Sean “Diddy” Combs, the influential music mogul, was reportedly seen reading Bible scriptures during the opening statements of his sex trafficking trial in a New York federal courtroom. According to TMZ, Combs had a Bible at his table and was visibly reading from it before the prosecution and defense presented their cases.

Now, a federal jury has found the 55-year-old Combs guilty on charges of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted him of the most serious charges in a case that featured salacious allegations, including claims that he coerced women into sexual encounters with other men in gatherings sometimes referred to as “Freak Offs.” Combs, who had been charged with five counts—including racketeering conspiracy and two counts each of sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution—was found not guilty on the racketeering and sex trafficking charges. He now faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

Despite the serious allegations, the courtroom scene sparked debate, with some questioning whether the Bible was being used as a genuine source of comfort or as a calculated prop.

Rob Shuter, Combs’ former publicist, expressed doubts about the authenticity of Combs’ newfound devotion. Speaking on the podcast Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, Shuter recalled an incident that he believes reveals Combs’ penchant for image control.

“Once, I was with Puffy flying on a private plane, and I had all the press there to see his arrival. Puff was really mad with me because he didn’t want the press to film him arriving in his car,” Shuter recounted. “He wanted the airplane behind him; he thought that image would be better.”

Shuter argued that Combs is a master of image management, suggesting that the Bible appearance could be part of a larger strategy. “When you see him reading the Bible, when you see him with gray hair, when you see him staring at the jury… none of that is by accident. All of that is planned. Puffy plans his life like a movie, and he’s the director and the star.”

Raised Catholic and once an altar boy, Combs attended a Catholic school in Maryland. Despite this early religious background, he no longer identifies with any particular faith tradition. In a 2008 interview, he shared, “I just follow right from wrong, so I could pray in a synagogue or a mosque or a church. I believe that there is only one God.”

More recently, in a 2023 interview before legally changing his middle name to “Love,” Combs expressed an unconventional belief that God is a woman. “And then, one day, God came to me, and God’s a woman. So She was like, ‘It’s time, baby,'” he said.

Since his arrest in September, Combs has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, known for its harsh conditions. Prosecutors alleged that Combs used his business empire to exploit women, coercing them into drug-fueled sexual interactions and threatening to release compromising recordings, while also accusing him of obstructing justice through intimidation tactics.

While some observers see Combs’ use of the Bible as an attempt to portray repentance, others remain skeptical, pointing to his history of carefully crafting his public persona. As Combs awaits sentencing, questions about the sincerity of his spiritual display—and what role faith might play in his next chapter—continue to linger.