Sean "Diddy" Combs: The Verdict
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The verdict is in. After 14 hours of deliberation, a jury of eight men and four women who spent nearly seven weeks listening to over 30 witnesses decided the fate of Sean Diddy Combs, not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, but guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

I'm Jerika Duncan, CBS News national correspondent. As Sean Combs faces as little as no additional time behind bars to as many as 20 years in prison for both counts, tonight we will explore his incredible life, how he rose to fame, descended into shame, and the trial that changed his place in American culture.

Puff represented more than just music. Diddy Puff, Daddy Love, everything baby! This was black excellence. He wasn't just a hip hop mogul, he was one of the biggest artists in the world. I don't really play by the rules, I'm a bad boy. He understood what to do with music to make a hit. The MTV Global Icon! BET Lifetime Achievement Award.

Puff Daddy! Sean "Puffy" Combs. The people chose it baby! Yeah, yeah, yeah! He wanted to be at the top. He realized that if you wanted to really become wealthy, you don't just stop with being a recording artist. You have to take it a few steps further.

He started making millions and millions. I think a lot of people who become successful and have a darker side, they use their influence and their wealth to keep it hidden because they want people to see what they want them to see. If that video of Cassie being beat down by Diddy had not become public, had not been on airwaves across America,

I don't think we'd be here. A year ago, Sean Cohn stood in Times Square and was handed a key to New York City. I love you, New York! Today, he's been indicted and will face justice. This office is determined to investigate and prosecute anyone who engages in sex trafficking, no matter how powerful or wealthy or famous you may be.

He knew this day was coming. Mr. Combs is a fighter. He's gonna fight this to the end. Wow was my first impression. They really have him now. It's like a crime story mixed with a reality show all in one. The kings are falling. Most of the people who come into music, they really, really want to get in. And sometimes when you get in and someone says, "Hey,

All you got to do is this one thing and I got you. But they don't got you. They're going to get you. Before he was Diddy or Love or Puff Daddy or Puffy, he was simply Sean. Sean John Combs. Born in 1969 in Harlem, he was raised by a single mother in Mount Vernon, New York, after his father was violently shot to death.

During his teenage years, he earned the nickname "Puffy" due to his quick temper. He would later go on to attend Howard University. At Howard, he was doing a lot of parties. Daryl James is the author of "Becoming Diddy: The Making of Sean John Combs from Mogul to Monster." He's a bright guy, so he came up with some really, really clever marketing ploys that worked.

In 1990, Combs landed an internship at Uptown Records. Sean Combs was going to outwork everybody. He didn't just observe, he soaked it in. He took what he learned and then, you know, learned how to add on to it culturally. Bonesu Thompson is a writer and producer.

He goes from dog intern to assistant to production assistant to artist in repertoire on to becoming his own exec. He seemed to be somebody that definitely wanted to rise in the music business. Cynthia Horner, a well-known hip-hop journalist in the 80s and 90s, is the publisher of Write On magazine. She covered Diddy's career from the very beginning.

He knew how to throw all the best parties and he knew all the latest music. All the other record company executives looked at him as the go-to person. So they put him in charge of all these different artists. He soon dropped out of Howard University and focused entirely on music at Uptown Records.

Becoming the number one guy there, his ego blows up so much that he gets himself fired, but has the talent connections and the vision to build his own label. In 1993, he launched Bad Boy Records. The first signed artist was Christopher Wallace, aka The Notorious B.I.G.

Diddy produced Biggie's debut album in 1994, Ready to Die. The album went platinum with over one million sales in a year. Biggie's look was not the traditional look, but having better access to clothing, which Puffy could definitely do something about,

He just had that it factor. - As a marketing man, this guy was on point. He wasn't really a producer per se because he's not musically inclined, but he understood what to do with music to make a hit.

The hits with Bad Boy continued. In 1997, there was excitement to Biggie's follow-up album until it came to a devastating halt when Notorious B.I.G. was shot and killed at a Los Angeles intersection.

