Diddy will remain behind bars after a federal judge refused to grant his release following a partial acquittal in his high-profile sex trafficking and racketeering trial.
Despite being cleared of the most serious allegations—including racketeering and sex trafficking involving Cassie Ventura, Diddy was found guilty on two counts of transporting women across state lines for prostitution.
The jury reached its decision after three days of deliberation.
Diddy’s legal team pushed for his release on a $1 million bond, arguing the remaining convictions don’t qualify as “crimes of violence” under federal law; however, Judge Arun Subramanian denied his release.
The judge cited multiple incidents that demonstrate he poses a continued danger to the community. The court referenced the widely circulated video showing Diddy assaulting Ventura and highlighted a separate violent altercation at the London Hotel.
The judge emphasized that even under the standard of proving he’s not a threat, Diddy failed to meet the burden. The court noted that the defense had already conceded to his violent behavior and concluded there was no justification to reverse the previous decision to deny bail.
“For months, the government repeatedly argued, and announced to the world, that Sean Combs was a monster who perpetrated a 20-year federal crime spree through a racketeering enterprise,” attorney AE Shapiro wrote in a letter to the judge. “It devoted enormous resources to this prosecution. Then, after almost a year in detention, Mr. Combs finally got his day in Court, and the government’s allegations were tested before a jury of his peers.
“That jury heard the government’s evidence, including testimony from his former girlfriends. By its verdict, the jury resoundingly rejected the government’s depiction of Mr. Combs. It would be unjust to continue detaining Mr. Combs at the MDC even one day longer.”
The defense cited Diddy’s family obligations, his mother’s health and the conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Center as reasons for bail.
Prosecutors pushed back, saying the convictions still fall under the category of violent crimes, which legally require detention until sentencing. They pointed to Diddy’s alleged history of violence, drug use and efforts to hide his actions.
“While the defendant has offered to have multiple sureties from his family, evidence at trial established that the defendant repeatedly sought to conceal his criminal conduct from those close to him,” prosecutors wrote. “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.”
Judge Arun Subramanian ultimately ruled that Diddy must remain in federal custody until his sentencing.
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