Sean "Diddy" Combs Files Appeal Against Conviction and Four-Year Prison Sentence

Music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs has formally escalated his legal battle, filing an official notice of appeal against his conviction and 50-month (four-year, two-month) federal prison sentence. The high-profile development comes just weeks after the hip-hop icon was sentenced following his conviction on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution under the Mann Act.

The notice was submitted to the Federal District Court in New York by Combs' legal team on Monday, October 20, 2025.

Combs was found guilty in July 2025 on charges related to transporting individuals across state lines for the purpose of prostitution, following an eight-week trial.

Crucially, the jury acquitted Combs of the more severe charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, which could have carried a life sentence.

U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian sentenced Combs to 50 months in federal prison and imposed a $500,000 fine, the maximum penalty allowed for the conviction.

While detailed arguments are yet to be filed, Combs' attorneys have previously criticized the prosecution's use of the Mann Act, arguing the conviction was based on consensual activities between adults and that the law is typically applied to pimps. They plan to challenge the jury's verdict in a higher court.

The appeal will be reviewed by a three-judge panel in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Combs, 55, who also goes by Puff Daddy and Diddy, remains incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. His conviction marks a significant fall from grace for one of the music industry's most influential figures.

The notice of appeal is the first step in a formal challenge to the trial's outcome. Combs' defense team is now tasked with compiling detailed legal arguments, expected in the coming weeks, that will assert grounds for overturning the conviction or securing a new trial.

At his sentencing earlier this month, Combs expressed deep remorse, stating, "I've been humbled and broken to my core," and apologizing to his former partner, singer Casandra "Cassie" Ventura Fine, and another woman who testified against him. Despite his plea for leniency, the judge emphasized the need for accountability for the harm caused to victims.

The legal process for the appeal is expected to be lengthy, continuing the intense public and media scrutiny of the case.