September 25, 2025
Diddy’s legal team is making a final push for a reduced sentence and his immediate release from jail.
Lawyers for Sean “Diddy” Combs are working to get the disgraced hip-hop mogul a short prison sentence after having his legacy “destroyed.”
On Sept. 22, Combs’ legal team filed a new submission urging New York federal Judge Arun Subramanian to limit the Bad Boy founder’s sentence to no more than 14 months for his conviction on two Mann Act charges, CBS News reports. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Combs’ attorneys argue that his dramatic fall from grace during nearly 13 months behind bars warrants leniency, pushing for a reduced sentence that could secure his immediate release if the judge agrees.
“Mr. Combs’s celebrity status in the realms of music, fashion, spirits, media, and finance has been shattered and Mr. Combs’ legacy has been destroyed,” the lawyers wrote.
Combs’ attorneys argued in their filing that his acquittal on the more serious racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges, offenses that carried a minimum 15-year sentence and the potential for life, serves as an “affirmative indication of innocence.”
“He has served over a year in one of the most notorious jails in America – yet has made the most of that punishment,” the lawyers added. “It is time for Mr. Combs to go home to his family, so he can continue his treatment and try to make the most of the next chapter of his extraordinary life.”
Combs remains in custody ahead of his Oct. 3 sentencing after the judge rejected his lawyers’ $50 million bail proposal, signaling little chance of his immediate release. Prosecutors, who will submit their recommendations before sentencing, have already indicated they’ll push for him to serve far longer than the four to five years they initially anticipated.
Combs’ legal team outlined a series of hardships stemming from his criminal case, noting that he was forced to lay off more than 100 employees, many of whom have struggled to find work due to their ties to him. His seven children have also faced “devastating consequences,” including lost opportunities in acting, television, fashion, and music. At the same time, two of his sons were even named in the nearly 100 civil suits filed against Combs since his arrest.
The filing added that a planned Hulu reality series about the family was scrapped after the allegations surfaced. Combs has also been removed from the boards of three charter schools he founded in Harlem, the Bronx, and Connecticut. Additionally, Howard University has rescinded his honorary doctorate and is returning his past donations.
Jail has been far from easy for Combs, even as it marked his first time sober in 25 years, lawyers say. He’s been threatened with a shiv by another inmate over a seat, placed on suicide watch, served food with maggots, and restricted in his access to clean water.
“Mr. Combs’s career and reputation have been destroyed,” Combs’ lawyers wrote. “His life outside of jail has been systematically dismantled.”
His attorneys described Combs as a changed man who now recognizes that his heavy drug use, including medications prescribed by doctors, fueled some of his past violent behavior. They said he has begun using his time behind bars to mentor fellow inmates, teaching them business management, entrepreneurship, and personal development skills. A program Combs views as “one of the most impactful and important endeavors of his life,” he hopes to expand into state-run facilities after his release.
“He is a humbled man who understands that the most important things in life are his devotion to and quality time with his family and his contributions for the benefit of others,” the lawyers said.
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