Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was found not guilty of racketeering and human trafficking charges, but was convicted on a lesser prostitution charge after a seven-week trial in New York.

After 13 hours of deliberation over three days, the jury found Combs guilty on two counts of transportation for prostitution, each carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

The 55-year-old Combs smiled and appeared relieved as the verdict was read, AFP reported.

He shook hands with one of his lawyers and thanked the members of the jury, consisting of eight men and four women, as they left the courtroom.

Judge Arun Subramanian also thanked the jury for their service before dismissing them.

“You listened, you worked together, you were here every day, rain or shine. You did it without remuneration, except for what comes from answering the call of public service,” he said.

The verdict came at the end of a trial in which prosecutors accused Combs of being the head of a criminal gang that had been operating for decades, directing loyal employees and bodyguards to commit numerous crimes on his orders.

The alleged crimes include forced labor, drug distribution, kidnapping, bribery, witness tampering, obstruction of justice, and arson.

To find Combs guilty of racketeering, the jury had to establish the existence of a criminal enterprise and that the organization had committed at least two of the crimes.

The jury announced a partial verdict late on July 1, saying they were deadlocked on the racketeering charge, but Judge Arun Subramanian ordered them to continue working.

Combs, once one of the most influential figures in the music industry, has categorically denied all charges. | BGNES