New York — Lawyers for Sean “Diddy” Combs appeared before a federal appeals court on Thursday, pressing judges to throw out the hip-hop mogul’s conviction and more than four-year prison sentence for prostitution-related offenses, arguing the trial judge improperly relied on acquitted conduct and that the acts in question are protected by the First Amendment.
Combs, 56, was convicted in July 2025 on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution under the federal Mann Act after a high-profile trial in Manhattan. He was acquitted on the far more serious charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, which had carried the possibility of life in prison.
In October 2025, U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian sentenced the Bad Boy Records founder to 50 months (just over four years) in prison, a $500,000 fine, and five years of supervised release. Combs has received credit for time served and is currently incarcerated at a low-security federal prison in Fort Dix, New Jersey. His projected release date stands at April 15, 2028.
During more than two hours of oral arguments before a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, lead defense attorney Alexandra Shapiro contended that the sentencing judge effectively acted as a “thirteenth juror,” factoring in allegations of abuse, coercion, and threats against former girlfriends — conduct the jury had explicitly rejected through its acquittals.
“This case presents an important issue about respect for jury verdicts and public confidence in our criminal justice system,” Shapiro told the court. She described the 50-month sentence as “unlawful, unconstitutional, and a perversion of justice,” noting it was roughly four times the typical penalty for the prostitution transportation offenses alone.
Shapiro also pushed for full reversal of the convictions, arguing that the underlying “freak-offs” — drug-fueled sexual events where Combs allegedly arranged and watched his girlfriends engage with male escorts — amounted to protected expressive activity similar to amateur pornography. She urged the appeals court to interpret the Mann Act narrowly, excluding consensual, recorded sexual performances in which Combs did not personally participate.
Combs’ legal team is seeking either immediate acquittal and release or, at minimum, a resentencing that strictly limits consideration to the offenses of conviction and respects the jury’s verdict.
Prosecutors defended the conviction and sentence, maintaining there is no legal basis to disturb the outcome. They had originally recommended a significantly longer term, citing Combs’ alleged pattern of domestic violence and lack of remorse.
Combs did not attend Thursday’s hearing. The appeals process, which received expedited treatment, could take several months before a decision is issued by the 2nd Circuit.
The case originated from Combs’ September 2024 arrest and a two-month trial featuring extensive testimony, including from ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura and another woman identified only as “Jane.” While the jury rejected the government’s broader claims of a criminal enterprise involving force or coercion, it convicted Combs on the narrower charges of transporting individuals across state lines for prostitution.
This appeal marks Combs’ latest attempt to challenge the verdict after previous efforts to overturn the conviction before sentencing were denied. Once one of the most powerful figures in the music industry, Combs has consistently maintained his innocence throughout the legal proceedings.
A ruling from the appeals court is not expected immediately.
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