Diddy convicted over prostitution, cleared of others
Sean "Diddy" Combs was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking. (AP PHOTO) Credit: AAP
Sean "Diddy" Combs has been found guilty of prostitution-related offences but cleared of more serious charges after a criminal trial in which two of the music mogul's former girlfriends testified that he physically and sexually abused them.
Combs was convicted of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking, a partial win for the former billionaire known for elevating hip-hop in US culture.
After the jury read its verdict, defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo asked Subramanian to release Combs on bail.
"This is his first conviction and it's a prostitution offence, and so he should be released on appropriate conditions," Agnifilo said.
Combs faces a maximum 10-year prison sentence on each of the two prostitution counts.
US District Judge Arun Subramanian will determine Combs' sentence at a later date.
The acquittals on the sex trafficking counts means he will avoid a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence.
He could have faced life in prison if he were convicted on sex trafficking or racketeering conspiracy.
Prosecutors say Combs for two decades used his business empire to force two of his romantic partners to take part in drug-fuelled, days-long sexual performances sometimes known as "Freak Offs" with male sex workers in hotel rooms while Combs watched and occasionally filmed.
During raids of Combs' homes, authorities found drugs and 1000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant that he would use in the performances, prosecutors said.
Combs, 55, had pleaded not guilty to all five counts.
His lawyers acknowledged that the Bad Boy Records founder, once famed for hosting lavish parties for the cultural elite in luxurious locales like the Hamptons and Saint-Tropez, was at times violent in his domestic relationships.
But they said the sexual activity described by prosecutors was consensual.
The seven-week trial in Manhattan federal court exposed the inner workings of Combs' business empire and gave the 12-member jury an intimate look into his volatile romantic relationships with the rhythm and blues singer Casandra "Cassie" Ventura and a woman known in court by the pseudonym Jane.
Ventura sued Combs in November 2023 for sex trafficking, the first of dozens of civil lawsuits accusing him of abuse.
Combs, also known throughout his career as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy and once feted for turning artists like Notorious B.I.G. and Usher into stars, settled with Ventura for $US20 million ($A30 million).
He has denied all wrongdoing.
At the trial, jurors saw surveillance footage from 2016 showing Combs kicking and dragging Ventura in the hallway of an InterContinental hotel in Los Angeles, where she said she was trying to leave a "Freak Off".
According to prosecutors, physical violence was just one way Combs compelled Ventura and Jane to take part in the performances - an act of coercion they say amounts to sex trafficking because the male escorts were paid.
Both women testified that he threatened to withhold financial support and to leak sexually explicit images of them if they refused to comply.
"The defendant used power, violence and fear to get what he wanted," prosecutor Christy Slavik said in her closing argument on June 26.
"He doesn't take no for an answer."
Combs' defence lawyers argued that while Combs may have committed domestic violence in the context of volatile romantic partnerships, his conduct did not amount to sex trafficking.
They argued that Ventura and Jane were strong, independent women who voluntarily took part in the sexual performances because they wanted to please Combs.
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"That second round can be a lot more powerful than the first breach and then there is the risk of customers not knowing to be alert to any emails or phone calls from Qantas as suspicious," La Trobe University's Daswin De Silva told AAP. "These emails can be sent very quickly ... phishing or other impersonation attacks could have happened in those 48 hours." Qantas representatives should come forward and explain why there was a 48-hour delay in notifying customers of the scam risk, Professor De Silva added. He speculated the delay was likely due to Qantas figuring out whether other systems had been compromised and deploying security measures to dispel the cyber criminals. Qantas confirmed that scammers were already impersonating the airline in the wake of the attack and told customers to be vigilant. The airline has been contacted for comment about the notification delay. The company on Friday provided an update confirming that credit card details, personal financial information, passport details and Qantas Frequent Flyer accounts were not exposed. However, customers will have to wait several days longer for an individual update on which personal details were compromised due to the hack. "I want to apologise again for the uncertainty this has caused," chief executive Vanessa Hudson said. "We're committed to keeping our affected customers informed with regular updates as our investigation progresses." Qantas, which has been working with government authorities to investigate the incident, said there has been no further threat to its systems and additional security measures have been put in place. Australian Federal Police confirmed they were investigating and the airline had been "highly engaged" with authorities. Qantas has remained tight-lipped about who it believes is behind the attack and no cyber criminal groups have taken responsibility. 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Since the attack was revealed, Qantas has received more than 5000 customer inquiries. Legal experts suggest the incident could lead to a class action against Qantas after compensation claims were made against Optus and Medibank following major breaches in 2022.
