Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, once the face of hip-hop opulence and business success, broke down in remorse as he apologized for his past actions before being sentenced to four years in prison.

The 55-year-old entrepreneur, convicted on two counts of prostitution, told the court that his imprisonment had changed him forever — marking what he described as the “death” of his old self and the rebirth of a man determined to make amends.

A Public Reckoning

Hours before facing his sentence on Friday, Combs wrote a heartfelt four-page letter to Judge Arun Subramanian, admitting that years of drug abuse and ego-fueled excess had led to his downfall.

“The old me died in jail and a new version of me was reborn,” he wrote, describing 13 months spent in a Brooklyn detention center as both a punishment and a painful awakening.

“I have been humbled and broken to my core,” Combs confessed. “I’m sorry for all the hurt and pain that I have caused.”

His letter, shared with the court and later read aloud during proceedings, painted a portrait of a man seeking forgiveness not only from the law but from those he hurt — including his ex-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, whose allegations of domestic abuse helped ignite the legal firestorm that engulfed him.

“I Literally Lost My Mind”

In the most emotional section of his letter, Combs directly addressed Ventura, admitting to his violent outbursts during their relationship.

“I literally lost my mind,” he wrote. “I’m sorry for that and always will be. My domestic violence will always be a heavy burden that I will carry forever.”

He extended his apology to another unnamed victim who testified under the pseudonym “Jane,” acknowledging that his actions were driven by “selfishness, addiction, and power.”

“I lost my way,” he wrote. “My downfall was rooted in my selfishness. I became lost in the drugs and the excess.”

A Man Humbled by Consequences

Combs’ legal team portrayed him as a changed man — sober for the first time in 25 years and eager to use his experience to guide others.

While incarcerated, he reportedly led a class for inmates titled “What I Did to Become a Successful Businessman,” a symbolic gesture of mentorship that, he claimed, reflected a commitment to reform.

“The old me chased power, fame, and validation,” Combs wrote. “The man I am now wants peace, accountability, and a chance to rebuild.”

He pleaded for mercy, not only for himself but for his family — invoking his seven children and his 84-year-old mother, who recently underwent brain surgery.

“Please don’t make an example of me,” he told the judge. “Make me an example of what a person can do if given a second chance.”

Victims Ask for Justice

But for his accusers, forgiveness came harder. Cassie Ventura, in a letter to the court, said she feared what might happen if Combs were released early.

“I am so scared that if he walks free, his first actions will be swift retribution towards me and others who spoke up,” she wrote.

She urged the court to impose a longer sentence, arguing that Combs “has no interest in changing or becoming better.”

Prosecutors agreed, calling him “unrepentant” and pushing for at least 11 years in prison, saying, “There is nothing mutual about a relationship where one person holds all the power and the other ends up bloodied and bruised.”

A Judge’s Decision

In the end, Judge Subramanian sentenced Combs to four years in prison — far less than what prosecutors demanded, but enough to mark a historic fall from grace for one of entertainment’s most powerful figures.