Sean “Diddy” Combs arrived Thursday at Fort Dix Federal Prison in New Jersey to serve a 50-month sentence for federal sex crimes, the Bureau of Prisons said.
A jury convicted Combs in July on two counts of transporting individuals to engage in prostitution. The jury acquitted him of racketeering and sex trafficking after an eight-week trial. Prosecutors had recommended more than 11 years in prison, arguing that Combs used his position in the entertainment industry to coerce women into sexual encounters with paid escorts and calling him “unrepentant” in court filings.
Witnesses described encounters organized under Combs’ direction, including allegations involving his former girlfriend, Casandra Ventura. Combs pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence. His lawyers said prosecutors misused the Mann Act, which bars transporting individuals across state lines for prostitution, and noted that this is Combs’ first criminal conviction.
Combs has remained in federal custody since his Sept. 16, 2024, arrest at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, spending 14 months there before the transfer. His lawyers described some conditions as harsh, including restricted access to clean water, limited exercise, and constant suicide watch.
A federal judge also ordered Combs to pay a $500,000 fine and serve five years of supervised release after his prison term. Defense attorneys requested placement at Fort Dix to let him participate in drug rehabilitation programs and maintain contact with family.
Fort Dix, a low-security federal prison for men in Burlington County, New Jersey, includes a minimum-security camp. It’s the largest single federal prison in the country by population and has previously held high-profile inmates. Combs is scheduled for release May 8, 2028, though good behavior or participation in approved programs could shorten his sentence.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.