How did Biggie's death impact Combs? There was so much interest in Biggie's death that it just propelled Puffy to superstardom because he was still around. Biggie wasn't. Soon after Biggie's death, Diddy released his song, I'll Be Missing You, which earned him his first Grammy.

When Biggie passed, he took the opportunity to honor his slain artist, but also live his artist dreams. And I mean, sold a lot of records out the gate.

Biggie's second album, released posthumously, "Life After Death," was a massive success. And it gave Diddy the opening to create even more music. He went and just started going through all the '80s songs that were really, really hot and sampling those songs. So right about that time, most of us who were in our 20s and 30s, we were kind of keyed into that music. And it worked.

But as his dreams were coming true, he got a wake-up call.

The 31-year-old rap mogul told a packed courtroom a gun that was found in his car was not his. And when asked if he knew where the gun came from, replied, absolutely not. In December of 1997, Combs was charged with illegal possession of a firearm in connection to a shooting inside a Times Square nightclub. It's not a good feeling to be sitting in that chair with other people. You got 12 people.

You know, that ain't control of your life. - In 2001, the jury found Combs not guilty. Just two weeks later, he changed his stage name to P. Diddy and continued his path to becoming a mogul. - He almost stole as good a party as me. - I knew that was coming. - Almost. - Diddy became the executive producer and host of Making the Band on MTV, which at its height was seen by over 50 million viewers.

It's the real deal right here. - He also launched his signature sportswear collection, Sean John, which at one point grossed over a half billion dollars annually. He didn't stop with the clothing either. - No, 'cause he also had Ciroc because he noticed that when you have these videos, a lot of the rappers would talk about what they drank.

By 2014, Ciroc was selling more than 2 million bottles a year. Diddy left the vodka brand 10 years later with a payout topping $1 billion. So how y'all feeling out there?

With the success of his music and businesses came a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Forbes listing him as the world's highest paid celebrity, a Lifetime Achievement Award from BET, and an MTV Global Icon Award. Diddy was now a brand, and he was on top of the world. If there's a face to rap becoming rich, it's Puff. He's the guy. He told me a long time ago that he wanted to be wealthy,

He wanted to be at the top. Puff represented more than just music. This was Black excellence. He was a marketing genius who got an opportunity in music and got in and really, really made an impact. And then it all just went sideways. A lawsuit filed against Sean Diddy Combs. It was a headline that landed like a bomb.

On November 16th of 2023, Cassie Ventura, singer, model, and former partner of Sean Diddy Combs, filed a lawsuit accusing him of rape, trafficking, and years of brutal abuse. I think it all started for Combs when Cassie came forward. ♪

Attorney Terry Austin has been following the federal case and was in the courtroom every day. She filed that civil lawsuit, but I think there was a flood of other suits that came after that. Combs settled the civil lawsuit within 24 hours for a reported $20 million. After vetting, we now represent 120 individuals who intend to bring civil claims in civil court against Sean Diddy Combs.

In March of 2024, federal agents raided Combs' homes in Los Angeles and Miami. The Department of Homeland Security has raided the homes of Sean Diddy Combs. Agencies, guns, drugs, and surveillance footage. But it was something else that was making headlines. Prosecutors say more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil were found, allegedly used to stock hotel rooms for orchestrated sex parties known as freak-offs.

Oh, the guns, the baby oil, the baby oil. Judy Saunders is a leading sexual abuse and human trafficking attorney. That's all you saw. It went viral. Memes about that. That's made it a little bit of a public spectacle for both sides.

Simone Redwine is also a lawyer and a reality TV star who followed the case against Combs. The significance of establishing that there was a thousand bottles of baby oil and in court they'd show the videos, the caseloads, they'd show where they were stored, is to show just how prevalent these recalls were, how many different people were involved.

Then, in May of 2024, surveillance footage surfaced from a Los Angeles hotel in 2016. Combs was seen chasing Cassie, slamming her to the ground and kicking her. After the video aired, Combs apologized, saying he was disgusted by his actions. I mean, I hit rock bottom, but I make no excuses. My behavior on that video is inexcusable. Let's be frank.

