Diddy files notice of appeal
Lawyers for rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs have officially filed a notice of appeal in his federal case, challenging both his conviction and sentencing. This move comes after a Manhattan jury found him guilty on two counts of transportation for prostitution and the judge sentenced him to 50 months in prison plus a $500,000 fine.
The two-page filing was submitted in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and names Alexandra A. E. Shapiro as his appellate counsel. The document confirms intent to dispute both the guilty verdict and the length of the prison term, though it does not yet lay out the full arguments his team will use.
Combs was convicted earlier in July on the lesser charges, while being acquitted of more serious ones including racketeering and sex trafficking. His sentencing hearing, held October 3, imposed a term of four years and two months, with the court also ordering the substantial fine.
In prior filings, the defence had argued that the statute used to convict him—relating to transporting individuals for prostitution—was improperly applied, and that portions of the sentencing calculation were flawed. The appeal will now move to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, where a panel of judges will review records from the trial, legal briefs, and oral arguments before deciding whether to uphold or overturn aspects of the case.
The appeal represents the next stage in what has already been a high-profile legal battle. If successful, it could lead to reversal of the conviction, re-sentencing, or dismissal of certain counts. If denied, Combs will continue serving his sentence as ordered. Observers will closely watch how the courts treat the legal reasoning behind his conviction and whether precedent will shift around the interpretation of interstate prostitution statutes.
