US prosecutors to judge: ‘Imprison Diddy for 11 years’

New York: US federal prosecutors have urged a Manhattan judge to hand down a sentence of more than 11 years in prison for music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was convicted in July on prostitution-related charges.

In a filing submitted Tuesday, prosecutors asked US District Judge Arun Subramanian to impose “at least 135 months’ imprisonment” and a $500,000 fine. Combs, 55, will be formally sentenced on Friday.

The Bad Boy Records founder was convicted on two counts of transporting male prostitutes across state lines for drug-fueled sexual performances involving his girlfriends, while he allegedly watched, filmed, and pleasured himself.

The jury, however, acquitted him of the more severe racketeering and sex trafficking charges—offenses that carried the possibility of life imprisonment. Combs has maintained his innocence and is expected to appeal.

His defense team last week argued for a sentence of just 14 months, pointing out that Combs has already spent time in custody since his arrest on September 16, 2024. Under that timeline, they said, he could be released by the end of the year.

During the two-month trial, prosecutors detailed how Combs orchestrated what were referred to as “Freak Offs,” claiming he coerced two former girlfriends into participating.

Both women testified that he physically assaulted them and threatened to withdraw financial support if they refused.

Defense attorneys countered that there was no evidence directly linking alleged domestic violence to the women’s participation, a line of reasoning that ultimately helped Combs avoid convictions on the trafficking and racketeering charges.

Once a towering figure in hip-hop credited with bringing the genre into mainstream American culture, Combs now faces the prospect of spending over a decade in federal prison.