If that video of Cassie being beat down by Diddy had not become public, had not been on airwaves across America, I don't think we'd be here. The footage displayed a side of Diddy he did not want revealed. How did you react to the video of Cassie Ventura being dragged and

- Assaulted. - I've gotta tell you, that video, no matter how many times they played it, and they played it multiple times, every single time I saw it, it affected me.

A grand jury indicted Combs on multiple felony charges, including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. The charges spanned from 2009 to 2024. So racketeering conspiracy is that top charge. And to prove that, you have to prove there's a criminal enterprise and that it was engaged, that there was interstate criminal activity. Now, we know there's an enterprise because it's literally called Sean Combs Enterprises.

And the enterprise does not have to be created for criminal reasons. What they have to show is that he actually used employees to execute these crimes. In September, Combs was arrested at a New York hotel. He was denied bail and has been in federal custody ever since. Mr. Combs is a fighter.

He's gonna fight this to the end. He's innocent. I think part of the reason he didn't get bail is because he knew this day was coming. And the allegation is he was trying to call potential witnesses and obstruct justice and tamper with these witnesses. So there was evidence that he made a few calls.

Combs has denied any wrongdoing. His legal team calls the case a money grab built on lies and opportunism. When he called it a money grab, that's a common defense, whether it's your publicist or damage control to have that come out. Before the first witness was called, prosecutors laid out their case with text messages, videos, and digital files painting a picture of fear, control, and systemic abuse.

But none of it would matter without a jury. Everyone I've spoken to has said that is the most important part of a case, who is sitting on that jury. Exactly. It is critical. And there are a lot of people who think it is the most important part. Yes, you want to make sure you pick people who can understand your perspective, but there's no guarantee.

This trial would hinge on the women who say they were abused, on the employees who allegedly watched it happen, and the insiders who remained silent. And it would begin with the woman who said she survived it all. This was the testimony I think everybody was waiting for. I think she was the pivotal witness for that case. No doubt about it.

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With the jury seated and the charges read aloud, the trial of Sean Diddy Combs officially began. Outside, it was a media circus. Long lines formed before sunrise. Content creators and news crews jockeyed for space. The Combs family walked in united,

silent, hand in hand, only adding to the spectacle. But inside the courtroom, all eyes were on the government star witness, Cassie Ventura. There was lots of details as to what he did to her, what he forced her to do.

actual sexual acts all included in that and that's where the prosecution got much of their information. Cassie walked in visibly pregnant, supported by her husband and family. She didn't look at Combs, but he never took his eyes off of her.

She is beautiful. Drop dead gorgeous. When she walks in the room, she has a certain presence about her. And you can't help but look at her and say, "Wow, she is a beautiful woman." And she dresses impeccably. And when she walked in the room repeatedly,

She didn't look at him. I think she commanded the room. She described a relationship that was intoxicating and isolating. It started with charm, but spiraled into what she called all-consuming control. I think that Ms. Ventura was able to tell us a story of

meeting this very powerful, very charismatic individual at such a young age, which is extremely important. How wonderful is it to be flattered, to be chosen, so to speak, by someone like that? She recalled the so-called "freak-offs" or drug-fueled sex marathons with escorts that she says Combs would watch and direct, saying she was filmed without consent.

There are a lot of salacious allegations and descriptions about those sexual nights, the freak-off nights. And at times it was kind of unbelievable to think, were they really being intimate like that for three or four days? The jury paid close attention as she described her pain, saying that when she tried to leave, she was threatened and manipulated. Cassie was absolutely a compelling witness.

It was brilliant of the prosecution to have her lead the testimony. And one of the most compelling things that she said on that stand was she read a text message after umpteen beatings from Puffy. And she said in that message, I am not a rag doll. I am someone's child.

And it was testimony like that where you could look over at the jury and you would see that they were captured by it. Often in relationships where there is intimate partner abuse, it's important to know along with physical and sexual, there's also the emotional abuse. Tame O'Brien is a licensed psychologist and professor at Pepperdine University.

