More than six months of unpaid legal fees could now cost Sean “Diddy” Combs the attorneys representing him in his $100 million defamation lawsuit. Sher Tremonte LLP has asked a federal judge for permission to withdraw from the case, pointing to unpaid bills as well as what the firm says has been a breakdown in communication with its client.
According to NBC News, attorney Michael Tremonte filed a declaration Monday asking a federal judge in New York to approve the firm’s withdrawal from the case. Tremonte said Combs owes a “substantial balance” in legal fees, costs, and expenses, adding that his latest payment only covered work completed in late 2025. However, the dispute reportedly goes beyond the unpaid bills. Tremonte also alleges that Combs has not been available for timely and substantive discussions about the case for more than four months. The filing describes their working relationship as reaching a “total breakdown in cooperation and communication.”
Combs has challenged that account. Through spokesperson Juda Engelmayer, he said he chose to switch attorneys because the firm allegedly overcharged him and billed him for work he had not authorized.
“I won’t let anyone take advantage of me by overcharging me and running up bills that were never approved,” Combs said in the statement. He described the matter as a business dispute rather than a simple refusal to pay. Tremonte denied the allegation, maintaining that the firm is seeking to withdraw because its invoices remain unpaid and Combs has become uncooperative.
The timing is noteworthy, as the firm is seeking to withdraw shortly after Combs secured a partial victory in the same lawsuit. He sued Courtney Burgess, attorney Ariel Mitchell, and Nexstar Media, the parent company of NewsNation, over allegations that were broadcast before his federal criminal trial. Burgess claimed he had videos showing Combs sexually assaulting celebrities and minors, while Combs alleged that Mitchell and NewsNation helped circulate false accusations.
Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan declined to dismiss the claims against Mitchell and allowed one part of the case against Nexstar to move forward, while dismissing several other claims. The ruling did not determine that Combs had been defamed. Instead, it found that some of his allegations met the legal requirements to proceed.
ABC News reports that the parties have also discussed potentially pursuing mediation or a settlement conference. A hearing regarding the next steps in the case is scheduled for Sept. 17. Combs is currently serving a 50-month federal sentence in New Jersey after being convicted in 2025 on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He was acquitted of the more serious charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking.
Sher Tremonte’s request remains subject to the judge’s approval. Until that happens, the filing represents the firm’s effort to end its attorney-client relationship rather than a finalized withdrawal.
