'LUCKY MAN': Attorneys react to Diddy's prison sentence and what it 'comes down to'
'The Will Cain Show' panel discusses Sean 'Diddy' Combs' prison sentence, justice for his victims and more.
Sean "Diddy" Combs was sentenced to four years in prison on federal prostitution charges.
In addition to the 50-month sentence, Diddy will have five years of supervised release and pay a $500,000 fine.
Judge Arun Subramanian noted Diddy's difficult upbringing and acknowledged his family devotion before considering "all of your history and with respect to freak offs and hotel nights" as he handed down the sentence.
"Court rejects that these were just intimate consensual experiences or a sex, drugs and rock-and-roll story," Subramanian said. "You abused power and control over women you had relationships with."
Subramanian added, "Why did it happen so long? Because you had power and resources. You were no John. You were more than that. Even if your currency was your own desire. On deterrence, requires a significant sentence."
DIDDY PLANNING UNCONVENTIONAL MOVE IN COURT AHEAD OF SENTENCING FOR PROSTITUTION CHARGES
Sean "Diddy" Combs' children addressed the court Friday ahead of the producer's sentencing. (Jane Rosenberg)
When the judge imposed his sentence, Diddy had no reaction. He sat silently, looking forward, listening the entire time. His hands were folded in his lap. When the judge mentioned Cassie and Jane, Diddy looked down. At the end of sentencing, he quickly glanced between his attorneys, Shapiro and Steel.
Diddy's family and supporters also did not react to the sentence. No one had visible facial expressions and the courtroom was completely silent.
Cassie Ventura's lawyers, Douglas Wigdor and Meredith Firetog of Wigdor LLP, said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital, "This entire criminal process started when our client Cassie Ventura had the courage to file her civil complaint in November 2023.
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"Although the jury did not find Combs guilty of sex trafficking Cassie beyond a reasonable doubt, she paved the way for a jury to find him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution. By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice."
They added, "We must repeat – with no reservation – that we believe and support our client who showed exemplary courage throughout this trial. She displayed unquestionable strength and brought attention to the realities of powerful men in our orbit and the misconduct that has persisted for decades without repercussion. This case proved that change is long overdue, and we will continue to fight on behalf of survivors."
The 55-year-old rapper had almost no reaction throughout his sentencing hearing until his kids spoke. He was very emotional as they addressed the court and cried while an 11-minute clip, featuring home videos of his family, played.
Sean "Diddy" Combs' legal team showed a video during his sentencing hearing on Oct. 3. (Jane Rosenberg)
After a brief break, Diddy addressed the court for the first time to apologize, and also thank the judge for giving him "a chance to speak" for himself.
"One of the hardest things has been to be quiet, not being able to express how sorry I am for my actions," Diddy said. "I want to apologize again to Cassie Ventura for any harm I caused emotionally or physically. I don't take that lightly."
Diddy also apologized to Jane, who testified under a pseudonym during the trial. The rapper said, "I didn’t mean to hurt you. Sorry that I brought you into my mess." Diddy also apologized to all victims of domestic violence.
The producer admitted his "actions were sick," as he referenced substance abuse issues. "I was out of control. I needed help, but I didn’t get the help," he said. "I can make no excuse because I knew better. My mama taught me better. My faith taught me better."
"One of the hardest things has been to be quiet, not being able to express how sorry I am for my actions."
He continued, "Because of my decisions I lost my freedom. I lost the opportunity to effectively raise my children and be there for my mother. I lost all my businesses I lost my career. I totally lost my reputation. I lost my self respect.
"I’ve been humbled and broken to my core. I hate myself right now. Stripped down to nothing. I really am truly sorry for it all no matter what they say. I want to apologize to my seven children."
Quincy Brown, Diddy's adopted son, told the court that his father was a "changed man" after the trial. "My father has learned a major lesson," Brown said. "We’ve seen him evolve, something we haven’t seen in 15 years. He would never do anything to jeopardize his freedom."
Sean "Diddy" Combs became emotional during his Oct. 3 sentencing hearing. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)
Justin Combs asked the judge to give his father a "second chance at life."
"This is one of the hardest times of my life. My father is my superhero," Justin told the judge. "God makes no mistakes. Going through his tough time. He’s drug free, he’s clear. He’s changed for the better."
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Diddy's daughters – D'Lila, Chance and Jessie – also gave statements to the court. The three focused on their two-year-old baby sister. D'Lila, while becoming emotional, emphasized they don't want their sister to grow up fatherless like they had to grow up motherless.
"We are tired of being strong. We have already lost so much," D'Lila told the judge. "Please your honor please, give our family the chance to heal together."
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Diddy appeared in court Friday, months after his July 2 conviction on federal prostitution charges. The now gray-haired rapper walked into court wearing a white shirt with a cream sweater over it. Diddy hugged all of his lawyers before giving a lengthy handshake to his lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo. The rapper then gestured to his family and put on his glasses.
While speaking about the sentencing guidelines, which came out to be between five and seven years, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik emphasized other factors that should be considered. She claimed that throughout these proceedings, it had been made clear that Diddy does not consider the gravity of his crimes. "His respect for the law is just lip service," she told the judge.
According to the prosecution, Diddy has already booked speaking engagements in Miami for next week.
Sean "Diddy" Combs will be sentenced on Oct. 3. (Jane Rosenberg)
Rob Shuter from the "Naughty But Nice" podcast told Fox News Digital that Diddy didn't show remorse for his actions. "He is not sorry for what he did. He is sorry that the world finally saw it," Shuter said. "And that’s the truth."
