Sean “Diddy” Combs pleaded for leniency in a letter to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian as he prepared to be sentenced Friday after a high-profile federal trial. In the letter, the 55-year-old music mogul said he had “lost my way,” attributed his downfall to drug use and excess, and described himself as “humbled and broken to my core,” asking for a chance to continue his rehabilitation rather than face a long prison term.
Combs was convicted in July on two counts of transporting people across state lines for the purpose of prostitution but was acquitted of the more serious racketeering and sex-trafficking charges. Prosecutors urged a stiff sentence , seeking roughly 11 years behind bars arguing that the offenses caused real harm, while the defense urged the judge to impose no more than 14 months (including time already served), pointing to Combs’s rehabilitation efforts and philanthropic record.
The sentencing hearing played out amid emotional courtroom moments: several of Combs’s six adult children urged the judge to show mercy, describing family trauma and their need for their father’s presence, while victims and prosecutors painted a far different picture of the harm inflicted. The proceedings also reopened debate over whether conduct tied to acquitted charges could be considered at sentencing, an issue the judge weighed carefully during the live hearing.
In his letter and in court filings, Combs emphasized steps he said he has taken while detained ,including sobriety, therapy, education and mentoring other inmates and pledged to “never reoffend.” But prosecutors questioned the sincerity of those claims and highlighted the gravity of the conduct shown at trial. With sentencing looming, the ruling will mark a consequential moment for a celebrity whose fall and legal battle have drawn international attention.
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