Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has formally taken the first step toward challenging his federal prison sentence of 50 months, his legal team announced Monday.
Combs was convicted in July on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He was acquitted of the more serious racketeering and sex-trafficking charges. On October 3, 2025, U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian sentenced him to 50 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release and a $500,000 fine.
Grounds for Appeal
In court filings, Combs’ attorneys say they will argue the sentence is legally and factually flawed. They contend the judge “acted as a 13th juror” by weighing evidence the jury had rejected. They assert that the jury, by acquitting Combs of coercion and trafficking, found there was no force or fraud involved, and that the judge improperly considered conduct outside the verdict.
A notice of appeal was filed in the Southern District of New York within the deadline. According to legal documents, Combs’ team expects to file a full appellate brief in four to six weeks.
Combs has already served roughly 13 months in custody, which will be credited toward the 50-month term. At sentencing, the judge described the conduct underlying the convictions as “physical, emotional and psychological” abuse, noting that Combs used “the power and resources to keep it going, because you weren’t caught.”
Prosecutors had recommended a sentence of at least 135 months (11¼ years), citing a longstanding pattern of abuse. Defense attorneys, by contrast, had urged a term as low as 14 months, arguing that the activity was consensual.
Among the post-trial maneuvers: Combs’ lawyers asked that he be placed at a low-security federal facility in New Jersey, citing its drug-treatment and visitation programs.
Under current law, once the appellate brief is filed the defense and government will exchange arguments before the appellate court schedules oral arguments. The appeal is likely to revolve around procedural issues — including sentencing calculations, whether the judge properly applied guidelines, and whether a jury determination of force/coercion was overridden by the judge.
A decision could come within months, but may also stretch longer depending on the court’s schedule. Meanwhile, Combs remains in federal custody and will continue to serve time unless the sentence is modified or overturned.
Combs’ case is still drawing public and media attention, not only for its high-profile defendant but because it touches on the intersection of celebrity, power, and federal criminal prosecutions. The outcome of the appeal may signal how much deference appeals courts give to sentencing judges when jury verdicts acquit on key issues.