Three months ago, Sean Diddy Combs fell to his knees in a Manhattan courtroom after a New York jury acquitted him of charges of sex trafficking and racketeering.
I'm coming home, he said, turning around to face his family, who had supported him every day of the trial.
On Friday, a subdued version of the hip-hop mogul sat emotionless and still in his chair, as the judge sentenced him to over four years in prison.
After Judge Arun Subramanian finished reading his sentence, the rapper turned around to look at his family and appeared to mouth the words: I love you, I'm sorry.
It was a quiet moment to mark the end of a chaotic eight-week trial that forever altered the public's image of Combs - once one of the world's most famous rappers. The jury saw graphic videos of Combs' so-called freak offs - sex parties he had filmed featuring hired male escorts and his ex Cassandra Ventura and Jane, an anonymous victim. They also saw a video, that had previously gone viral, of him beating Ventura in a hotel hallway.
In July, a panel of 12 New Yorkers acquitted Combs, 55, of sex trafficking and racketeering charges - which carried the potential of life in prison - but found him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution.
His attorneys hoped he would be out of prison in a matter of weeks, asking the court for a sentence of 14 months, 13 of which he had already served.
Prosecutors had accused Combs of running a criminal enterprise to coerce women into unwanted and drug-fuelled sex acts. Although he had been acquitted of those most serious of charges, sex-trafficking and racketeering, they had asked for a sentence of over 11 years in prison.
Ultimately, Judge Subramanian told a downcast Combs that his crimes and abuse of his ex-girlfriends warranted 50 months in prison. He emphasized that Combs used his fame and power to subjugate his victims, and noted that Combs remained expressionless during the sentencing phases, which highlighted the severe implications of his actions.
During the all-day hearing, the court listened to testimonies of support for Combs, as many family members expressed their emotional ties urging for a lighter sentence. The judge acknowledged those family ties but underlined the grave damage caused to his two victims.
Combs' response, addressing the court for the first time since the trial began, was a blend of remorse and acknowledgment of his failings. Despite the severe ruling, Judge Subramanian remarked on the potential for redemption and encouraged Combs and his family to stay hopeful.
As emotions ran high, Combs' sentencing marked a significant and challenging chapter in the intersection of celebrity culture and legal accountability, leaving a mixed legacy for one of music's most influential figures.
