Sean “Diddy” Combs’s attorneys said they will appeal his sentence of 4 years and 2 months in prison for prostitution-related charges.
The disgraced music titan, 55, was convicted in July on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, also known as the Mann Act. Combs begged Judge Arun Subramanian for “mercy” and acknowledged his behavior was “disgusting, shameful and sick. However, Subramanian said that a “substantial sentence must be given.”
Now, Combs’s attorneys say they will appeal the sentence. His defense attorney, Brian Steel, called it “un-American” in an interview with CNN.
“People get — god forbid — falsely accused of a crime, they go to trial, they have all the witnesses testify, credibility is determined, the jury reaches a verdict, and finds in their favor — and then they get sentenced for the same exact conduct that the jury found that they did not commit,” Steel said. “It seems un-American.”
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo also said the sentence was “unconstitutional” and claimed the judge used the word “coercion” at least a dozen times, even though the jury “found that there was not coercion.”
The prosecution wanted Combs to receive at least 11 years in prison, while the defense argued for a more lenient sentence of 14 months.
Key Points
- Sean 'Diddy' Combs sentenced to 4 years and 2 months in prison
- Sean 'Diddy' Combs addresses the court for the first time, apologizes to Cassie Ventura
- Combs apologizes for attacking girlfriend in letter to judge
- Cassie Ventura's attorney: 'Sentence recognizes impact of serious offenses he committed'
- Diddy apologizes to domestic violence victims
BREAKING: Sean “Diddy” Combs has been sentenced to 4 years and 2 months in prison
Friday 3 October 2025 21:45
,
Rhian Lubin
BREAKING: Sean “Diddy” Combs has been sentenced to 4 years and 2 months in prison after being convicted of prostitution-related charges.
"There is light at the end of the tunnel," judge tells Diddy
07:00
,
Katie Hawkinson
Judge Arun Subramanian told Diddy that there is “light at the end of the tunnel” for him and his family.
He acknowledged in court that the mogul was in a “dark place” right now, but he would pull through with the support of his loved ones.
“This is hard time in prison, away from your family, friends and community, but you will have a life afterward,” Subramanian said.
“All those letters that I saw, show that you have a universe of people who love you,” he added. “Let them lift you up now, just like you’ve lifted them up for so many years.”
What did Diddy say in court during his sentencing hearing?
06:00
,
Katie Hawkinson
Sean “Diddy” Combs begged Judge Arun Subramanian for “mercy” in his first statement to the court on Friday.
“I ask your honor for mercy, I beg your honor for mercy,” he said.
He began the statement by apologizing to his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura.
“One of the hardest things that I’ve had to handle is having to be quiet. Not being able to express how sorry I am for my actions,” Combs said.
“I want to personally apologize again to Cassie Ventura for any harm or hurt that I’ve caused her – emotionally or physically,” he added.
Combs added that his behavior was “disgusting, shameful and sick.”
ICYMI: Judge says he is proud of the "brave" women who came forward
05:01
,
Katie Hawkinson
Judge Arun Subramanian praised the women who came forward to testify in Sean “Diddy” Combs’s trial and said he was “proud” of their bravery.
“To Ms. Ventura and the other brave survivors that came forward, I want to say first: We heard you,” Subramanian said.
“I am proud of you for coming to the court to tell the world what really happened,” he added.
Where will Diddy serve his sentence?
04:20
,
Katie Hawkinson
It’s still unclear where Sean “Diddy” Combs will serve out the remainder of his sentence.
His lawyers said they could suggest a prison facility early next week.
Combs was first arrested in September 2024, and he’ll get credit for the time he’s already spent in custody. With good behavior, he could serve as little as two and a half years behind bars.
I had a prime seat for Diddy’s last act and one thing is clear: The show is over
03:45
,
Kelly Rissman
Ten minutes after 10 a.m. Friday, Sean “Diddy” Combs walked into the federal courtroom — the familiar one he sat in for his eight-week trial — one final time for his sentencing hearing.
