Celebs react as Diddy is found not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering
Famous faces have joined the public in sharing their shock at Sean ' P Diddy ' Combs being found not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering. The rapper, 55, dropped to his knees in court as a jury of eight men and four women acquitted him of the two most serious counts against him today (Wednesday, July 2).
The Bad Boy Records founder was found guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution, relating to ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura and a woman referred to as Jane. During the two month trial, the court heard how Combs had flown people around the country, including his girlfriends and paid male sex workers, to engage in sexual encounters, a felony violation of the federal Mann Act.
However, Combs has now been acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges, relating to allegations that he forced his former girlfriends into drug-fuelled sex encounters – known as 'Freak-Offs.'
And following the announcement, celebrities took to social media to let their feelings be known. Among them was singer Aubrey O'Day. Taking to her Instagram Stories, she shared a clip of reports of the verdict.
She captioned the post: "Wow." And she could be heard saying: "Oh my God. Not guilty on Cassie. Not guilty on Rico. No way is Jane going to be guilty. This makes me physically ill."
50 Cent also shared an image of himself, created using AI, as he wrote: "Diddy beat the Feds that boy a bad man ! beat the Rico, he the Gay John Gotti."
Piers Morgan also typed: "Wow...." as he reshared the verdict on Twitter/X. He had earlier penned: "Diddy's going down. Just a question now of how many convictions he gets, and how long a sentence…
The reactions come as Cassie also spoke out after the verdict. Her lawyer issued a statement saying: "This entire criminal process started when our client Cassie Ventura had the courage to file her civil complaint in November 2023.
"Although the jury did not find Combs guilty of sex trafficking Cassie beyond a reasonable doubt, she paved the way for a jury to find him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution.
"By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice.
"We must repeat – with no reservation – that we believe and support our client who showed exemplary courage throughout this trial.
"She displayed unquestionable strength and brought attention to the realities of powerful men in our orbit and the misconduct that has persisted for decades without repercussion. This case proved that change is long overdue, and we will continue to fight on behalf of survivors.'
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