Diddy Strikes Back — Files Appeal As SBF’s Ex-Cellmate Joins Legal Rebellion

Attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs told a US federal court they will appeal his conviction and the 50-month prison sentence handed down after his trial. They filed a formal notice of appeal on Monday and are expected to file the full appeal papers soon.

Diddy: Legal Outcome And Sentence

According to court filings and public records, a jury convicted Combs on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, while clearing him on two other charges, sex trafficking and racketeering.

Judge Arun Subramanian imposed a 50-month prison term, a $500,000 fine, and five years of probation. At sentencing, the judge said a substantial term was needed so that abuse of women “is met with real accountability.”

Combs had asked for a 14-month sentence so time already spent in custody would lead to a quick release. Prosecutors had pushed for more than 11 years. At the hearing, Combs told the judge, “My actions were disgusting, shameful, and sick.” He said he got “lost in excess” and asked for mercy while apologizing to two women who testified against him.

Jury Findings And Trial Details

Reports have disclosed that Combs was arrested in September 2024. His trial ran for nearly two-months this summer and drew widespread coverage.

Witnesses described encounters that prosecutors said showed Combs used his influence in the music industry to pressure people into sexual situations.

One witness, Cassandra Ventura, said she was physically abused and coerced into encounters described in court as “hotel nights.”

Another witness who testified under the name Jane said she felt pressured even when she was unwell.

The jury’s split verdict — guilty on the transportation counts but not guilty on sex trafficking and racketeering — leaves open legal and factual fights that the defense is likely to press on appeal.

Jail Proximity And Public Interest

Another angle that attracted attention was Combs’s placement at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he was housed in the same unit as Sam Bankman-Fried, the former crypto executive convicted in the FTX case.

Sources say the two men shared dormitory-style housing and had some informal interactions. There is no public evidence linking Combs to the financial crimes at the center of Bankman-Fried’s conviction, and officials have not tied the two cases together.

Tech And Crypto Connections

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has taken part in several tech and crypto-adjacent moves in recent years. He was listed among investors in the banking app ECO, which raised roughly $26 million.

He joined a funding round for a hologram and virtual-communications company that was about $12 million. Disclosure documents from June 2023 tied funds linked to Combs to a stake in X Corp.

A celebrity-linked “DIDDY” meme token briefly reached a market cap near $180 million during news cycles, though links between Combs and that token remain unclear.

Featured image from SiriusXM, chart from TradingView