So the psychological abuse really damages your sense of yourself, your trust of yourself, your sense of what we call agency or self-efficacy. The singer testified she felt confused and nervous about the freak-offs, but when it came to Combs, she said, quote, "I also loved him very much and wanted to make him happy." In psychology, we call it please and appease.

So, I figure out who has the power and the control, and I try to stay on their good side in order to remain safe. Then they will be kind to me. Then, because this was weekly, then we could have a good week.

right? If I give this person this gift, right, then things will be safer, that things will be calmer, then they won't be outraged. On social media, there was backlash. Some questioned why she stayed. Others said she must have wanted the lifestyle, that if it were really that bad, she would have left sooner. Just the March 5th, 2016 tape alone,

shows her being forced. She was trying to leave, and she was leaving a hotel night. There was an escort in that room, and she's trying to get away. She's sneaking out. She's going to the elevator. They'll stay because they hope that things are going to get better, and sometimes they stay because of fear that they have been threatened. But the defense argued Ventura wasn't a victim. She was a willing participant.

In court, Combs' lawyers played an audio recording of an enraged Ventura threatening a man she believed had a freak-off video of her.

I'm going to kill you. You don't understand. I don't give a f***. I've never killed anybody in my life. It was very loud and it was very different from the casting we saw on the stand and that might affect the jury. Ventura's four-day testimony ended with her crying on the stand and saying she would give back the $20 million if it meant she never had to perform another freak-off.

Next, the government would call the people who say they witnessed it, the bruises, the fear. A chorus of testimony to back up the star witness. The way in which Cassie's testimony really brought together other members of Diddy's organization, his assistants, those different people, it really showed the level of power that he had and the level of control.

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Burgers deserve Pepsi. Cassie Ventura's testimony was riveting, but there were many more witnesses to come. Over the course of seven weeks, there were 34 witnesses, each one building on her story.

While many witnesses shared harrowing accounts, two stood out for how their testimony gripped the public's attention. There was rapper Kid Cudi, who was Ventura's ex-boyfriend, and Combs' anonymous ex-girlfriend, known only as Jane. The jury in the Sean Diddy Combs sex trafficking and racketeering trial heard from one of his former romantic relatives.

Ventura testified she dated rapper Kid Cudi in 2011 after working together and becoming friends. She told the court she didn't tell Combs about the relationship, but he found out during an alleged freak-off because he went through her phone and read some emails. Ventura testified she ended things with Kid Cudi so that no one would get hurt.

On May 22nd, Kid Cudi, whose real name is Scott Mescady, took the stand and corroborated her testimony. Kid Cudi, I think, was a very credible witness. I think he had a certain sophistication to him. I think he came across extremely well to that jury. And I think they believed him. Kid Cudi testified that Diddy came into his home and took his dog and locked his dog in the bathroom.

but didn't appear to have hurt him. And I think what that establishes is that Diddy likes to play mind games in that instance. Ventura also testified that Combs threatened to blow up Cuddy's car. Cuddy testified that a few weeks later, his Porsche 911 convertible was damaged by fire while parked in his driveway. In light of the testimony that we heard about different consistent instances of Diddy exercising force and control and using fear to control those around him, I believe that

It was Diddy who in fact orchestrated or directed the arson. What about the moment Kid Cudi describes having a meeting at the Soho house, Cassie's there, but then the two of them kind of meet up man to man and all is forgiven. Cudi says, "What about my car?" And Combs allegedly says, "What car?" Right. And then the question was, what did you think he meant by that?

And that's when Kid Cudi said that he, you know, firebombed my car.

It wasn't just celebrity friends speaking out. One woman far from the spotlight came forward with a story that shook the room. On June 4, Briana Bongolin, a friend of Ventura, told jurors that in September of 2016, Combs lifted her over the balcony of Ventura's Los Angeles apartment for about 15 seconds before pulling her back and throwing her onto patio furniture.