The music mogul hugged his attorneys, waved to his family sitting in the pews, and sat down for what would be a dramatic six-hour hearing that determined his fate for the next four years.
“I don't care about the fame or the money or making records or performing,” the award-winning rapper declared in his first remarks to the court. But by that point, his legions of fans, both inside and outside the courthouse, had already been presented with a show — the last act of his farewell tour. I had a prime seat.
Watch: Sean "Diddy" Combs' lawyer dockets emotional video ahead of court sentencing
03:15
,
Katie Hawkinson
Sean “Diddy” Combs’s defense team played an 11-minute video in court today, depicting the music mogul as a doting father and partner to the late Kim Porter.
Watch a clip from the video below:
In pictures: Diddy's mother leaves courthouse after sentencing
02:45
,
Katie Hawkinson
Diddy's attorney calls sentence 'unconstitutional'
02:15
,
Katie Hawkinson
Sean “Diddy” Combs’s defense attorney, Marc Agnifilo, called Judge Arun Subramanian’s sentence “unconstitutional.”
“We think we have strong bases to appeal,” Agnifilo said outside the courthouse on Friday. “The strongest basis is that the jury reached a verdict on coercion, it found there was not coercion, and I think the judge said ‘coercion’ today as a basis for a sentence at least a dozen times.”
“We think that that is unconstitutional,” he added.
ICYMI: Diddy wrote a begging letter to judge on eve of sentencing
01:30
,
Katie Hawkinson
Just one day before he was sentenced to more than four years in prison, Sean “Diddy” Combs wrote a four-page letter to Judge Arun Subramanian.
In the letter, Combs expressed remorse and detailed his struggles while in custody.
“Over the past year there have been so many times that I wanted to give up,” he wrote. “There have been some days I thought I would be better off dead. The old me died in jail and a new version of me was reborn. Prison will change you or kill you – I choose to live.”
Read more:
Diddy's attorney calls sentence "un-American"
01:05
,
Katie Hawkinson
Sean “Diddy” Combs’s attorney, Brian Steel, told CNN on Friday night that Judge Arun Subramanian’s sentence was “un-American.”
“People get — god forbid — falsely accused of a crime, they go to trial, they have all the witnesses testify, credibility is determined, the jury reaches a verdict, and finds in their favor — and then they get sentenced for the same exact conduct that the jury found that they did not commit,” Steel said. “It seems un-American.”
Marc Agnifilo, another one of Combs’s attorneys, said that the team believes they have a “strong basis to appeal.”
ICYMI: Diddy says his behavior was 'disgusting, shameful and sick'
Saturday 4 October 2025 00:40
,
Katie Hawkinson
Sean “Diddy” Combs said his behavior was “disgusting, shameful and sick” while speaking in court moments before Judge Arun Subramanian sentenced him.
“I was sick, sick from the drugs. I was out of control, I needed help, and I didn't get the help, and I cannot make no excuse because my mother taught me.”
He turned to his mother in the gallery and told her: “I failed you as a son, and I’m sorry.”
Will Combs get credit for time served?
Saturday 4 October 2025 00:20
,
Katie Hawkinson
Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced to four years and two months in prison today.
However, he will get credit for time served since his September 2024 arrest, ABC News reports. Combs has been incarcerated for the last 12 months at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Watch: Attorney Gloria Allred gives statement following Sean 'Diddy' Combs sentencing
Saturday 4 October 2025 00:00
,
Katie Hawkinson
Courtroom sketches depict moment judge sentenced Diddy
Friday 3 October 2025 23:40
,
Katie Hawkinson
Watch: Sean 'Diddy' Combs's family leaves court after sentencing
Friday 3 October 2025 23:15
,
Katie Hawkinson
Gloria Allred says clients 'comforted' Combs will be in jail for several years
Friday 3 October 2025 22:55
,
Katie Hawkinson
Gloria Allred, a high-profile attorney representing some of Sean “Diddy” Combs’s accusers, said her clients are “comforted” now that he’s been sentenced to more than four years in prison.
