As the jury in the Sean “Diddy” Combs sex trafficking and racketeering trial reached a verdict on all counts Wednesday, the split decision sparked several celebrity reactions. Hollywood stars, including Rosie O’Donnell, weighed in on the verdict, as there appeared to be a divide in the decision.
Rosie O’Donnell shared on Instagram, “Guess a jury just never wants to believe that a woman stays because of power and coercion—wow—they just think women stay because what? money—fame—‘they love the abuse.’ What a f—ing joke. This decision got me angry.”
Rapper 50 Cent made his own post about Diddy, seemingly mocking him.
DIDDY JURY REACHES VERDICT ON ALL COUNTS IN SEX TRAFFICKING, RACKETEERING TRIAL
“Diddy beat the Feds,” he wrote, “that boy a bad man ! beat the Rico.”
50 Cent had previously quipped about Diddy on his social media. In one post, he shared an AI-generated photo of himself running, writing in his caption, “What, I’m just going for a run I need to do cardio Diddy’s not after me. LOL.”
Singer Kesha shared a message on X in support of Cassie Ventura, Diddy’s ex and the victim in one of the charges he was convicted of.
“Cassie, I believe you. I love you. Your strength is a beacon for every survivor,” she wrote.
Ventura’s attorney spoke out after Diddy’s trial reached a verdict.
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“This entire criminal process started when our client Cassie Ventura had the courage to file her civil complaint in November 2023. Although the jury did not find Combs guilty of sex trafficking Cassie beyond a reasonable doubt, she paved the way for a jury to find him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution. By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice,” Douglas H. Wigdor said in a statement.
“We must repeat – with no reservation – that we believe and support our client who showed exemplary courage throughout this trial. She displayed unquestionable strength and brought attention to the realities of powerful men in our orbit and the misconduct that has persisted for decades without repercussion. This case proved that change is long overdue, and we will continue to fight on behalf of survivors.”
On Wednesday, the jury found Diddy not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
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A federal RICO violation can result in a 20-year sentence. The transportation to engage in prostitution charge could carry a sentence of up to 10 years, while sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion may carry a 20-year sentence.
“We’ve been saying all along in this case that it’s been overcharged by the government, that they were taking these very nuanced relationships, and trying to make them criminal,” Harvey Weinstein’s former lawyer, Donna Rotunno, told Fox News. “I think Marc [Agnifilo] did a really good job in his closing arguments, highlighting that to the jury. Overall, this is a huge loss to the government, the money that they spent on this prosecution, the amount of press, notoriety, this is a definite win for Mr. Combs.”
DIDDY SEX TRAFFICKING PROBE: HOLLYWOOD STARS ARE ‘SCARED TO DEATH’ TO SPEAK OUT, EXPERTS SAY
Diddy’s jury seemed to believe that his relationships were genuine, according to Fox News contributor Paul Mauro.
“At the end of the day, the jury did not believe that the sex trafficking was coercive,” the retired NYPD inspector said. “They seemed to believe the relationships were genuine and/or transactional. That took those charges and the RICO with it. It argues that the case was overcharged under the evidence the government had.”
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Jurors started deliberations on Monday, June 30, after hearing seven weeks of trial testimony.Diddy pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. The disgraced music mogul was arrested in September 2024, months after Homeland Security Investigations raided the Los Angeles and Miami homes of the rapper.
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Fox News Digital’s Lauryn Overhultz and Tracy Wright contributed to this report.
