Sean “Diddy” Combs has been granted a fast-tracked appeal by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, giving the disgraced hip-hop mogul an opportunity to challenge his July 2025 conviction and four-year sentence far sooner than the usual lengthy process would allow.
Judge Beth Robinson approved Combs’ request on Monday, only days after his legal team filed a motion arguing that the normal appeals process could make his case “moot” by the time it was decided. Federal prosecutors did not oppose the request.
Under the newly approved schedule, Combs’ first appellate brief is due by 23 December 2025, the U.S. Government’s response is due 20 February 2026, and his reply brief must be filed by 13 March 2026. Oral arguments are expected to take place in April 2026, significantly sooner than the typical 12 to 18-month delay for appeals in the Second Circuit.
Combs, who turned himself in last week to the low-security Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institution in New Jersey, was sentenced in October to four years and two months in prison after being found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, a violation of the Mann Act. He was acquitted of the more serious charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.
Judge Arun Subramanian, who handed down the sentence, also fined Combs $500,000 and ordered five years of supervised release once he completes his prison term. “You had the power and the resources to keep it going, and because you weren’t caught, you were able to perpetuate it,” the judge said during sentencing. “You paid for and organised these acts. You were responsible for that, even if your currency was sexual desires and not money.”
Prosecutors had accused Combs of orchestrating what they described as a “criminal enterprise,” allegedly involving a series of drug-fuelled sexual encounters, referred to in testimony as “freak-offs.” While jurors agreed Combs had broken federal prostitution laws, they stopped short of convicting him on the more serious racketeering and trafficking counts.
Combs’ attorney Alexandra Shapiro argued the expedited schedule was necessary to ensure that “Mr Combs’s appeal of his sentence does not become moot while the appeal is pending.” She has signalled that Combs will challenge the application of the Mann Act, describing it as “an infamous statute with a sordid history” that was unfairly applied to consensual acts between adults.
Combs, who has already served around 14 months in custody since his 2024 arrest, could see his sentence further reduced for good behaviour or participation in a prison drug treatment program. His current projected release date is 8 May 2028, though he could leave earlier depending on the appeal outcome.
The once-celebrated figure behind Bad Boy Records, Combs built an empire that helped launch the careers of The Notorious B.I.G., Faith Evans, 112, and Total. In the 1990s, he redefined hip-hop’s mainstream presence with chart-topping records like Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down and I’ll Be Missing You. His business empire spanned fashion, television, and alcohol branding, but in recent years, his legacy has been overshadowed by legal scandals and civil suits alleging sexual misconduct and assault.
This appeal represents Combs’ final opportunity to overturn the conviction that has effectively ended his once-dominant run in the entertainment industry.
Noise11.com previously reported on Combs’ conviction and sentencing, marking the downfall of one of hip-hop’s most powerful figures. His expedited appeal now places him back in the spotlight, though this time, not for the music or business triumphs that once defined his career.
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