Prosecutors showed the jury photos of her bruises, which they say occurred that night, images that seemed to grab the jury. But the defense pressed hard. They challenged Bongolin on when the alleged incident happened, pointing to travel records showing Combs was in New York for the Bad Boy reunion tour. In other words, Combs was not in L.A. on the day Bongolin said she was assaulted.

It all goes down to credibility. If you don't believe that Brianna Bongolin was dangled off the edge of the apartment

You may not believe anything about the other instances that she talks about of violence. - The next day, June 5th, another woman took the stand. Known only as Combs' ex-girlfriend Jane, her story painted a similar picture to Cassie Ventura's in chilling detail. Jane described enduring drug-fueled sex marathons until the hip hop mogul's arrest in September. - What was so different about Jane's story

from Cassie's. The common thread that I think runs through Ms. Ventura and Jane is that belief, that internal belief, that they honestly believe they can't leave. They have no agency. Jane's testimony really shared testimony and examples of Jane being in love with Diddy.

also jealous. But the testimony elicited really showed that she, different than Cassie, liked to actually use the freak-offs

to reward or punish Diddy. I want to talk about Jane because she was on the stand longer than Cassie. She was. And she described her relationship as complicated, even today. Why do you think Jane's testimony was so problematic? Well, let me start out by saying I think that any victim who is claiming abuse should be given an opportunity to tell their story. Having said that, I think she came across as

someone who was looking for benefit, someone who was in the relationship because she wanted an expensive home, because she wanted to buy expensive bags.

She wanted that lifestyle. Jane's testimony may have been anonymous in court, but online, nothing stayed private for long. The Sean Diddy Combs trial became a trending topic, a magnet for influencers to follow the case. Some even crossed the line, exposing Jane's identity and turning her trauma into content. A number of influencers felt that, oh, because they weren't in the courtroom, that it was totally fine for them to name Jane. And

and out these witnesses. But the problem is that it totally defeats the purpose of why they're there testifying under anonymity in the first place. What followed was a digital feeding frenzy. I just spent eight hours in a room with Diddy. Lana was back on the stand to finish cross-examination. Day two of the Diddy trial, you could hear a pin drop. TikToks, live streams, YouTube videos, everyone seemed to have an opinion, but few had expertise.

Her attorneys were really brilliant. They didn't sue just Diddy, they sued his corporation. Simone Redwine was one of the few influencers who used her knowledge of the law to break down the Combs case. Part of the challenge is that these influencers don't have legal backgrounds. So sometimes when they share misinformation by misapplying the law to the facts,

it can create issues because people feel that the defendant isn't getting a fair trial. But it wasn't all noise. While some amplified misinformation, others became trusted sources, translating the legal jargon and reaching audiences that traditional media often missed. Viewers are able to get tidbits and

and little drama, courtroom drama, whether it's in the courtroom and out of the courtroom, they're getting a "T" as we call it, right? But that's what the people want to know. They want to know what's Diddy wearing, how gray is the hair. It's like its own little reality show where people are both getting the law, but they're also getting the facts. As the prosecution rested, what remained was a question of strategy. Would the defense try to dismantle every voice or try to silence them altogether?

Either way, it was their turn to speak. You have to make this relatable to the jury. You have to get them to minimize the level of violence.

Now it was time to hear Diddy's defense. Should Diddy take the stand in his own defense? Here's where that decision is complicated. Diddy is getting ready to put on his defense. There's been a major development in the Diddy trial. He did not take the stand, and his defense team decided not to call any witnesses. So here, initially, Diddy's legal team expected to put on a defense for three weeks. Then later throughout the trial, they narrowed it down and said, mm, two weeks.

And then in the last week, they said they had five witnesses. Well, days later, they decided they would call no one. The defense does not call any witnesses. Good thing or bad thing? I think it's probably a good thing. Personally, I feel like it's always a good idea to put at least one person up there. Sometimes the jury does look for that.

On the other hand, you don't want to overplay that hand because you don't want to act as though you're really worried and put on a whole bunch of witnesses. They think their job is done because if they believe that the prosecution has proven their case, they're going to want to put someone up to rebut that. Or they could also believe that whoever they do have could possibly do more harm than good.

