On the eve of what could be one of the most consequential days in his life, Sean "Diddy" Combs, the once-dominant hip-hop mogul, penned a lengthy letter to U.S. District Court Judge Arun Subramanian. In the four-page document dated October 2, 2025, Combs expressed remorse, took responsibility for his actions, and pleaded for leniency ahead of his sentencing on two prostitution-related convictions. The letter, which marks his first substantive address to the court, comes after a year spent in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn and a high-profile trial that has gripped the nation.
Combs, now 55, acknowledged the gravity of his offenses and the pain he caused to those around him. "First and foremost, I want to apologize and say how sincerely sorry I am for all of the hurt and pain that I have caused others by my conduct. I take full responsibility and accountability for my past wrongs," he wrote, according to ABC News. In his letter, Combs directly addressed two women at the center of the case: his ex-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie Ventura, and a woman identified by the pseudonym "Jane." He admitted to domestic violence against Ventura, referencing a 2016 assault captured on hotel security cameras. "The scene and images of me assaulting Cassie play over and over in my head daily. I literally lost my mind. I was dead wrong for putting my hands on the woman that I loved. I'm sorry for that and always will be," he wrote, as reported by NBC News.
Combs also apologized to Jane, stating, "Your honor, I thought I was providing for Jane concerning her and her child, but after hearing her testimony, I realized that I hurt her. For this I am deeply sorry." He described his crimes as "rooted in [his] selfishness" and attributed his downfall to a period of being "lost in the drugs and the excess." The mogul admitted, "I lost my way. I got lost in my journey. Lost in the drugs and the excess. My downfall was rooted in my selfishness." He further explained that his time behind bars has been transformative: "Over the past year there have been so many times that I wanted to give up. There have been some days I thought I would be better off dead. The old me died in jail and a new version of me was reborn. Prison will change you or kill you—I choose to live."
The letter is a last-ditch effort to sway Judge Subramanian, who is scheduled to sentence Combs in a Manhattan courtroom on October 3, 2025. The trial, which began in May and ended in July, resulted in a split verdict. Combs was convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution—charges stemming from what prosecutors described as "freak-offs," or drug-fueled sexual encounters involving Ventura, Jane, and male escorts. He was acquitted of the far more serious charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. According to NPR, the investigation began in November 2023 and focused on allegations that Combs used violence, manipulation, and coercion to involve the women in commercial sex acts, often crossing state lines—a violation of the Mann Act.
The sentencing hearing is expected to be lengthy, with federal prosecutors seeking 11 years and three months in prison, plus a $500,000 fine—the maximum legal penalty. Prosecutors argue that Combs has shown little true remorse and that his victims remain fearful. "He has no interest in changing or becoming better. He will always be the same cruel, power-hungry, manipulative man that he is," Ventura wrote in a victim impact statement filed earlier this week, as detailed by NBC News. She described her experience as "the most traumatic and horrifying chapter in my life," and said she continues to suffer from nightmares, flashbacks, and a persistent fear for her safety and that of her family. "As much progress as I have made in recovering from his abuse, I remain very much afraid of what he is capable of and the malice he undoubtedly harbors towards me for having the bravery to tell the truth," Ventura added in her letter to the judge, as reported by NPR.
Jane, the other primary witness, recounted harrowing experiences of abuse and coercion. She testified that Combs had chased her, put her in a chokehold, punched her, and pressured her into sex with a male sex worker. The prosecution’s case was bolstered by hotel video footage of the 2016 assault on Ventura and testimony from other women, including Combs’ former assistant, "Mia," who described years of physical and sexual abuse. Several of these women provided victim impact statements ahead of sentencing, detailing the lasting trauma they attribute to Combs’ actions.
Combs’ defense team has requested a sentence of no more than 14 months, which would effectively mean time served since his September 2024 arrest. His attorneys have argued that the Mann Act, under which he was convicted, has "racist and sexist origins," and that the government’s case relied on discrediting Combs’ character rather than proving the more serious charges. Throughout the trial, which lasted eight weeks, the defense did not call any witnesses and rested its case in under 30 minutes, focusing instead on challenging the credibility of the prosecution’s witnesses. According to NPR, the bulk of their strategy was to argue that Ventura and Jane participated willingly in the so-called "freak-offs."
Combs’ letter to the judge is part of a broader campaign to show he has changed during his time in jail. He described engaging in therapy, working out, reading, writing, and even teaching a six-week course to other inmates called "Free Game with Diddy," where he shared business advice and lessons from his own failures. "If you allow me to go home to my family, I promise I will not let you down and I will make you proud," he wrote, according to the Associated Press. He implored Judge Subramanian to "make me an example of what a person can do if afforded a second chance."
The case has also drawn support and criticism from people close to Combs. Letters submitted to the court include statements from his former girlfriend Virginia Huynh, who said she did not consider herself a victim, and from rapper Caresha Brownlee (Yung Miami), who praised Combs’ character. On the other hand, the government cited Combs’ "extensive history of violence and control" toward both his girlfriends and employees, some of whom testified about years of abuse.
As the sentencing approaches, the stakes could not be higher for Sean Combs. He faces up to 20 years in prison—10 years for each of the two counts of conviction. The final decision now rests with Judge Subramanian, who earlier this week denied a defense motion to overturn the convictions. Combs is expected to speak at the hearing, in what may be his last opportunity to persuade the court that he is, indeed, a changed man.
The outcome of this case will reverberate far beyond the courtroom, serving as a stark reminder of the enduring impact of abuse and the complex process of justice and accountability for those in positions of power.
