Sean “Diddy” Combs may be in line for a full presidential pardon from Donald Trump before his sentencing later this year.
According to Deadline on Tuesday, Trump has “seriously considered” granting clemency to the embattled music mogul, who was convicted in June on two counts under the Mann Act but cleared of more serious charges like racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking.
Back in May, Trump had already hinted he would “certainly” consider a pardon for Diddy. Now, insiders say the possibility has shifted from “just another Trump tease to an actionable event” following Diddy’s partial guilty verdict earlier this month.
Meanwhile, Diddy’s legal team filed a new motion on Tuesday urging Judge Arun Subramanian to release him from pre-sentencing detention, calling his incarceration “unjustified and unprecedented.” They argue he’s the only person in the U.S. currently jailed under the Mann Act for consensual sex.
His attorneys insist that paying male escorts as part of a consensual swinger relationship with his then-girlfriend should not amount to a crime.
“There has literally never been a case like this one […] Sean Combs should not be in jail for this conduct,” the motion stated, claiming the government’s approach “is inconsistent with Justice Department policy,” which typically targets commercial sex exploiters rather than consenting adults.
