On the morning of July 2, inside a packed lower Manhattan courtroom, Sean "Diddy" Combs was declared not guilty on the three most serious charges against him in his high-profile sex trafficking trial. Upon hearing the verdict - he was acquitted of two counts of sex trafficking and one count of racketeering conspiracy and convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution - the visibly relieved music mogul (who had pled not guilty to the charges) kissed his lawyer Marc Agnifilo on the cheek and mouthed "thank you" to the jury with his hands in a prayer gesture. According to an eyewitness, the Grammy winner, 55, then got down on his knees and began sobbing and praying before clapping and kicking off "uproarious" applause from family members, friends and supporters in attendance. Despite still facing up to 20 years in prison (10 years for each conviction), Diddy & Co. felt they had much to celebrate. After an eight-week trial during which 34 witnesses testified, including the rapper's ex Casandra "Cassie" Ventura and another ex-girlfriend, who both claimed he'd physically abused them and coerced them into taking part in days-long sexual "freak offs," Agnifilo called the verdict a "great victory." Now, as he awaits his October 3 sentencing date at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, where he's been since his September 2024 arrest, larger questions loom about what's next for the father of seven. (Diddy, who was denied bail, is dad to sons Quincy, 34, Justin, 31, Christian, 27, and daughters Chance, 19, twins D'Lila and Jessie, 18, and Love, 2). The defense is seeking 21 to 27 months in jail, while the prosecution said their preliminary calculations are closer to 51 to 63 months. Although Diddy may have prevailed legally - former federal prosecutor and legal expert Neama Rahmani calls the verdict "a complete and total failure by the prosecution" - the court of public opinion may hold more weight for the longtime entertainer. "There's no doubt Diddy will try to make a comeback when he's released," says an industry insider, "but it's going to be an uphill battle. Things will never be the same for him." A Complete Timeline of Allegations and Verdict in the Diddy Trial Public reactions to the verdict have been mixed. Outside the courthouse on July 2, crowds clashed - some danced and handed out bottles of baby oil (law enforcement confiscated more than 1,000 bottles during their March 2024 raid on Diddy's Miami and L.A. homes; Ventura testified that copious amounts were used during freak offs), while others expressed disappointment and outrage. Agnifilo told the AP that fellow inmates at MDC greeted Diddy with a standing ovation upon his return from court. Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images On social media, Danity Kane alum Aubrey O'Day said the acquittal made her "physically ill," while singer Kesha wrote, "Cassie, I believe you." Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay shared a slide from a Glamour article that read: "Combs joins a long line of powerful and famous men who have allegedly engaged in abuse yet faced minimal consequences." Whether he'll be permanently blacklisted from Hollywood remains to be seen. (Historically, the music industry has been more forgiving than elsewhere in entertainment.) The insider says the security footage that showed Diddy beating Ventura in a hotel hallway "will be seared into everyone's memory forever," adding, "it will be hard for the public to trust anything he says or does."' Attorney Lisa Bloom, who represents Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard in her civil suit against Diddy (Richard testified during his federal trial), believes his reputation has been irrevocably destroyed. "This is a man who has done a lot of horrible things," Bloom tells Us Weekly. "He's been convicted of two federal felonies. For the most part, it's over for him." Music marketing expert and Clemson University Assistant Professor Melvin Villaver, Jr., isn't so sure. "I don't think his career is over - not in terms of influence and ownership," Villaver tells Us. "He still controls a significant amount of intellectual property, including the Bad Boy catalog. Even if he's no longer a public-facing icon, the business side of his career - his rights, royalties and licensing power - will continue to generate value." (In 2024, Forbes estimated Diddy's net worth at $400 million - significantly less than their 2019 estimate of $740 million. Brands like Revolt TV and Hulu cut ties with him in late 2023 after Ventura's lawsuit, and Jennifer Beidel, former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, estimates the rapper has spent $10 million on legal fees.) As for Diddy's friends like Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige, both of whom have remained quiet, Villaver says: "The lack of public condemnation shows that Diddy still has sway. Some artists may continue to work with him privately, but publicly associating with him could be damaging." Celebrities React to the Diddy Verdict: From 5