Legal Experts Questioned Whether Diddy's Actions Were Criminal Pre-Verdict

Legal experts questioned whether Sean “Diddy” Combs would be found guilty of racketeering weeks before his partial acquittal.

“Based upon Cassie’s testimony, we don’t really see the elements of the racketeering,” criminal attorney Joshua Ritter, who is not affiliated with the case, exclusively told Us Weekly in a cover story published in June. “[That] would involve a criminal enterprise.”

Diddy, 55, faced charges of sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution and racketeering conspiracy. He pleaded not guilty to all of the charges and denied every allegation, including testimony from ex-girlfriend Cassie, 38.

News broke on Wednesday, July 2, that Diddy was found guilty on two counts of transportation, each carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. He was found not guilty on the other charges. The disgraced music mogul has yet to be sentenced.

According to human trafficking attorney Kelly Hyman, Cassie’s testimony did not definitively prove that Diddy was guilty of racketeering.

“Both sides agree there was domestic violence, but Diddy hasn’t been charged with that,” Hyman, who hosts the “Unresolved – The Diddy Cases” podcast, told Us last month, adding that his behavior allegedly didn’t meet “the charges of racketeering co-conspiracy [or] sex trafficking.”

Cassie (full name Casandra Ventura) broke her silence on the verdict in a Wednesday statement shared with Us Weekly via her attorney Douglas Wigdor.

“This entire criminal process started when our client Cassie Ventura had the courage to file her civil complaint in November 2023,” Wigdor’s statement read. “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.”

The statement continued, “By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice. 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.”

Cassie sued Diddy, whom she dated on and off for a decade, in fall 2023 for repeated sexual assault and physical abuse. Diddy denied the allegations at the time, and they settled out of court within a day.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support. If you or someone you know is a human trafficking victim, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.