Diddy isn’t backing down.
As promised earlier this month, Sean “Diddy” Combs has officially filed an appeal in the federal criminal case that resulted in his 50-month prison sentence.
According to court papers filed in Manhattan federal court and reviewed by Complex on Monday (Oct. 20), Diddy is appealing both his sentence from Judge Arun Subramanian and the jury’s verdict, which found him guilty on two counts of violating the Mann Act. The charges were tied to his infamous “freak offs”—drug-fueled sexual encounters involving girlfriends, including Cassie Ventura, and male escorts, which he reportedly arranged and filmed.
For his appeal, Diddy is once again turning to Alexandra Shapiro, one of his original defense attorneys who also represented him during a pre-trial bail appeal last year. Shapiro, described on her firm’s website as “one of the nation’s leading appellate lawyers,” has secured multiple reversals in high-profile criminal and civil cases.
TMZ reports that Shapiro is expected to submit her opening brief within four to six weeks, with the case to be decided by a three-judge panel.
The move comes as no surprise. After Diddy’s Oct. 3 sentencing, his lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo, told reporters that Judge Subramanian had acted as a “13th juror” and “second-guessed the jury’s verdict,” confirming that an appeal was already in motion.
If his conviction stands, Diddy will face strict supervision after serving his sentence. Court filings last week detailed the terms of his 60-month supervised release, which include mandatory outpatient treatment for substance abuse and mental health, participation in a domestic violence intervention program, and compliance with random searches of his home, car, and digital devices based on reasonable suspicion.
He’s also required to provide financial records upon request, maintain zero contact with victims directly or through intermediaries, and is prohibited from owning firearms or ammunition.
