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The music mogul Sean Combs is set to be his sentence on Friday by a federal judge in New York City, following his guilty verdict earlier this year on federal prostitution-related charges.

This article provides a overview of his legal proceedings: the charges he faced, the trial events, and potential next steps.

What Was He Found Guilty Of?

In July, following a two-month trial, a jury found Combs guilty of two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. He was acquitted of the most serious charges against him, racketeering and sex trafficking, which carried the potential of a life sentence.

The charges on which he was found guilty each have a maximum sentence of a decade. Combs had pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

Judge Arun Subramanian, who presided over the case, will deliver the ruling on Friday, with the hearing due to begin at 10:00 AM Eastern Time in federal district court in lower Manhattan.

Combs, 55, has been detained without bond at the Brooklyn detention facility since his arrest in September last year. Since the decision, the court has rejected two bail requests from Combs’s lawyers, and earlier this week Subramanian also rejected a motion to overturn the guilty verdicts.

What Allegations Was Combs Accused Of?

Federal prosecutors accused the music executive of leveraging his status and resources, and using violence, threats and blackmail, to coerce former partners into participating in drug-fueled sexual marathons with paid companions. Such events were often called by the accused as “hotel nights”, which they said Combs orchestrated, observed, masturbated to and sometimes filmed.

The government alleged that for more than two decades, Combs operated a criminal enterprise – assisted by employees and associates – to conduct and hide offenses including sex trafficking, drug distribution, corruption and abduction.

Although found guilty on two charges, Combs has denied any misconduct. His lawyers have insisted that all sexual activity was consensual and that no criminal enterprise was present.

What Transpired During the Trial?

The prosecution called more than 30 witnesses, including former partners of Combs – artist Cassie Ventura and a second individual who gave evidence using the alias Jane – who described the alleged events in graphic detail, and claimed that Combs pressured and intimidated them into taking part.

Ventura was the star prosecution witness. She testified that during her long-term relationship with Combs, he exposed her to physical, sexual and emotional abuse and to extortion. The jury was presented with the 2016 video of Combs attacking Ventura in a hallway. Jane also told the court of a physical confrontation with Combs.

Other witnesses included former employees, male escorts, law enforcement agents, hotel employees and public figures including rapper Kid Cudi and singer Dawn Richard. Combs did not testify.

Combs’s legal team admitted previous incidents of abuse, but denied that any force or trafficking took place. They maintained that all sexual activity was agreed upon and part of a “alternative lifestyle”, and contended that Ventura and Jane were consenting adults in the encounters.

How Much Time Could He Serve?

Combs’s attorneys have requested the court for a penalty of a maximum of 14 months in prison, which, given time already served, would permit his release before the end of the year. They argue that Combs has already been “sufficiently penalized” by spending over a year in the “harsh environment” at the facility.

The prosecution, however, have requested a minimum of 135 months (over a decade) and a $500,000 fine. In legal documents, they portrayed Combs as “unrepentant” and said that “his history and characteristics show years of abuse and violence.

What Was Said By the Victims?

The prosecution submitted multiple statements from victims to the court before sentencing, including one from Ventura.

“Although the jurors did not seem to understand or believe that I participated in freak-offs because of the pressure and intimidation the defendant used against me, I know that is the reality, and his sentence should reflect the truth of the evidence and my lived experience as a victim,” Ventura wrote.

“I am so scared that if he is released, his first actions will be swift retribution towards me and others who testified about his misconduct, at court,” she said.

“If there is one thing I have gained from this ordeal, it is that victims and survivors will never be safe,” she added. “I hope that your decision considers the facts at hand that the panel overlooked.”

What Comes After Sentencing?

After sentencing, Combs’s attorneys could appeal against the sentence. Combs’s defense is also expected to contest his verdict.

Additionally, Combs is confronting dozens of civil cases alleging of misconduct and other misconduct. He has denied all allegations in those suits.