“Many of my clients were very concerned that he might walk free by the end of this year...and they were very much afraid that he would retaliate against them,” she said outside the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Courthouse in Manhattan.
“So I think that they will be happy that he will be at least in prison for a number of years. I think they’ll feel comforted on that,” she added.
Lawyer says Combs's sentence may encourage others to come forward
Friday 3 October 2025 22:39
,
Katie Hawkinson
Arick Fudali, an attorney who represents others who have sued Sean “Diddy” Combs, issued a statement on the music mogul’s sentencing, according to CNN.
“I appreciate the judge’s focus on the victims and devastation Mr. Combs inflicted on their lives,” he said in the statement. “I hope the fact that someone as notorious, wealthy, famous as Mr. Combs will be spending years in prison for his crimes will encourage other victims who are suffering in silence to come forward and confront their abuser, no matter how powerful he may appear.”
Full story: Judge rips into Sean Combs as he hands down 4-year sentence for ‘freak off’ crimes
Friday 3 October 2025 22:26
,
Katie Hawkinson
Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced to more than four years in prison today after being convicted on prostitution-related charges in July.
Kelly Rissman has the full story:
Cassie Ventura's attorney: "Sentence recognizes impact of serious offenses he committed"
Friday 3 October 2025 22:10
,
Rhian Lubin
Cassie Ventura’s attorney has said today’s sentence “recognizes the impact” of the seriousness of the offenses Diddy committed.
“While nothing can undo the trauma caused by Combs, the sentence imposed today recognizes the impact of the serious offenses he committed,” said Doug Wigdor.
“We are confident that with the support of her family and friends, Ms. Ventura will continue healing knowing that her bravery and fortitude have been an inspiration to so many.”
Where will Diddy serve out his sentence?
Friday 3 October 2025 22:06
,
Rhian Lubin
We don’t yet know where Diddy will serve out the rest of his sentence.
His lawyers said they could suggest a prison facility at the beginning of next week.
Diddy has been in prison since September 2024. With good behavior, he could serve as little as two and a half years behind bars.
Pictured: Scene outside the courthouse
Friday 3 October 2025 22:05
,
Rhian Lubin
"There is light at the end of the tunnel" - Judge to Diddy
Friday 3 October 2025 22:00
,
Rhian Lubin
The judge has told Diddy that there is “light at the end of the tunnel” for him and his family.
He acknowledged that the mogul was in a “dark place” right now, but he would pull through with the support of his loved ones.
“This is hard time in prison, away from your family, friends and community, but you will have a life afterward,” Subramanian said.
“All those letters that I saw, show that you have a universe of people who love you,” the judge said. “Let them lift you up now, just like you’ve lifted them up for so many years.”
Judge says he is proud of the "brave" women who came forward
Friday 3 October 2025 21:52
,
Rhian Lubin
The judge praised the women who came forward to testify in Diddy’s trial and said he was “proud” of their bravery.
“To Ms. Ventura and the other brave survivors that came forward, I want to say first: We heard you,” Subramanian said.
“I am proud of you for coming to the court to tell the world what really happened,” he said.
Judge also slaps Diddy with maximum $500,000 fine
Friday 3 October 2025 21:50
,
Rhian Lubin
In addition to the 4-year prison sentence, Judge Arun Subramanian has slapped Diddy with a $500,000 fine, which is the maximum possible.
Journalists in the courthouse report that Diddy’s hands were clasped tightly as the sentence came in.
Judge: "Substantial sentence must be given"
Friday 3 October 2025 21:40
,
Rhian Lubin
The judge has said the court is “not assured” that if Diddy is released, the crimes “will not be committed again.”
“A substantial sentence must be given,” he said.
Judge acknowledges how Diddy "lifted up and inspired" communities
Friday 3 October 2025 21:36
,
Rhian Lubin
The judge has acknowledged how Diddy has “lifted up and inspired” communities.
