent wrote in an Instagram post sharing one of the clips. "You run your mouth too much." The jury for Combs's trial was made up of 12 New Yorkers, eight men and four women, along with six alternates. One alternate was swapped in for a juror on June 16 after Judge Arun Subramanian expressed concern that the juror had been inconsistent about where he lived. Each juror has a college degree, and the group works in a variety of fields, with a few being retired. The group's ages ranged between 30 and 74 years old. Some have kids or live with family, and others live alone. Before the trial began in May, at least seven of the jurors said they had heard about the case before arriving at jury selection, but said they would remain unbiased during the trial, ABC News reported. Sean 'Diddy' Combs was found guilty of transporting his former girlfriends for prostitution but acquitted of the most serious charges: sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. Had he been convicted on either of those counts, Combs could have been facing a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Instead, he is facing 20 years in prison, as the two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution carry maximum sentences of 10 years apiece. Prosecutor Maurene Comey said that the government will seek the maximum possible sentence of 20 years, but the hip-hop mogul's defense team will argue he's a first-time offender who has already spent close to a year in jail. The final sentence will be up to a judge. Jay Clayton, acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, which prosecuted the case, released a statement in response to the verdict: Sex crimes deeply scar victims, and the disturbing reality is that sex crimes are all too present in many aspects of our society. Victims endure gut-wrenching physical and mental abuse, leading to lasting trauma. New Yorkers and all Americans want this scourge stopped and perpetrators brought to sex crimes requires brave victims to come forward and tell their harrowing stories. We and our law enforcement partners recognize the hardships victims endure and have prioritized a victim-centered approach to investigating and prosecuting these we recognize the important work of the SDNY's Civil Rights Unit as well as the tireless efforts of the women and men at [Homeland Security Investigations] who are devoted to combatting human trafficking. We thank the Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York, Digital Forensic Unit and the Complex Analytics and Social Media Enhancement (CASE) Team at the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. We would also like to thank our partners at the NYPD for their assistance in this matter and for sharing our victim-centered approach to combatting sex crimes.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Elizabeth Hurley stuns in leopard print swimsuit, shares intimate detail about Billy Ray Cyrus relationship
Elizabeth Hurley is officially in summer mode. On July 1, the 'Austin Powers' star posted a photo of herself on Instagram enjoying some sunshine while aboard a small boat. Wearing a leopard-print swimsuit, Hurley gave a smile as a rainbow was on full display across the sky behind her. 'Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue, And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true,' she wrote in the caption. 'Thank you for sharing our song in such a sweet… beautiful… and truly wholesome way!!!! You are one of a kind young lady!!! Truly an original,' her boyfriend, country superstar Billy Ray Cyrus, commented. Cyrus just released a new cover of the classic song 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' with artists Micki Free and Buck 22, with all proceeds of the single benefitting the National Museum of African American Music. Fans were quick to share their positive feedback in the comment section. 'Smile, joy, femininity, sex appeal, grace, allure, beauty, beautiful body, knowledge, experience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, principles…, it's a wonder this speedboat didn't sink from the weight of Elizabeth's qualities,' one fan wrote. 4 Elizabeth Hurley smiles for a picture while on a boat, wearing a leopard print swimsuit. Instagram / Elizabeth Hurley 4 Elizabeth Hurley celebrates her relationship with Billy Ray Cyrus in an instagram post on June 10, 2025. Instagram/@billyraycyrus 'Damn girl … you've still got it. I think you and Billy make a cool couple. Hope it works out for you both,' another wrote. Hurley debuted her new romance with the country singer on Easter Sunday. In a photo posted on Instagram, Cyrus had his arm wrapped around Hurley and was kissing her on the cheek, as she leaned into his body. 4 Billy Ray Cyrus and Elizabeth Hurley attend The Lost City immersive event in Covent Garden June 21, 2025. MM/WA / Hurley gushed about her relationship while speaking with European news outlet RTL TV in May. 'We are very happy, we both love country music, we both love the country, and we both love our kids. We're happy together,' she told the outlet, per People. The new couple previously worked together with Kelsey Grammer on the 2022 romantic comedy, 'Christmas in Paradise.' 4 Hurley gushed about her relationship while speaking with European news outlet RTL TV in May. MM/WA / When speaking about his relationship, Cyrus told 'The Ty Bentli Show' that while they didn't share many scenes together on screen, anytime 'we were in the same scene, there was a chemistry there,' and that she would make him laugh during a hard time in his life. 'It's just been beautiful,' Cyrus said, adding there are 'no expectations of where we go from here other than her and her son. I do love him a lot, and it's great that God brought them into my life when he did. It's just a good thing. It's been a long time since I've been this happy.'
Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Associated Press
For Sean 'Diddy' Combs, could a lesser conviction mean a greater public rehabilitation?
For nearly two years, a nearly nonstop parade of allegations and revelations has ravaged and unraveled Sean 'Diddy' Combs' carefully cultivated reputation as an affable celebrity entrepreneur, A-list party host, Grammy-winning artist and music executive, brand ambassador and reality TV star. It culminated in a verdict Wednesday that saw Combs acquitted of the most serious sex trafficking charges, though guilty of two lesser ones. The stratospheric heights of his previous life may be impossible to regain, but the question remains whether a partial conviction could mean a partial public rehabilitation, or if too much damage has been done. 'Combs managed to avoid becoming the next R. Kelly,' said Evan Nierman, CEO and president of crisis public relations firm Red Banyan, referring to the R&B superstar convicted of similar sex trafficking charges as those that Combs beat. Combs, 55, has yet to be sentenced and faces the likelihood of prison time, but he no longer faces the prospect of spending most of the rest of his life behind bars. While the law allows for a prison sentence of up to 10 years, the lawyers in the case said in court filings that guidelines suggest a term that could be as short as 21 months or last more than five years. 'This is a very positive outcome overall for him. And it does give him an opportunity to try to rebuild his life,' Nierman said. 'It won't be the same, but at least he's likely going to be out there in the world and able to move forward.' Moving on from the jokes that 'will haunt him forever' The case had a broad reach across media that made Combs a punchline as much as a villain. Talk shows, 'Saturday Night Live' and social media posters milked it for jokes about 'freak-offs' and the voluminous amounts of baby oil he had for the sex marathons. 'There are definitely terms which have now become part of the popular lexicon that never existed pre-Diddy trial, including things like 'freak-off,'' Nierman said. 'The images that were painted in the trial and some of the evidence that was introduced is going to stick with him for a long time.' Danny Deraney, who has worked in crisis communications for celebrities as CEO of Deraney Public Relations, agreed. 'The jokes will haunt him forever,' Deraney said. Managing public narratives — something Combs has previously excelled at — will be essential. He could cast himself as a tough survivor who took on the feds and came out ahead, or as a contrite Christian seeking redemption, or both. 'It's a powerful thing for the hip-hop mogul to go public and brag that he beat the rap and that the feds tried to come after him and they failed,' Nierman said. 'I could definitely see him leaning into that.' Nierman said the fight 'now will become part of the Sean Combs mythology.' Combs fell to his knees and prayed in the courtroom after he was acquitted Wednesday of sex trafficking and racketeering charges. The moment by all accounts was spontaneous but could also be read as the start of a revival narrative. 'No matter what you're accused of, it's what you do to redeem yourself on the way back,' Deraney said. 'Is he redeemable? Those are still heavy charges he was guilty of. It's tough to say; people have had these charges hanging over their heads and were able to move on.' The long fall Combs has been behind bars since his September arrest and will remain jailed while he awaits sentencing. His long reputational fall began when his former longtime girlfriend and R&B singer Cassie, the criminal trial's key witness, sued him in November 2023, alleging years of sexual and physical abuse. He settled the next day for $20 million, but the lawsuit set off a storm of similar allegations from other women and men. Most of the lawsuits are still pending. The Associated Press does not typically name people who say they have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly, as Cassie, born Casandra Ventura, has. The revelation last year of a major federal sex trafficking investigation on the day of a bicoastal raid of Combs' houses took the allegations to another level of seriousness and public knowledge. The later revelation that feds had seized 1,000 bottles of baby oil and other lubricant entered the popular culture immediately. Fellow celebrities were called out for past Diddy associations — though no others were implicated in the criminal allegations. The May 2024 leak of a video of Combs beating Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway eight years earlier was arguably just as damaging, if not more, than the initial wave of allegations. It brought a rare public apology, in an earnestly presented Instagram video two days later. Nierman called the video, shown at trial, 'something people aren't just going to forget.' Shortly after Combs' apology, New York City Mayor Eric Adams requested he return a key to the city he'd gotten at a ceremony in 2023. Howard University rescinded an honorary degree it had awarded him and ended a scholarship program in his name. He sold off his stake in Revolt, the media company he'd founded more than a decade earlier. Combs is not about to get the key, or the degree, back. But he could pick up the pieces of his reputation to salvage something from it. Deraney said it may require 'some kind of come-to-Jesus moment where he owns up to it.' 'Really what it's going to come down to is if he goes to prison, will it change him?' Deraney said. 'Has he changed at all during this whole processes? I don't know.'