The defense rested its case in less than 30 minutes, arguing that the government had failed to meet the burden of proof to any of the charges. They did, however, submit new evidence, text messages between Diddy and Cassie, as well as with another alleged victim under the pseudonym of Jane.

In one message from 2012, Cassie wrote, "Besides making love, talking to you is my favorite thing." Five years later, Ventura sent a series of messages that she missed him and asked him to send a picture of his genitals and pledged to be your little freak.

Combs also texted, "You think you can freak off without getting high lol?" Ventura texted back, "Yeah, I'll just have to be at my level and what is good for me." These text messages are used to do what? Knowing that Sean Combs is not going to take the stand. They're used by the defense solely to show consent.

agency and that she had the ability to leave. They're used to mute the prosecution's theory that this was a forced relationship. The defense was putting a punctuation in their theory and in their appeal to the jury to say this is an adult, this adult chose this relationship.

The next day, the prosecution dismissed some of the charges. Attorney Terry Austin was in the courtroom and explained why. The prosecution decided, "Okay, do we need to have all of these charges? We've already proven that there's arson. Do we need to prove that there's attempted arson? We've proven that there's bribery. They did

pay money to get that tape of Cassie. I think that they went through all of them and decided which ones they could let go of and still have the meat of the argument in their charges. With the few charges dismissed, the prosecution gave its closing remarks. The room was packed. Everybody was expecting this closing statement and

The judge, I think, even was a little bit on edge. It was different because we all know this is wrapping up. Walk us through what happened today. I actually think the prosecution did a great job today. One of the things they had to do was to tie it all together. There were over 30 witnesses and weeks of trial, and I think

I think what Kristi Slavik did today was to put that all together. So she went through each count. She laid out the law. She said, "This is what the judge is going to tell you." And then she explained to the jury how it all fit with the evidence. I almost get the sense that some people, when I was in the overflow, were talking a little bit. It was the reality that

perhaps the prosecution has the goods. Sex trafficking is definitely one of the charges I think they'll get as it relates to Cassie.

All you have to do is show that March 5th, 2016 video. There's no question that force was used in that instance. You just need one instance. You don't know what the jury's going to do, but I think they made a good case for that today with that video. The prosecution spent nearly five hours giving its closing remarks. The next day, Diddy's defense team gave theirs. We again spoke to attorney Terry Austin, who was inside the courtroom. The atmosphere today was fantastic.

It was thrilling. It was filled. You could hear a pin drop. The entire family for the Combs was in that courtroom. I do think they were focused and listening to what Mark Agnipolo had to say. Sean Combs also was focusing on that closing argument. He was paying close attention. Mark Agnipolo, who is the lead attorney for the defense team, he had a theme, and his theme was, there are two stories to this case. He did a good job at explaining

what the defense's position is. In other words, there's consent as far as

sex trafficking is concerned, for transportation to engage in prostitution. He said they weren't paying for sex. Where he went a little bit over the line was he questioned the motives of the victim. He tried to say that they were lying in some instances. Diddy's defense spent four hours explaining to jurors why they believe he is innocent. But it was the prosecution that had the last word with a rebuttal.

done by Maureen Comey. She was adamant and she also focused on just a few points to the count for transportation to engage in prostitution. She said was laughable. She said obviously when they had these freak-offs, these hotel nights, that they were paying for the escort. She tried to make that jury understand that of course this was prostitution. If you're getting paid and it's sex, it's prostitution and that's illegal.

The rebuttal took over an hour and court adjourned. Next, it was time for the jury to deliberate. If you're just tuning in, Sean Combs not guilty on the most serious of charges, the racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking.

Sean Combs still faces possible years in prison, but larger questions remain. What does this verdict say about America's tolerance for the power of celebrity and the behavior of those who wield it? And what should we make of the now tarnished legacy of the music mogul known as Diddy?

