Scene “Didi” Comombs was found guilty on Wednesday for transportation for engaging in prostitution in his federal testing in New York, but music Mogul was acquitted of more serious allegations of conspiracy and sex smuggling.
Comombs was convicted in two cases of allegations related to prostitution. Each calculation has a maximum sentence of 10 years. The prosecutors said that they were demanding a long jail sentence for Combes on two sentences.
When the verdict was announced, the combs rotated around, kneeling the ground, putting his hand on his chair and praying. He and his family clapping loudly, loudly and whistling.
After the verdict, the lawyers of Comombs argued for him to be immediately released from custody and was able to return to his Miami home, emphasizing that this was his first punishment. The prosecutors opposed the request for defense and urged Judge Arun Subramanian to detain the Comombs until he was sentenced.
Subramanian admitted that Comombs did not want to return to a federal detention center in Brooklyn, where he was in custody since his arrest last September. Comombs shook his head.
The judge asked both the prosecution and the defense to submit the letter as to why Comombs should be released or detained on Wednesday. The court was expected to resume at the eastern time at 1 o’clock.
The gamblers said on Tuesday that they agreed against Comombs in four out of five cases, but disagreed over the conspiracy. They reached a decision in all five cases on Wednesday morning.
Jury members Discussion started to explain In the US District Court in Lower Manhattan on Monday. He said that he reached a partial decision on Tuesday, but Subramanian sent him back to continue consulting the remaining count.
What were the allegations against Scene “Didi” Combes?
In September 2024, a grand jury prosecution against unheard 55-year-old combs, initially accused of hip-hop Mogul with four cases with four cases with four cases. Arrest At a Manhattan Hotel. In April, before the test began, prosecutors filed additional chargesBringing the total number of numbers against him into five.
Comb pleaded not guilty For all charges.
There were allegations against combs and each decision:
- Count 1: racketering conspiracy – not guilty
- Counting 2: Sex Trafficking by force, fraud or force (Cassandra Ventura) – not guilty
- Count 3: Transport to engage in prostitution (Cassandra Ventura) – Cow
- Count 4: Sex trafficking by force, fraud or force (“Jane”) – not guilty
- Count 5: Transport to engage in prostitution (“Jane”) – Draw
“Jane” is a pseudo -name used in court for an ex -girlfriend of Comombs, who testified against him.
What is the value act?
Allegations related to prostitution accused the Honorary Act of violation of the Honor Act that makes a federal offense to transport someone in state lines for prostitution.
Prosecutors need to prove many elements on charges of racketering conspiracy: that there was an agreement between two or more people to participate in a pattern of activity that would affect interstate commerce; That the defendant joined it; And the members of the conspiracy carried out two or more raccuring acts. The charging document lists several alleged racketing acts including kidnapping, bribe, sex trafficking and forced labor.
The prosecutors alleged that the commercial empire of Comombs created a criminal venture, which they used to cover the acts of violence and misuse for years and forced women to fulfill their sexual desires. During seven weeks, more than 30 witnesses were heard by gamblers as the prosecution went through their case.
Comombs denied the allegations but Choose not to take the stand To testify in your defense. His lawyers did not call any witnesses during the test, although he conducted a broad cross-examination of the government’s witnesses. Comombs lawyers argued that the prosecution failed to prove the allegations beyond a proper doubt.
Part of emotional and graphic testimony “freak-off”
High-profile trial, which Started in MayThe two combs include graphic and emotional testimony from former girlfriends.
Casandra Ventura, R&B singer, known as how, who spent more than a decade with him, testified about drug-fuel sex sessions, which Comombs allegedly referred to as “referred to as” as “alleged”Frightening“Ventura testified that she directed all encounters who could live for days, and she felt that she was forced to participate to make her happy.
Ventura testified That Combes controlled every aspect of her life, and that she often excluded from fear, because physical abuse was “frequent”.
Comombs lawyers argued that the encounters agreed. during CelebrationDefense showed the jury a message from Comombs from Ventura in 2009, which wrote, “I am always ready to freak.”
Ventura also testified about a 2016 incident, which was caught Monitoring video While showing her beating and kicking her in a hallway of California Hotel. Comombs apologized at that time, saying that his behavior was “unforgivable” and took “full responsibility” for his actions.
Ventura testified that the attack occurred when she was trying to leave a “eccentric-off” that became violent. A former hotel security officer testified that the Comombs offered him cash after the attack, which the officer said that he understood the bribe.
In 2023, Ventura filed a lawsuit against Comombs, accusing him of physical and sexual abuse. Comombs denied claims and quickly Reached a colony With her. In Closing argument On Friday to the jury, defense lawyer Mark Agnifilo said, “If you had to choose a winner in this whole thing, it is difficult to choose how.”
Another ex -girlfriend of Comombs testified under the pseudo -name “Jane” to protect her identity. He told the court that he often called “Hotel Nights”, including drugs. Jane testified that she had sex with a male escort while Comombs saw. She said that she told Comombs several times that she did not want to have sex with other men and did not like the “hotel nights”.
Comombs lawyers displayed messages by setting up “Hotel Nights”. Jane said that she Feeling pressure And that she had become economically dependent on the comb.
In Closing argument of prosecutionAssistant American Attorney Christie Slavick described Combes as a “leader of a criminal venture. He does not take for an answer. And now you know about many crimes committed with members of your enterprise.”
He said that he used a “small army” of employees to harm women and then cover it. “He thought that his fame, wealth and power placed him over the law,” Slavick said.
Agifilo Argued and confronted Prosecutors of a swinger lifestyle and threesomes are “badly exaggerated” evidence, combining it with the use of entertaining drug and calls it a racketoring conspiracy.
Comombs’ counsel said, “He did not do things that are accused with him. He did not do a conspiracy and sex trafficking.”
“Scene Didi Combes: The decision” will be a special, a special, a broadcast on the case CBS News 24/7 The night of the jury’s decision at 9 pm. Download Free CBS News App To look at your mobile or streaming device, or on stream Paramount+,
Jerika Duncan and
Contributed to this report.
