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Sean “Diddy” Combs is officially fighting back against his conviction. The hip-hop mogul has filed a notice of appeal after being sentenced to just over four years in federal prison earlier this month.
According to court papers filed Monday in New York, Diddy’s attorney Alexandra A.E. Shapiro will lead the appeal. Shapiro, one of the country’s top appellate lawyers, is expected to submit the full brief within the next four to six weeks.
Earlier this month, Judge Arun Subramanian sentenced the Bad Boy founder to 50 months behind bars after a jury found him guilty on two counts of violating the Mann Act — the law that bans transportation across state lines for the purpose of prostitution. He was acquitted of the more serious racketeering and sex trafficking charges.
During his sentencing, Diddy broke down in court and apologized to his former partner Cassie Ventura and another woman who testified against him. “I’ve been humbled and broken to my core,” he told the judge, admitting that his behavior was “disgusting, shameful and sick.” He also expressed remorse in a handwritten letter, saying he accepted “full responsibility” for his mistakes.
Still, Diddy’s lawyers insist that the conviction was flawed. His attorney Marc Agnifilo previously accused the judge of acting like a “13th juror” and “second-guessing the jury’s verdict,” calling the outcome a “legal error.”
For now, Diddy remains at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn while the Bureau of Prisons decides where he’ll serve his time. His team has asked that he be sent to FCI Fort Dix, a low-security federal facility in New Jersey, but that decision is still pending.
Even after his release, Diddy will face five years of supervised probation with strict conditions, including drug and alcohol treatment, mental health counseling, and random searches of his home and electronic devices.
The filing marks the latest move in Diddy’s long legal battle — and the start of a fight to clear his name.
