Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was acquitted in July of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges, could still face more than a decade behind bars despite the jury’s decision. His attorneys are asking the court to release him this month, arguing that the year he has already spent in custody is punishment enough. Prosecutors, however, are pushing for a minimum 11-year sentence.
In a letter to the court ahead of sentencing, Combs expressed regret for his past actions, writing: “I have no one to blame for my current reality and situation but myself. In my life, I have made many mistakes, but I am no longer running from them. I am so sorry for the hurt that I caused, but I understand that the mere words ‘I’m sorry’ will never be good enough.”
Combs specifically addressed the 2016 assault on his then-girlfriend, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, at a Los Angeles hotel—an attack that was captured on security footage. “The scene and images of me assaulting Cassie play over and over in my head daily,” he admitted. “I literally lost my mind. I was dead wrong for putting my hands on the woman I loved. I’m sorry for that and always will be.”
Ventura, in her own letter to the judge, dismissed Combs’ claims of remorse. She noted that he denied her allegations until the video surfaced and urged the court to impose a sentence that reflects the strength it took for victims of Combs to speak out.
Combs also apologized to another woman, identified only as “Jane,” who testified against him. “After hearing her testimony, I realized that I hurt her. I lost my way. I got lost in my journey—lost in the drugs and the excess. My downfall was rooted in my selfishness,” he wrote.
While in custody, Combs said he has focused on self-improvement—reading, writing, attending therapy, exercising, and teaching a six-week program for other inmates called “Free Game with Diddy.” The program, he explained, is meant to share both business advice and the lessons he has learned from his failures.
Combs told the judge he has undergone a “spiritual reset” and vowed never to commit another crime.