“That’s especially impressive given the early violent death of your father and the trauma that must’ve left,” Subramanian said.
Judge Arun Subramanian about to sentence Diddy
Friday 3 October 2025 21:32
,
Rhian Lubin
Judge Arun Subramanian is now summing up before delivering Diddy’s sentence.
“A history of good works can't wash away the record in this case. You abused these women,” the judge said. “You used that abuse to get your way, freak offs and hotel nights. The evidence of the abuse is massive,” journalist Matthew Lee reports from the courthouse.
Diddy steps down from the stand
Friday 3 October 2025 21:25
,
Rhian Lubin
Diddy has finished his address to the judge.
The judge has adjourned for a 5-minute break.
Diddy apologizes to domestic violence victims
Friday 3 October 2025 21:22
,
Rhian Lubin
Diddy has apologized to domestic violence victims who he says were triggered by the “disgusting despicable video” of him beating Cassie Ventura in 2016.
“I don’t have nobody to blame but myself,” he told the judge. “I know I’ll never put my hands on another person again. I know that I’ve learned my lesson.”
Diddy begs judge to show 'mercy' in sentencing
Friday 3 October 2025 21:18
,
Rhian Lubin
Diddy has begged Judge Arun Subramanian to show mercy in his sentencing.
“I ask your honor for mercy, I beg your honor for mercy,” he said.
“I ask your honor for a chance to be a father again. I ask your honor for a chance to be a son again. I ask your honor for a chance to be a leader in my community again.”
Echoing what he wrote in his four-page letter to the judge, Diddy said he was “lost.”
“I got lost. I’m not this bad person,” he implored the judge. “I’m sorry to my community for letting y’all down.”
Diddy: Behavior was 'disgusting, shameful and sick'
Friday 3 October 2025 21:13
,
Rhian Lubin
Diddy says his behavior was “disgusting, shameful and sick.”
“I was sick, sick from the drugs. I was out of control, I needed help and i didn't get the help and I cannot make no excuse because my mother taught me.”
He turned to his mother in the gallery and told her: “I failed you as a son, and I’m sorry.”
BREAKING: Sean “Diddy” Combs addresses the court for the first time
Friday 3 October 2025 21:09
,
Rhian Lubin
Sean “Diddy” Combs is addressing the court for the first time as he makes a final bid to the judge for a lesser sentence.
He begins by apologizing to his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura.
“One of the hardest things that I’ve had to handle is having to be quiet. Not being able to express how sorry I am for my actions,” he began.
“I want to personally apologize again to Cassie Ventura for any harm or hurt that I’ve caused her – emotionally or physically.”
Court breaks for 10 minutes before Diddy has final word
Friday 3 October 2025 20:55
,
Rhian Lubin
The court is breaking for 10 minutes before Diddy gets his chance to speak directly to the judge.
Prosecution: 'Defendant is a master puppeteer'
Friday 3 October 2025 20:51
,
Rhian Lubin
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik is delivering her rebuttal and argues in her final remarks that Diddy is “a master puppeteer.”
Prosecution is now giving rebuttal before Diddy set to address the court
Friday 3 October 2025 20:46
,
Rhian Lubin
The prosecution is now giving a rebuttal to what the defense has laid out today.
We have heard from five of Diddy’s defense attorneys this afternoon, his children, and other associates who have all argued he should be released.
Diddy is anticipated to speak very soon and will get the last word.
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo makes brief remarks before Diddy set to have final word
Friday 3 October 2025 20:38
,
Rhian Lubin
Lead defense attorney Marc Agnifilo has made some brief remarks, where he spoke of Diddy’s childhood trauma, clearing the way for Diddy to speak next.
Agnifilo suggested his client should have “the last word” before the judge delivers the sentence.
'Mr Combs is not a pimp' - defense attorney
Friday 3 October 2025 20:23
,
Rhian Lubin
The court has heard from a Florida preacher who is arguing that Diddy should be rehabilitated instead of incarcerated.
