By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

MUSIC mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was reportedly preparing to fly to The Bahamas when US Homeland Security agents raided his homes in Los Angeles and Miami last year, was found guilty yesterday of transporting women across state lines for prostitution but acquitted of the more serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering.

A jury of eight men and four women delivered their verdict after roughly 12 hours of deliberation. Although Mr Combs celebrated in court after he was found not guilty of the more severe charges, his mood reportedly darkened after the judge, Arun Subramanian, denied him bail later yesterday, citing his history of domestic violence. 

Mr Combs’ long-standing ties to The Bahamas, where he once called the islands his “third home”, resurfaced during the trial as a witness described trips here central to the case.

The witness testified in June about a 15-day trip Mr Combs took her on to Turks and Caicos and The Bahamas in February 2021. The court heard that heavy drug use, particularly ecstasy, was rampant during the Turks and Caicos leg of the trip.

Brendan Paul, a former assistant to Mr Combs, testified that part of his job involved procuring ketamine and ecstasy for the music mogul’s personal use. He recalled being on a private jet with Mr Combs and his chief of staff in route to The Bahamas before they were detained, at which point he was found with cocaine allegedly intended for Mr Combs.

Mr Combs’ guilty conviction on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution means he could face a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. Sentencing is expected later this month in the Southern District of New York.

Mr Combs called The Bahamas his “third home” in a 1990s interview with Bahamian TV personality Charlie Bahama, saying he spent a month there recording half his album.

“I spent like a month here. I did half my album here in The Bahamas,” he said. “This is like my third home, I’d have to say.”

When asked if the relaxed island vibe made it hard to work, he insisted, “No, it’s a beautiful place, but I definitely got work done. The vibe was right for me,” adding, “I like the heat—I like the hotness. That makes me work harder.”