His legacy is secure as far as what his legacy has been since the 90s. I think his legacy as a human being is what is in jeopardy because he's a treacherous human being. What are artists and even executives to learn from this trial? Well, unfortunately, executives, if they're participating in this kind of behavior, they've learned to keep it secret.

I don't think the artists have learned anything. I mean, we keep seeing the same thing happen. And it's always young people coming to the industry and they don't know anything. But most of the people who come into music, movies, fashion, film, television, they really, really want to get in. And sometimes when you get in and someone says, "Hey,

All you gotta do is this one thing and I got you. But they don't got you, they're gonna get you. Some believe Combs' recent legal troubles stem from a 2023 lawsuit he filed alleging racism against his longtime corporate partner Diageo. The multi-billion dollar alcohol conglomerate denied those claims and settled the case out of court last year, but the terms were not announced.

But victims' rights advocates maintain this trial was purely about abuses of power ignored during the height of the MeToo movement. I mean, look, hip-hop had every opportunity to be part of the MeToo movement when it first started off with Tarana Burke's work a few years back. It has continued to resist. And I think this represents a lag in hip-hop really embracing the movement itself. Talking about sexual harm has always been really hard. When I look back at the MeToo movement,

It was galling to me to see the amount of silence Black men inside of the industry and complex of hip-hop culture largely were just too silent. There were more of us who could have spoken out and that didn't, but we haven't seen that. I don't think it's profitable for people. I don't think love and healing are profitable things inside of the music industry. And so I think you have this constellation of things that make it easier for artists, for fans, and for everyone virtually

other than victims to remain silent about this. And that silence is a heavier weight than speaking up and speaking out. -One group with no problem speaking out, content creators, who showed up to the courthouse in droves, instantly making their perspectives on the case available for the world to watch. -And the defense is saying in their motion, "Well, that can't be true." -Social-media influencers are completely changing the way that cases are covered.

because they are doing the digging and they're bringing it directly to their viewers. The defense is not letting up. They're pulling court records. They're reading it to their audience. And then together the audience is trying to decipher, "Oh, okay, well, what does this mean in the indictment?" So as a result, it's like a crime story mixed with a reality show all in one. These charges in particular, they're sealed. They're done. But part of the challenge is that these influencers don't have legal backgrounds.

So sometimes when they share misinformation by misapplying the law to the facts, it can create issues because people feel that the defendant isn't getting a fair trial. The reality is Combs was able to escape the most serious charges against him. He still faces two prostitution-related convictions that could send him to prison. But the damage to his reputation is done.

The entertainment business is not exactly a bed of roses and there are so many bad influences and a lot of people get sucked up in that. They don't think they're going to, but they do. I mean, Sean Combs' story is a little more extreme, but if you think about the history of what has happened to many of these different celebrities, everybody's got a bad story to tell.

What impact does that have on the culture? And not just hip-hop culture, American culture. Yeah, American culture. Yeah, it's the kings are falling, right? It's almost like, is this going to become a trend? What's the next icon that's going to go down? Because it's almost par for the course, right? Only time will tell if hip-hop's future becomes more transparent and perhaps more critical of itself. Sean Combs is huge and...

For him to be charged with all of these charges and counts and women, I think is really a pivotal case. And I do think that it could change the scenery. I mean, we had R. Kelly, but I think people are looking at Sean Combs a little differently. I'm hoping that this case becomes a cautionary tale for those who aspire to be Sean Combs, those who are

approaching that status, you know, whether you're a mogul, whether it's music, I don't care what business you're in, right? It's about men with power and them abusing them. It's about the system and the people are the ones that are going to have to change the system.

As we digest the end of what some have called the trial of the decade, it is also a time to remember that while this criminal trial is over, Sean Combs' legal troubles are not. The self-proclaimed bad boy for life is facing over 60 civil lawsuits. Most of the allegations are of sexual abuse, battery, and rape.

Combs denies the allegations. His net worth is estimated by Forbes to be about $400 million, and he may need all of it to defend against the lawsuits he is still facing and any possible judgments in the future. For now, I'm Jerika Duncan. For all of us here at CBS News, we thank you for watching.

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