Rev. Gary Johnson said he would take personal responsibility for Diddy’s rehabilitation if the judge releases him today.
We have also just heard from another of Diddy’s defense attorneys, Xavier Donaldson, who is arguing against the prosecution’s contention that Diddy behaved “like a pimp.”
“The government equates Sean Combs with a pimp. I want to be clear Mr. Combs is not a pimp," Donaldson said.
Marc Agnifilo, the lead defense attorney in the case, is due to speak next.
Defense responds to Miami events Diddy was booked to appear at next week
Friday 3 October 2025 20:10
,
Rhian Lubin
The defense has responded to a “teaching engagement” Diddy was arranged to speak at in Miami next week, which the prosecution described as “the height of hubris,” given he is facing years in prison.
An event in Miami was slated for October 6, next week.
It was not a “speaking engagement,” according to Steel, but a “healing for Sean as well as the community.”
Another defense attorney is set to address this further soon, according to Steel.
Pictured: Diddy and defense team featured in court sketches
Friday 3 October 2025 20:05
,
Rhian Lubin
More court sketches have landed from inside the sentencing.
They show Diddy wearing glasses, sat between several of his defense team.
Diddy was nearly stabbed in prison, his lawyer says
Friday 3 October 2025 20:02
,
Rhian Lubin
Sean “Diddy” Combs was nearly stabbed in prison by another inmate, according to his defense attorney.
Combs has been in Brooklyn’s notorious Metropolitan Detention Center since his arrest in September 2024 and has become “a trophy” among inmates, according to defense attorney Brian Steel.
“The guards stopped a person who was armed with a shank who was on top of Sean and about to cut him,” Steele said.
More time in custody 'is not the way we treat drug addiction today'
Friday 3 October 2025 19:55
,
Rhian Lubin
Diddy “does not need any additional time in custody,” his defense attorney argued. “That is not the way we treat” drug addiction today, he added.
Steele said that the disgraced rapper has “punished himself more than anyone will be able to punish him.”
'He was high every single day'
Friday 3 October 2025 19:50
,
Rhian Lubin
Diddy was “high every single day” after his best friend, Christopher Wallace, aka Biggie Smalls, was murdered in 1997, his attorney said.
After the murder, Diddy got hooked on painkillers following a medical procedure, said defense attorney Brian Steel said.
“He was medicating because his body was hurt and his emotions were hurt. But he never stopped working. And all of that, the drug addiction and the trauma — untreated, your honor — caused him to hit, on occasion... the woman he loved.”
He added that Diddy is “haunted” by the violence he inflicted on his victims and remembers “every strike.”
“Sean wants nothing for himself,” Steele added. “This sentence today is not about him. He wants to get back to his family, for them.”
What is Diddy likely to say as he addresses the court for the first time?
Friday 3 October 2025 19:40
,
Rhian Lubin
Diddy has already given a glimpse of what he could say in his anticipated address to the court.
On the eve of his sentencing, he said in a four-page letter to the judge that he is a new man after realizing that he was “broken to my core” and wondering at times if he was better off dead.
“Over the past year there have been so many times that I wanted to give up,” Combs wrote. “There have been some days I thought I would be better off dead. The old me died in jail and a new version of me was reborn. Prison will change you or kill you – I choose to live.”
Combs wrote that the last two years have been the hardest of his life, adding: “And I have no one to blame for my current reality and situation but myself.”
He continued: “In my life, I have made many mistakes, but I am no longer running from them. I am so sorry for the hurt that I caused, but I understand that the mere words ‘I’m sorry’ will never be good enough as these words alone cannot erase the pain from the past.”
While he made references to the horrifying assault he inflicted upon ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, and apologized to “Jane,” another victim of his years-long abuse, the letter was mostly about himself.
Read more below:
Defense lawyer: 'Diddy has untreated trauma’
Friday 3 October 2025 19:27
,
Rhian Lubin
Court has resumed for the afternoon and we’re now hearing from Diddy’s defense lawyer, Brian Steel, who is talking about the mogul’s “untreated trauma.”
