NEW YORK — Hip-hop producer Sean “Diddy” Combs wants a federal appeals court to quickly review the legality of his conviction on prostitution-related charges and his more than four-year prison sentence.
On Wednesday, his lawyers filed papers with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals asking for oral arguments on his appeal to take place in April.
Defense attorneys noted that Combs has already served 14 months of his 50-month sentence and that he could receive a reduction in his time behind bars because of his participation in a drug treatment program and a program established by the First Step Act to improve a prisoner's reentry into society.
Combs wants his appeal to be heard quickly so he can benefit from less time spent in prison if an appeals court overturns his conviction, his lawyers said.
Combs, 55, was convicted in July, he flew with his girlfriends and male sex workers across the country to engage in drug-fuelled sexual encounters in various locations over many years. However, he was cleared of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have landed him behind bars for life.
Apologizing for his sentencing for what he called his “disgusting, disgraceful” behavior, Founder of Bad Boy Records was sentenced to four years and two months in prison by a judge who praised the courage of the women who testified against him.
Combs is scheduled to be released from prison on May 8, 2028, provided he receives credit for good behavior while behind bars. He has been in custody since his arrest in September 2024, when he was taken into custody at a Manhattan hotel.
In a letter to the judge before sentencing, Combs said he had undergone a “spiritual reset” in prison and was “committed to remaining a drug-free, nonviolent and peaceful person.”
His lawyers told the judge that Combs' arrest and conviction destroyed his business, causing layoffs of more than 100 employees who struggled to find new jobs because of their past association with the music mogul.
He also still faces dozens of lawsuits filed against him after his arrest.
