On July 2, 2025, Sean “Diddy” Combs earned a standing ovation from fellow inmates at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Centre after a jury acquitted him on three of five federal charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking. Despite the acquittals, authorities continue to hold Combs on lesser counts.
Following his acquittal on life-sentence charges, Diddy, 55, returned to the Metropolitan Detention Center, where inmates gave him a standing ovation, per his attorney Marc Agnifilo. “They all said: ‘We never get to see anyone who beats the government,’” Agnifilo told AP News, calling it a rare show of respect for Black incarcerated men. The moment, reflecting Diddy’s partial courtroom win
Diddy was feeling the love when he had to go back to prison after a jury acquitted him on three of his five federal charges — because the cell block gave him a round of applause, his lawyer swears.
Read more: https://t.co/IHeoUYwAEV pic.twitter.com/okF1qPYMIV
— TMZ (@TMZ) July 7, 2025
A New York federal jury acquitted Diddy of racketeering conspiracy and two sex trafficking counts. Still, it convicted him on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, carrying a maximum 20-year sentence, per Reuters. Judge Arun Subramanian denied bail, citing Diddy’s history of violence, including a 2016 assault on his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. Sentencing is scheduled for October 3, with prosecutors requesting a term of 4 to 5 years in prison. Diddy’s team described the verdict as a “great victory.”
Diddy got a standing ovation from inmates after court victory, lawyer says: ‘Maybe it’s your fate in life https://t.co/0k0d2tREZa pic.twitter.com/wDfaS5lpdK
— New York Post (@nypost) July 6, 2025
The seven-week trial involved 34 witnesses, including Cassie Ventura, and revealed allegations of Diddy’s “Freak Offs,” which involved coerced sexual acts. While the jury acquitted Diddy due to insufficient evidence linking any violent actions to a criminal enterprise, there were convictions under the Mann Act for transporting Ventura and “Jane” for prostitution. Diddy’s legal team did not call any witnesses, successfully dismantling the racketeering case. The trial attracted significant publicity, generating 500 million social media impressions, according to Sprout Social, and sparked debates about celebrity accountability.
Read: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Denied Bail After Mixed Verdict
Diddy’s inmate ovation and partial acquittal, impacting 50 million fans, reshape his legacy in the $20 billion music industry, per Nielsen. Trending on X, the event sparks discussions on justice, prison culture, and celebrity influence, with 60% of Americans following high-profile trials. Amidst global stories like U.S. tariffs, the case highlights systemic issues in prosecuting elites, according to The Guardian, while Diddy’s detention underscores ongoing legal battles.