Sean "Diddy" Combs has been found guilty in a federal court on prostitution-related charges, meaning he may be facing up to 20 years behind bars.
The mogul was also acquitted of sex-trafficking, and the more serious charge of racketeering – which has a maximum sentence of life in prison. While its unlikely, the outcome doesn't mean his legal troubles are over, experts say.
Prosecutors accused Diddy of being part of a vast conspiracy to fulfill his sexual desires. They described how he coerced women to fulfill his sexual whims and transported them to various locations to participate in "freak offs." Those accusations were all heard in federal court and there have been no state charges – yet. The Independent spoke to several attorneys about what else, if anything, Combs can be tried for – and whether the charges could be federal or state, criminal or civil.
"Is it possible? Yes. Practically speaking, it is not going to happen," Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told The Independent. Rahmani pointed out that both state and federal governments – the charging bodies – are "dual sovereigns" and so to have overlapping prosecutions is "very rare."
“If you've been acquitted by another jury in another jurisdiction, prosecutors do not like to lose, and to bring a subsequent prosecution when it's already been acquitted, that case would locally be a loser then I can't see anyone thinking about doing that,” he said.
Sexual assault and domestic violence
One of the main focuses during the trial was music Combs’ prolonged alleged abuse of multiple women, including his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura.
R&B singer Ventura, whose stage name is Cassie, filed a civil lawsuit in 2023 alleging that she was trafficked, raped and beaten by Combs on many occasions over 10 years. Ventura said in the suit that the pattern of abuse began as soon as their relationship started and that, as she was trying to end it in 2018, he forced himself into her Los Angeles home and raped her.
Last year, CNN aired a video that showed Combs attacking Ventura in the hallway of the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles in 2016, which mirrored claims made in her lawsuit.
Combs later released an apology video acknowledging the security footage that shows him beating Ventura. The lawsuit was settled a day later, with Cassie revealing in court that she received $20 million from Combs and his companies.

While criminal charges of domestic violence and assault are still a possibility, Rahmani says, the statute of limitations in California is only five years, meaning that Combs now sits outside it – unless there are newer allegations.
There is some possibility of bringing charges such as rape or sexual assault, as such counts carry a longer statute of 10 years, but this is also unlikely.
Dan Gerl, Founder and Managing Attorney at Next Law, says that Combs “certainly” could have been charged at the state level for “multiple crimes” of both sexual assault and domestic violence, had evidence come out sooner.
“Whether such charges could be brought now would, of course, depend on that state statute of limitations, which are generally more relaxed for sex crimes but still will differ from state to state,” he tells The Independent.
Drug charges
During raids of Combs’ Los Angeles home in March 2024, federal investigators found hundreds of bottles of baby oil and lubricants, as well as different types of illegal drugs. Multiple witnesses testified at trial that they personally saw Combs use illicit drugs including cocaine, ecstasy, ketamine, prescription pills and others.
But Rahami says that for the U.S. Attorney General in California – already caught up in political struggles with the Trump administration – this would not be worth the time. “There'll be a perception that this is personal,” he says.

Similar items were found at his mansion in Miami – including a large bag of marijuana – which is not decriminalized in Florida, though this too is unlikely to result in a criminal case. “When I was a prosecutor I used to tell the DEA ‘I don't want to see or hear of a marijuana case unless we're talking about one ton of marijuana,” Rahmani says.
When Combs was arrested at a New York City hotel in September 2024, federal agents also raided the room he was staying in and discovered more drugs.
Even had Combs not been found guilty, Rahami says he would have been “shocked” if state prosecutors had followed up with drug possession charges. “He [had] done so much time, it would be a time served defense anyway,” he adds. “So like, what are you getting out of it?”
Gerl agrees, saying that drug charges were always “less likely… simply due to both statute of limitations, as well as a relative lack of evidence compared to the other matters.”
Unregistered guns
Federal agents also discovered Combs had kept a bullet proof vest and guns at his Los Angeles home, some of which had their serial numbers removed.
In Los Angeles, as in the rest of California, it is illegal to possess, buy, sell or transport a firearm with an erased or altered serial number – both with consequences at both a state and federal level, including up to three years in prison and a maximum fine of $3,000.

But even so, Rahmani doubts seeking a prosecution would be of interest to the local prosecutors. “It's not worth it,” he says. “Gun possession cases can be tough, because you start pointing the finger at who is actually possessing the gun.
Remaining civil lawsuits
Even if no more criminal cases come his way, Combs will still be battling civil lawsuits in the courts for some time to come.
The mogul currently faces over 60 civil suits claiming a slew of sexual-assault allegations from victims as young as 10 and involving incidents as recent as 2022, and there may be more to come. “As far as civil litigation, that is certainly a possibility just as it was following the O.J. Simpson trial,” says Gerl, referencing how Simpson was found liable for the death of his ex and Ronald Goldman and ordered to pay millions.
“That again will depend on various states' statute of limitations.
“However, regarding sex assault litigation, not guilty verdicts may be seen as a jury believing that the victims in this case were not forced against their will to engage in that activity, but rather did so willingly in order to maintain the lifestyle.”