Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Appeals Prison Sentence, Seeks Immediate Release

Lawyers for hip-hop entrepreneur Sean “Diddy” Combs have moved a federal appeals court in New York, seeking to overturn his prostitution-related conviction or secure his immediate release from prison. The appeal argues that the sentencing judge relied heavily on allegations the jury had already rejected, resulting in an unjust punishment.

In a filing submitted late Tuesday to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan, Combs’ legal team contended that the sentencing process violated fundamental principles of fairness. They claimed U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian improperly factored in testimony connected to racketeering and sex trafficking charges for which Combs was acquitted earlier this year.

Combs, 56, is currently incarcerated at a federal prison in New Jersey, serving a sentence of four years and two months, with a scheduled release in May 2028. Although the jury cleared him of the most serious charges, including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, it convicted him under the Mann Act for transporting individuals across state lines in connection with prostitution.

The appeal asserts that Judge Subramanian effectively acted as a “thirteenth juror” by reassessing allegations the jury had dismissed. Defense lawyers emphasized that Combs was convicted only on two lesser counts that did not involve force, fraud, or coercion—offenses that typically carry significantly shorter prison terms.

The filing noted that defendants in comparable cases generally receive sentences of under 15 months, arguing that Combs’ sentence was unusually severe and without precedent for similar convictions.

During sentencing, the judge referenced testimony from two former girlfriends who accused Combs of physical abuse and coercion. One of them, singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, testified that she was pressured into repeated sexual encounters with male sex workers during their decade-long relationship. Jurors were also shown surveillance footage depicting Combs assaulting Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel corridor.

Another former partner, identified in court under the pseudonym “Jane,” described being pressured into drug-fueled sexual encounters referred to as “hotel nights” between 2021 and 2024.

Rejecting the defense’s claim that the encounters were consensual, Judge Subramanian stated that Combs abused his influence and control to exploit women emotionally, psychologically, and physically.

The appeals court has yet to schedule oral arguments. Combs’ legal team is seeking to have the conviction overturned, his sentence reduced, or his immediate release ordered.