Sean "Diddy" Combs will remain in federal custody after a judge denied his request for bail on Tuesday, despite a partial acquittal in his high-profile racketeering and sex trafficking trial.
Combs, 55, was found guilty on two counts of transporting women across state lines for prostitution.
Although he was acquitted of more serious charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking involving ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian ruled that Combs remains a danger to the community and must be held until sentencing.
The jury deliberated for three days before reaching its verdict.
"The defendant has failed to demonstrate that he no longer poses a threat," Subramanian said in court. "The evidence presented, including multiple violent incidents and attempts to conceal criminal conduct, supports continued detention."
Combs' legal team had requested his release on a $1 million bond, arguing that the remaining convictions did not constitute crimes of violence under federal law.
In a written submission to the court, defense attorney AE Shapiro argued, "It would be unjust to continue detaining Mr. Combs at the MDC even one day longer."
"For months, the government repeatedly argued, and announced to the world, that Sean Combs was a monster who perpetrated a 20-year federal crime spree through a racketeering enterprise," Shapiro wrote.
"That jury heard the government's evidence, including testimony from his former girlfriends. By its verdict, the jury resoundingly rejected the government's depiction of Mr. Combs."
However, prosecutors pushed back, citing the rapper and music mogul's history of violence, drug use, and efforts to cover up his actions.
They emphasized a widely circulated video of Combs assaulting Ventura and referenced a separate violent altercation at the London Hotel as examples of an ongoing threat.
"While the defendant has offered to have multiple sureties from his family, evidence at trial established that the defendant repeatedly sought to conceal his criminal conduct from those close to him," prosecutors wrote.
"His conduct after learning of the federal investigation underscores that he continues to be a danger to others and is either unable or unwilling to follow the law."
Subramanian agreed, stating that even under a lesser standard of proof, Combs had not demonstrated that release would be appropriate.
The judge noted that Combs' legal team had already conceded to aspects of his violent behavior, leaving little ground for reversal of the previous detention ruling.
Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Entertainment and a long-standing figure in hip-hop, has been in custody for nearly a year as the case unfolded.
His legal team had also cited his mother's declining health and family obligations as part of their appeal for bail.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 3, 2025. Prosecutors are expected to seek a lengthy prison term under federal sentencing guidelines.
Combs has not publicly commented on the verdict or the denial of bail. His attorneys said they plan to appeal.
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