He says the trauma, coupled with Diddy’s “ferocious drug addiction,” has contributed to his misconduct.
Steel tells the judge about the impact the murder of Diddy’s father had on him when he was just three years old, which the rapper mentioned in his own letter to the judge.
After his father was murdered, Steel told the judge how Diddy’s uncle overdosed on drugs a few years later in an addiction that “later in life would haunt also Sean.”
The attorney, the third of five defense lawyers to speak on behalf of Diddy, calls his client “the hardest working person that I have ever known.”
New: Court sketches show an emotional Diddy
Friday 3 October 2025 19:13
,
Rhian Lubin
Court sketches have just dropped and show Diddy looking emotional as he listened to his children speak in his defense.
Recap: What's happened so far at Diddy's sentencing
Friday 3 October 2025 19:00
,
Rhian Lubin
- It’s been a tense morning so far at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Courthouse in Manhattan
- The prosecution is seeking a more lengthy sentence of 11 years and 3 months from Judge Arun Subramanian, while the defense argues Diddy should receive a maximum of 14 months
- The judge has signaled that Diddy is likely to receive somewhere between 5 and 7 years in prison for the two prostitution-related charges, which he said was “appropriate” and in line with recommendations in the pre-sentencing report
- The prosecution revealed that Diddy is booked for “teaching engagements” in Miami as soon as next week, which prosecutor Christy Slavik said was “the height of hubris” given he is facing years in prison
- Prosecutors argued that Diddy has not accepted responsibility for his actions
- The defense, meanwhile, has tried to portray Diddy in a positive light
- Diddy’s children shared emotional statements with the judge, with his daughter Jessie Combs, 18, breaking down in tears
- Son Christian Combs begged the judge: “Please let my father out”
- Listening to his children speak, Combs wiped away tears from his eyes and appeared visibly emotional
- The defense played a video to the court, which showed Diddy interacting with his children, opening his charter schools and tending to Kim Porter, the mother of four of his children, on her deathbed
- This afternoon, we are due to hear from more people who will speak in defense of Diddy, before the mogul is expected to make his own case
Diddy 'visibly emotional' as children spoke
Friday 3 October 2025 18:35
,
Kelly Rissman
Diddy was visibly emotional, burying his face in his hand and wiping his eyes as his children spoke, Kelly Rissman reports from court.
The twins, in particular, were very moving. Both broke down in tears as they spoke.
When 18-year-old Jessie Combs started speaking, Diddy grabbed the back of his head and looked down, covering his face, as if evoking heartache for his child.
The video played like a highlight reel of his life, mostly showing clips of children’s birthdays, opening his charter schools, and attending to Kim Porter on her deathbed.
The music in the background, paired with clips of him speaking, was reminiscent of a video played at a concert before the show begins.
Court breaks for lunch until 2.15 p.m. ET
Friday 3 October 2025 18:20
,
Rhian Lubin
The court is now breaking for lunch and will resume at 2.15 p.m. ET.
During the break, we’ll be recapping on what we’ve heard so far.
Diddy's daughter breaks down in tears: 'He has made many mistakes'
Friday 3 October 2025 18:14
,
Rhian Lubin
One of Diddy’s daughters, Jessie Combs, broke down in tears as she addressed the court, and said she knows her father “has made many mistakes.”
“We know he isn’t perfect,” Jessie Combs said. “And we aren’t here to excuse any of those mistakes. But, your honor, he is still our dad, and we still need him present in our lives.”
Jessie Combs’s mother is Kim Porter, who died in 2018. She told the judge how her father “would always be there to keep us safe,” particularly after their mother died.
“When my mother died, I was just a little girl trying to understand a loss way too big for words,” she said. “I remember my dad sitting us down that day, holding us close, even though his own heart was breaking and promising that he would always be there to keep us safe, that he would always walk beside us in life.”
