Diddy Demands Acquittal Or New Trial Over “Unconstitutional” Conviction
Sean “Diddy” Combs is pushing for a clean slate or a courtroom do-over after being convicted on two federal counts tied to transporting women for paid sex across state lines, according to new motions filed by his legal team in New York.
The embattled Hip-Hop mogul’s attorneys are asking the court to either toss out the guilty verdicts or grant a new trial, arguing the evidence presented during the eight-week trial failed to support the charges.
The case stems from violations of the Mann Act, a century-old law prohibiting the interstate transport of individuals for prostitution.
While Diddy was cleared of the more severe allegations — including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, which could have landed him a life sentence — the jury found him guilty on two lesser counts involving what prosecutors described as organizing travel for so-called “freak offs” with escorts and his longtime partner.
His defense team insists the government’s case was built on weak evidence and sensationalism.
They claim prosecutors “painted him as a monster” and that the jury’s decision to acquit on the most serious charges proves the case lacked substance.
“Sean Combs sits in jail based on evidence that he paid adult male escorts and entertainers who engaged in consensual sexual activities with his former girlfriends, which he videotaped and later watched with the girlfriends. That is not prostitution, and if it is, his conviction is unconstitutional,” the filing says.
They also argue that Diddy neither arranged for escorts to travel nor engaged in prostitution himself, noting he did not have sex with the women involved.
The legal team says the Mann Act was misapplied and that the charges unfairly targeted his private lifestyle.
If the court refuses to overturn the verdict, Diddy’s lawyers are requesting a new trial, citing insufficient evidence to support the jury’s decision on the two counts.
Diddy Seeks Bond With $50 Million Package
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In a separate filing earlier this week, his attorneys renewed their push for pre-sentencing release on a $50 million bond.
They proposed a strict bail package that would keep Diddy at his Miami residence, require him to surrender his passport and limit his travel to the Southern Districts of Florida and New York for legal matters.
They argue that “exceptional circumstances” — including alleged threats to his safety at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center — justify his release, and point out that others convicted under similar charges have been granted bail while awaiting sentencing.
So far, the court has denied his bond requests, citing past domestic violence incidents and concerns he may pose a threat to others.