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The dozens of plaintiffs who have filed civil suits against Sean “Diddy” Combs, many of which accuse him of sexual assault and sex trafficking, may be helped by his criminal convictions, even though he was acquitted on more serious crimes by a Manhattan jury Wednesday.
Sean "Diddy" Combs still faces dozens of civil lawsuits. (Photo by Prince Williams/WireImage)
Combs was convicted on two criminal counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and acquitted on two counts of sex trafficking and one count of racketeering conspiracy, but the music mogul still faces sentencing in his criminal case, as well as dozens of civil lawsuits.
Mark Zauderer, a veteran trial and appellate lawyer, told Forbes the verdict is “only going to help plaintiffs in civil cases,” stating the criminal trial could provide civil suit plaintiffs a “roadmap to witnesses with helpful testimony.”
Even though Combs was acquitted on sex trafficking in the criminal trial, his conviction on transportation to engage in prostitution could help support the civil suit plaintiffs’ claims of sexual abuse or trafficking if evidence overlaps, Zauderer said, noting civil cases have a lower standard of proof required to find a defendant liable.
“At a minimum, [plaintiffs] are going to get an advantage by seeking evidence that may be admissible in the civil case about the conduct of the defendant,” Zauderer said.
Former federal prosecutor Mark Chutkow said Combs would not be able to point to his sex trafficking acquittal in his criminal trial as “proof he didn’t commit misconduct against these plaintiffs.”
Chutkow said, though, Combs’ acquittal on sex trafficking and racketeering charges could be discouraging to potential civil plaintiffs who have already sued or may have planned to sue Combs, stating they would have seen the “excruciating” testimonies of his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura and “Jane Doe,” who testified under a pseudonym.
Combs may have to be prepared to pay significant amounts of money if he settles or owes damages to plaintiffs in his civil lawsuits, should they proceed to trial. Chutkow said Combs’ settlement with Ventura, reported to be $20 million, was likely so large because of both the severity of Ventura’s claims and his willingness to contain a scandal. Zauderer told Forbes courts could seize Combs’ assets or money from his various businesses to make payouts to successful plaintiffs. If his civil cases proceed to trial, Combs may be more likely to testify, which he did not do in his criminal trial. “In a civil case, if you don’t testify, that can be harmful to you,” Chutkow said, stating there is an expectation both the defense and prosecution will present a case, unlike in criminal cases, in which the burden of proof is on prosecutors.
Because civil and criminal cases have different standards of proof, if a jury feels the evidence is not strong enough to convict in a criminal case, it may still be enough to find a defendant liable in a civil case. In a criminal case, jurors must believe a defendant is guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt,” a much higher standard of proof than civil cases, which abide by the “preponderance of the evidence” standard, meaning jurors must believe the defendant is more likely than not to be liable. Chutkow pointed to a famous example where a civil and criminal trial ended in different ways: O.J. Simpson was found not guilty for the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman in his criminal trial, but in a civil trial, he was found liable for their deaths and was ordered to pay $33.5 million to their relatives.
Ventura filed a quickly settled civil lawsuit against Combs in November 2023, accusing him of sex trafficking, rape and physical abuse. Ventura’s lawsuit kicked off a barrage of at least 70 suits filed against Combs, many of which were supported by attorney Tony Buzbee, and most of which accuse him of sexual assault, sex trafficking or physical abuse. Some of these lawsuits were filed by celebrities, including Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard, who also testified in his criminal trial. Richard accused Combs of physical abuse and “inhumane working conditions.” Producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones sued Combs for alleged sexual assault, sex trafficking and racketeering, though a judge later tossed the racketeering claims. Some of the lawsuits involve minors, including plaintiff Liza Gardner, who sued Combs in November 2023, accusing him of drugging and assaulting her when she was 16 years old in 1990. Combs has consistently denied all allegations made in the dozens of lawsuits filed against him.
Combs was sued multiple times in the final days of his criminal trial. On Tuesday, Edmond Laurent, a former model and actor, sued Combs and several anonymous co-defendants in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and sexual battery, accusing Combs and a woman of drugging and raping him in the late 2000s. Another lawsuit filed last Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court accused Combs and his son, Justin Combs, of luring a woman from Louisiana to Los Angeles with the promise of a job, where they, alongside two other men, allegedly gang-raped her.
Combs’ sentencing is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 3, but Judge Arun Subramanian set a hearing for July 8 for both sides to present arguments for whether his sentencing should be expedited. Until he is sentenced, Combs will remain in jail at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center. Combs’ legal team requested he be released on bail, but the judge denied the request, noting the defense had conceded Combs has a violent past, citing the surveillance footage of Combs attacking Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel. If Combs is given the maximum sentence on both convictions, he could serve a total of 20 years in prison, but prosecutors said in a court filing Wednesday federal sentencing guidelines could support a sentence of about four to five years in prison, while the defense is pushing for less time.
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