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The music mogul Sean Combs is set to be his sentence on Friday morning by a federal judge in New York, following his guilty verdict earlier this year on federal prostitution-related charges.

This article provides a summary of his criminal case: the charges he faced, what happened at trial, and potential next steps.

What Charges Was He Convicted On?

In July, following a two-month trial, a jury found Combs guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He was acquitted of the most serious charges against him, racketeering conspiracy and human trafficking, which could have resulted in the possibility of a life imprisonment.

The charges on which he was found guilty each have a maximum penalty of 10 years. Combs had pleaded not guilty to every count.

The presiding judge, Arun Subramanian, who oversaw the case, will deliver the ruling on the scheduled day, with the hearing due to begin at 10:00 AM Eastern Time in federal district court in downtown Manhattan.

Combs, 55, has been held without bail at the Brooklyn metropolitan detention center since his apprehension in the previous September. Since the decision, the judge has denied two bail requests from Combs’s lawyers, and recently Subramanian also rejected a request to set aside the convictions.

What Allegations Was Combs Accused Of?

Federal prosecutors alleged the Bad Boy Records founder of using his power, fame, wealth and influence, and using violence, threats and blackmail, to force former partners into engaging in sex parties involving drugs with paid companions. Such events were often referred to by the defendant as “hotel nights”, which prosecutors claimed Combs organized, observed, masturbated to and occasionally recorded.

The government alleged that for over twenty years, Combs ran a criminal enterprise – aided by staff and allies – to carry out and conceal crimes including sex trafficking, drug distribution, corruption and abduction.

Despite being convicted on two counts, Combs has disputed any misconduct. His lawyers have maintained that every encounter was consensual and that no illicit organization existed.

What Transpired During the Trial?

The prosecution presented more than 30 witnesses, including former partners of Combs – artist Cassie Ventura and a second individual who testified using the alias Jane – who described the alleged events in graphic detail, and alleged that Combs coerced and threatened them into taking part.

Ventura was the star prosecution witness. She testified that during her long-term relationship with Combs, he exposed her to physical, sexual and emotional abuse and to extortion. The court was shown the 2016 video of Combs attacking Ventura in a corridor. Jane also testified of a physical confrontation with Combs.

Other witnesses included ex-staff, escorts, law enforcement agents, hotel employees and celebrities including rapper Kid Cudi and artist Dawn Richard. Combs chose not to take the stand.

Combs’s legal team admitted past instances of domestic violence, but disputed that any force or sex trafficking took place. They maintained that all sexual activity was consensual and part of a “alternative lifestyle”, and contended that Ventura and Jane were consenting adults in the sex acts.

How Much Time Could He Serve?

Combs’s lawyers have requested the court for a penalty of a maximum of 14 months in prison, which, given time already served, would permit his freedom before the end of the year. They claim that Combs has already been “sufficiently penalized” by spending over a year in the “harsh environment” at the facility.

The prosecution, however, have sought at least 135 months (over a decade) and a $500,000 fine. In legal documents, they portrayed Combs as “unrepentant” and said that “his history and characteristics demonstrate years of abuse and violence.

What Statements Were Made In Victim Impact Statements?

The government submitted several victim impact statements to the judge before the sentencing, including one from Ventura.

“Although the jurors did not seem to understand or believe that I participated in the events because of the force and coercion the defendant used against me, I know that is the reality, and his punishment should account for the reality of the evidence and my lived experience as a victim,” Ventura stated.

“I am so fearful that if he walks free, his first actions will be swift retribution towards me and others who testified about his abuse, at trial,” she said.

“If there is one thing I have learned from this ordeal, it is that victims and survivors will never be safe,” she added. “I hope that your decision considers the truths at hand that the jury overlooked.”

What Comes After Sentencing?

Following the court's decision, Combs’s attorneys could appeal against the sentence. Combs’s team is also expected to contest his conviction.

Separately, Combs is confronting numerous civil cases accusing him of sexual assault and other misconduct. He has disputed every claim in those proceedings.