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

This article provides a recap of his legal proceedings: what he was indicted for, the trial events, and what might happen next.

What Charges Was He Convicted On?

During July, following a two-month trial, a jury found Combs guilty of two counts of transporting individuals for prostitution. He was found not guilty of the more severe allegations against him, racketeering conspiracy and human trafficking, which could have resulted in the possibility of a life imprisonment.

The charges on which he was convicted each have a maximum penalty of 10 years. Combs had pleaded not guilty to every count.

The presiding judge, Arun Subramanian, who oversaw the trial, will hand down the sentence on the scheduled day, with the hearing set to start at 10am ET in federal district court in downtown Manhattan.

Combs, 55, has been held without bail at the Brooklyn detention facility since his apprehension in the previous September. Since the verdict, the judge has denied multiple bail applications from Combs’s legal team, and recently Subramanian also denied a request to set aside the convictions.

What Was Combs Facing?

Government attorneys accused the Bad Boy Records founder of leveraging his status and resources, and employing intimidation and coercion, to force two of his former girlfriends into participating in drug-fueled sexual marathons with male escorts. Such events were often called by the defendant as “freak-offs”, which they said Combs organized, watched, pleasured himself to and sometimes filmed.

The prosecution alleged that for more than two decades, Combs operated a criminal enterprise – assisted by staff and allies – to conduct and hide crimes including sex-trafficking, drug dealing, bribery and kidnapping.

Despite being convicted on two charges, Combs has denied any misconduct. His lawyers have maintained that all sexual activity was mutually agreed and that no illicit organization existed.

What Happened At Trial?

The prosecution called more than 30 witnesses, including two of Combs’s former girlfriends – artist Cassie Ventura and a second individual who testified using the alias Jane – who described the so-called “freak-offs” in graphic detail, and alleged that Combs coerced and threatened them into participating.

Ventura was the key witness for the prosecution. She testified that during her 11-year, on-off relationship with Combs, he exposed her to physical, sexual and emotional abuse and to extortion. The jury was shown the 2016 hotel surveillance footage of Combs assaulting Ventura in a corridor. Jane also testified of a violent altercation with Combs.

Additional testimony included former employees, escorts, law enforcement agents, hotel employees and celebrities including musician Kid Cudi and artist Dawn Richard. Combs chose not to take the stand.

Combs’s legal team acknowledged previous incidents of abuse, but denied that any coercion or trafficking took place. They maintained that every sexual act was agreed upon and part of a “swingers’ lifestyle”, and contended that Ventura and Jane were willing participants in the encounters.

How Much Time Could He Serve?

Combs’s lawyers have asked the court for a sentence of no more than 14 months in prison, which, considering time served, would allow for his freedom before the end of the year. They argue that Combs has already been “sufficiently penalized” by serving 13 months in the “harsh environment” at the facility.

Federal prosecutors, however, have requested a minimum of 135 months (over a decade) and a half-million-dollar penalty. In legal documents, they described Combs as “showing no remorse” and said that “his history and characteristics demonstrate years of abuse and violence.

What Was Said By the Victims?

The government submitted several victim impact statements to the court ahead of the sentencing, including one from Ventura.

“While the jury did not seem to grasp or accept that I participated in freak-offs because of the force and coercion the accused used against me, I know that is the reality, and his sentence should reflect the truth of the testimony and my personal experience as a survivor,” 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 abuse, at trial,” she wrote.

“If there is one thing I have gained from this experience, it is that those affected will never be safe,” she added. “I hope that your decision considers the facts at hand that the panel failed to see.”

What Happens After Sentencing?

Following the court's decision, Combs’s legal team could challenge the sentence. Combs’s defense is also expected to appeal his conviction.

Additionally, Combs is confronting numerous civil lawsuits alleging of sexual assault and further offenses. He has denied every claim in those proceedings.