Jury in Diddy trial reaches verdict on four charges, deadlocked on racketeering

A Manhattan federal jury has reached a verdict on four out of five charges in the high-profile criminal trial of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, but remains deadlocked on the most serious count—racketeering conspiracy. After more than 12 hours of deliberation, jurors informed Judge Arun Subramanian on Tuesday that while they had agreed on verdicts for two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of transportation for prostitution, they could not reach consensus on whether Combs orchestrated a criminal enterprise spanning two decades.

The racketeering charge alleges that Combs, now 55, led an organization responsible for a range of crimes, including drug trafficking, bribery, kidnapping, forced labor, and sex trafficking. For a conviction, jurors must find that Combs knowingly participated in an illegal conspiracy and committed at least two criminal acts to further the enterprise. Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges, with his defense maintaining that all interactions with the women involved were consensual.

Judge Subramanian declined to accept a partial verdict, instead instructing the jury to continue deliberations. Both prosecution and defense attorneys agreed that more time should be given, as the jury has only been deliberating since Monday. The panel will resume discussions Wednesday morning.
Key testimony in the trial included accounts from Combs’ former girlfriend Cassie Ventura—who described being coerced into “freak-off” sex acts and recounted an alleged assault by Combs in a Los Angeles hotel, supported by surveillance footage presented in court—as well as statements from other alleged victims and witnesses. Legal experts note that while the prosecution’s case is strong, the outcome remains unpredictable, with the possibility of a hung jury if consensus cannot be reached on the racketeering charge.

If convicted on the most serious counts, Combs could face a life sentence. The trial, which began in May, continues to draw national attention as deliberations proceed.