Facing a potential prison sentence, Sean “Diddy” Combs has written a personal letter to the judge, expressing deep regret for his actions and claiming his time behind bars has transformed him. In the letter, written ahead of his sentencing on October 3, 2025, the music mogul said the “old me died in jail” and that he has been “reborn,” no longer caring about money or fame. Combs is hoping for a sentence that would allow him to return to his family.
The Final Plea Before Sentencing
In a four-page letter to Judge Arun Subramanian, Sean “Diddy” Combs made an emotional appeal for leniency. He wrote that he takes “full responsibility and accountability for my past wrongs” and acknowledged the pain he caused. Combs described his year in jail as the hardest of his life, leading to a “spiritual reset.”
“I lost my way. I got lost in my journey. Lost in the drugs and the excess. My downfall was rooted in my selfishness,” Combs wrote. “The old me died in jail and a new version of me was reborn. Prison will change you or kill you—I choose to live.”
Federal prosecutors have asked the judge to sentence Combs to 11 years and three months in prison, arguing that he is “unrepentant.” His defense lawyers have requested a sentence of 14 months, which would mean his release after already serving a year behind bars.
A Direct Apology to the Victims
Combs specifically addressed the two women whose testimony was central to his trial: his ex-girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura, and another woman who testified under the pseudonym “Jane.”
He expressed particular remorse for his violent assault on Cassie Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel in 2016, an incident captured on security footage and shown during his trial.
“The scene and images of me assaulting Cassie play over and over in my head daily,” Combs wrote. “I literally lost my mind. I was dead wrong for putting my hands on the woman that I loved. I’m sorry for that and always will be. My domestic violence will always be a heavy burden that I will have to forever carry.”
Regarding “Jane,” Combs stated that he initially thought he was helping her, but her court testimony made him realize the harm he had done.
Life Behind Bars and Claims of Change
Combs described his time at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn as “inhumane,” detailing being locked in a single room with 25 other inmates with no windows, no clean air, and a broken washing machine. He insisted he was not seeking pity but simply sharing his “truth.”
He claims to have used his time in jail productively, focusing on staying sober for the first time in 25 years, reading, writing, and attending therapy for drug abuse and anger issues. He also told the judge he started a six-week program for other inmates called “Free Game,” where he shares business advice and lessons from his own mistakes and failures.
Ascing for Mercy for His Family
A significant part of Combs’s plea focused on his role as a father and son. He asked the judge for mercy for the sake of his seven children and his 84-year-old mother, for whom he was the primary caregiver.
“I ask you for mercy today, not only for my sake, but for the sake of my children,” he wrote. “I no longer care about the money or the fame. There is nothing more important to me than my family.”
Combs said he has missed important family milestones while incarcerated, including his daughters’ proms and graduations, and the chance to be with his toddler as she grows.
The Background of the Case
Combs was found guilty in July 2025 on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. These charges were related to what were described during the trial as “freak-offs”—drug-fueled sexual encounters with male escorts that involved his then-girlfriends. The incidents involved Cassie Ventura and “Jane.”
He was acquitted of the more serious charges of racketeering conspiracy and s*x traffic*ing. Since his arrest in September 2024, he has been held in jail after being denied bail. The verdict was seen as a partial victory for his defense team, who argued he was a “flawed individual” but not a criminal racketeer.
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Credits: The Guardian, NBC News, CNN
