By Faith Mwende
Attorneys for singer Cassie Ventura have released a statement following the sentencing of Sean “Diddy” Combs, who has been handed a 50-month prison term after being convicted in a federal case.
The former hip-hop mogul was sentenced on Friday, October 3, to just over four years behind bars after a two-month trial that concluded with guilty verdicts on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He was, however, acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
Judge Arun Subramanian granted Combs credit for time already served, meaning he will spend 36 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. The court also imposed the maximum fine of $500,000.
In a statement shared after the sentencing, Cassie’s attorneys, Douglas Wigdor and Meredith Firetog of Wigdor LLP, said the ruling acknowledged the lasting damage caused by Combs’ actions. “While nothing can undo the trauma caused by Combs, the sentence imposed today recognizes the impact of the serious offenses he committed,” they said.
They added that Cassie’s courage continues to inspire others: “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.”
Cassie, who dated Combs on and off between 2007 and 2018, sued him in November 2023 in New York, accusing him of years of sexual and physical abuse. The case was settled just one day after it was filed, but public outrage grew after a 2016 surveillance video surfaced appearing to show Combs assaulting Cassie in a hotel hallway.
Following the video’s release, Combs became the subject of multiple sexual assault allegations. Homeland Security agents raided his Los Angeles and Miami homes in March 2024, and he was later arrested in September.
During his trial, Cassie, then eight months pregnant with her third child, testified about the alleged abuse and described the “Freak Off” sex parties she said he organized. She gave birth to her son with husband Alex Fine just days after completing her testimony.
Before sentencing, Cassie wrote to the judge expressing fear of retaliation and urging the court to “consider the many lives that Sean Combs has upended with his abuse and control.”
Combs, in his own letter, admitted his wrongdoing and apologized both privately and in court. “I was dead wrong for putting my hands on the woman that I loved,” he wrote. “I’m sorry for that and always will be.”
