What’s next for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs? Sentencing, possible pardon and more.

Sean “Diddy” Combs, his family and supporters clapped and cheered, after jurors reached a split verdict in his federal sex-trafficking trial, stopping short of convicting the hip-hop impresario on more serious racketeering conspiracy and sex-trafficking charges.

But Combs isn’t completely in the clear. His conviction on two counts of prostitution-related charges, for transporting former girlfriends and male escorts across state lines, means he is likely to spend at least a few years in prison, legal experts say.

Following the verdict on Wednesday, Judge Arun Subramanian refused Combs’ request to leave jail on $1 million bail while he awaits sentencing.

Now, eyes are on Combs’ fate, including exactly how much prison time he will face and how his sentence will affect the dozens of civil cases in which he is accused of sexual assault.

So far, here’s what’s next for Combs.

When will Combs be sentenced?

Sentencing is tentatively set for Oct. 3, but the date could move. Subramanian will consider the sentencing recommendations from prosecutors and defense attorneys to make his decision.

“It usually takes a couple months to do the presentence investigation report that’s conducted by the U.S. probation office,” said Mark Chutkow, who previously led trafficking and racketeering cases at the U.S. attorney’s office in Detroit. “Sentencings are typically approximately three to four months after the verdict. Unless the parties were to agree to adjourn it for a longer period of time, that would be the rule of thumb.”

How much time could Diddy serve for his guilty charges?

Combs, who had pleaded not guilty to all charges, could eventually walk away a free man. The two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution of which he was found guilty both carry sentence ranges of zero to 10 years.

The government argued in a letter to the judge after the verdict that Combs should serve more than four years in prison for his two prostitution-related convictions.

Could Combs be pardoned by the president?

Theoretically, yes, but the likelihood of a presidential pardon for Combs is impossible to predict.

“In another administration, maybe there could be some educated guesses,” said Heather Cucolo, a professor at New York Law School and lawyer who focuses on sexual abuse cases. “But I don’t know.”

President Donald Trump said he would consider pardoning Combs during a White House news conference in May, shortly after he granted clemency to rapper NBA YoungBoy and reality stars Todd and Julie Chrisley.

The current state of their relationship is unclear, but the men – both businessmen and former reality TV stars – were occasionally photographed together in the 1990s and referred to each other as friends in the 2010s.

“I haven’t seen, I haven’t spoken to him in years. He used to really like me a lot. I think when I ran for politics, that relationship busted up, from what I read,” Trump said in May.

“I don’t know, I would certainly look at the facts,” he added. “If I think someone was mistreated, whether they like me or dislike me wouldn’t have any impact.”

What’s going on with Diddy’s civil sexual assault cases?

Since November 2023, more than 80 sexual assault lawsuits have been filed against Combs, starting with former girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, who would later become the star witness in the federal trial. Many of the accusers allege they were invited to star-studded parties or events, where they were unwittingly drugged before they were sexually assaulted by Combs. The music producer has denied all the allegations against him in the lawsuits.

Combs’ conviction and likely prison sentence will complicate how he’s able to address pending cases, slowing down the process dramatically, said Dave Ring, a Los Angeles civil trial attorney and legal analyst.

“He’s going to spend a fortune on attorneys fighting most of these cases. He’ll settle some. Others will fall by the wayside. I guarantee there’s some bogus ones out there that have been filed, and there’s some very legitimate ones. And so it’s the lawyers for Diddy that have to litigate those and figure out which ones are serious and need to be resolved,” Ring said. “That’s going to take a long time, particularly because Diddy is quite possibly in prison during part of that time.”

A few of the cases already had been settled or dismissed before the federal trial verdict, and lawyers predict that the majority – if not all – of the cases will be resolved before they make it to trial.

If Combs is serving prison time, he doesn’t necessarily have the right to be present at a civil trial.