The hearing began with the prosecution noting Diddy's victim, "Mia," had chosen not to give a victim impact statement despite being granted permission, partly due to a defense letter submitted to court. Judge Arun Subramanian noted the tone of the defense's letter was inappropriate and should not be done again.
"His respect for the law is just lip service."
The federal judge rejected Diddy’s bid to exclude acquitted conduct from consideration at sentencing – a decision that opens the door to Cassie Ventura’s allegations being factored into his sentence.
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When Judge Subramanian asked about "pimping" allegations, criminal defense attorney Jason Driscoll told the court he rejected the government's attempt to pin the title on Diddy. "He is not," Driscoll said.
Instead, Nicole Westmoreland emotionally highlighted positive ways Diddy impacted the community and inspired others to pursue their dreams. Diddy's defense attorney began crying as she spoke about the ways Diddy personally changed her life. "Mr Combs is not larger than life, he’s just a human being, he’s just a man, and he’s made some mistakes," she told the court.
A sketch portrays Sean "Diddy" Comb and his defense team in federal court during his trial on June 18. (Jane Rosenberg)
Defense attorney Xavier Donaldson said he wants the record to be clear that Diddy was not a pimp. "Their sole intent, pimps, is to make money," Donaldson emphasized in court. "Pimps are in the business of subjugating women," he explained.
Diddy's lawyer, Brian Steel, told the judge his client doesn’t want to be looked at like a celebrity, doesn’t want to be special or above anyone else. Diddy "wants to be a dad, a son, and a person who is crying out for help," Steel told the judge.
Agnifilo argued that Diddy should not face further punishment because this all played out on a public stage. He noted this has been a devastating, destructive case for the rapper. Agnifilo claimed Diddy was treated in a "very stern" way.
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He asked Judge Subramanian to get to the root of the issue and suggested mental health treatment, a domestic violence program and a drug program. Agnifilo said he believes drugs are at the heart of this case.
A sketch portrays Sean "Diddy" Comb hugging defense attorney Nicole Westmoreland in federal court during the trial in New York City, New York, U.S., June 16, 2025. (Jane Rosenberg)
Slavik gave a response on behalf of the prosecution, claiming that Diddy is a "master puppeteer of his image." She pointed out that in the 11-minute video, Diddy claimed to be a changed man but had been doing drugs the entire time. Slavik told the court you can’t trust what Combs says, closing her remarks before sentencing.
The rapper could spend a maximum of 20 years behind bars, 10 years for each count he was convicted of. The prosecution recommended 135 months (just over 11 years) for his sentencing.
Diddy's family arrived in court ahead of the sentencing. The rapper's mom, Janice Combs, arrived first around 9:00am ET. His kids, Quincy, the twins Jesse and D'Lila, Christian and Justin, all arrived around 9:45am.
Diddy's sons — King Combs, Quincy Brown and Justin Combs — were present throughout the producer's federal sex crimes trial. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)
Dozens of people waited outside the courthouse waiting to hear the sentencing, Fox News Digital confirmed. One person was witnessed being detained by police.
Ahead of court Friday, Diddy's legal team released a video that was played in court after his children spoke. The over 11-minute video featured clips of the rapper with his kids when they were young, as well as current videos where his children tell their dad they love him.
They praised their "inspiring" father for his unwavering support. The video also attempted to emphasize Diddy's charitable contributions, which were mentioned by his defense during the hearing, throughout his life before his arrest in 2024.
WATCH: DIDDY AND FAMILY MAKE COURTROOM PLEA FOR FREEDOM AHEAD OF SENTENCING
Diddy was arrested and charged with multiple counts in September 2024. (Getty Images)
A jury convicted Diddy on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution on July 2. The "I'll Be Missing You" rapper was acquitted of his most serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking.
The prosecution claimed Diddy deserves a "substantial" prison sentence because the rapper is "unrepentant" in the sentencing recommendation filed Tuesday.
"Incredibly, while the defendant conceded his acts of violence and abuse throughout trial, he now argues that his victims should shoulder the blame," the filing read.
In the disgraced music mogul's demand for prison release, Diddy's lawyers claimed he has faced "inhumane" living conditions at MDC Brooklyn. His legal team proposed a 14-month sentence ahead of his Oct. 3 hearing for federal charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. The "I Need A Girl" rapper has already spent 13 months behind bars.
Diddy's legal team claimed the musician had been "sufficiently punished" for his crimes.
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Sean "Diddy" Combs was acquitted on sex trafficking and racketeering charges in July. (Jane Rosenberg)
Diddy has been behind bars since his arrest on Sept. 16, 2024. He has requested bail and been denied multiple times.
According to his lawyers, Diddy has been subjected to "constant suicide watch" while behind bars. Other instances of the alleged "inhumane" conditions the rapper has been subjected to include limited access to clean water, food with maggots in it, no physical therapy, lack of physical exercise and no functioning washing machine or dryer.
Days before Diddy was set to appear in court for his sentencing, Judge Subramanian rejected the rapper's last-ditch request for a new trial and demand for a full acquittal. The federal judge said the prosecution provided "overwhelming evidence" of Diddy's guilt on the charges of transportation to engage in prostitution.
A sketch portrays Cassie Ventura, a witness in the Sean "Diddy" Combs trial, on the stand in federal court on May 14. (Jane Rosenberg)
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