Is Bonnie Blue Getting More Jail Time Than Sean 'Diddy' Combs? Let's Look at The Facts

Bonnie Blue, a British adult-content creator, now faces the prospect of up to 15 years behind bars in Indonesia; a maximum sentence that on paper appears longer than the four-year, two-month jail term given to Sean 'Diddy' Combs in New York.

The headline figures — 15 years versus just over four — are striking when placed side by side. But legal systems, charges, evidentiary standards and the real-world likelihood of imprisonment differ sharply between a criminal investigation under Indonesia's anti-pornography and information-technology laws and a high-profile federal prosecution in the United States that resulted in a mixed verdict and a defined sentence.

The Bali Case

Bonnie Blue, whose legal name is Tia Emma Billinger, was detained after a police raid in Pererenan, Badung, Bali, on Dec. 5, 2025, during what Indonesian authorities describe as a suspected 'obscene video studio' operation associated with her so-called 'BangBus' activities.

Local police say officers detained 18 foreign nationals for questioning and have identified four people, including Billinger, as suspects while seizing filming equipment and other items as evidence. Police have said the operation followed public complaints.

Under Indonesia's Pornography Law (UU No. 44/2008) and related provisions of the Information and Electronic Transactions Law (ITE), production and dissemination of pornographic material can attract heavy penalties.

Indonesian reporting and international coverage put the statutory maximum at up to 15 years' imprisonment and a fine in the region of £270,000 ($360,000). But legal analysts and local practitioners told reporters that, in practice, many foreign nationals in such cases are detained, investigated, and then deported or given administrative sanctions, rather than serving full custodial terms.

Badung police statements reported by local media emphasised that the probe remains ongoing and that some foreign nationals have already been released pending further investigation. The Indonesian authorities' public posture has been to stress the enforcement of morality laws that have recently been used with renewed vigour. That posture produces high statutory maxima on paper, but considerable discretion in charging, plea handling, and immigration enforcement in practice.

The Combs Case

Sean 'Diddy' Combs was tried in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and in July 2025 was convicted on two counts of transporting people for prostitution under the Mann Act, while acquitted of racketeering and sex-trafficking charges.

The case produced substantial courtroom testimony alleging long-running abuse; the jury's split left prosecutors with a narrower set of convictions than they had sought. On Oct. 3, 2025, Judge Arun Subramanian sentenced Combs to four years and two months, ordered £371,000 ($500,000) in fines, and imposed five years' supervised release.

The federal case shows how a lengthy trial and serious allegations can still result in a sentence that is modest against statutory maximums: Combs faced potential penalties far higher than the term he received, but the jury's mixed verdict and the judge's discretion produced a defined custodial sentence.

Apples and Oranges

Comparing a statutory maximum in Indonesia with an actual sentence in a US federal court risks misleading readers. The 15-year figure attached to Indonesia's pornography offences is a statutory cap; it does not mean every person charged will receive that sentence.

Indonesian practice in cases involving foreign nationals frequently tilts toward administrative action (deportation, visa cancellation) or negotiated outcomes, particularly where public order, rather than organised trafficking, is alleged. Local prosecutors must still prove elements of the crime under Indonesian law, and courts exercise discretion.

Conversely, Combs's conviction followed an eight-week trial in which the jury found guilt on specific Mann Act counts but acquitted on racketeering and sex-trafficking charges that would have carried far heavier penalties. The sentence he received reflects the narrower convictions, the U.S. federal sentencing regime, and judicial weighing of aggravating and mitigating factors recorded in the court's opinion. A statutory maximum does not equate to an inevitable custodial term.

On paper, Indonesia's maximum penalty for pornography offences (up to 15 years) looks harsher than the sentence imposed on Sean 'Diddy' Combs (four years, two months).

In practice, however, statutory maxima and actual sentences are shaped by different legal systems, evidentiary outcomes and prosecutorial choices. The sensible conclusion is that headline comparisons mislead unless anchored to the legal specifics, likely prosecutorial pathways and the factual proofs each state must establish.

Originally published on IBTimes UK