Sean “Diddy” Combs’ lawyers have announced plans to appeal the music mogul’s 50-month prison sentence, sharply criticizing the judge who presided over the case. On Friday, October 3, Southern District of New York Judge Arun Subramanian sentenced Combs to four years and two months in prison and imposed a $500,000 fine after his conviction on two counts of violating the Mann Act. The Bad Boy Entertainment founder will receive credit for the 12 months he has already spent in jail.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Lawyer Accuses Judge of Acting as “13th Juror”
Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse after the sentencing, Diddy’s lawyer Marc Agnifilo confirmed the defense team’s intention to appeal.
In a video shared by legal reporter Meghann Cuniff, Agnifilo argued that Judge Subramanian’s view that the sexual encounters were non-consensual contradicted the jury’s findings.
“The jury’s verdict was resoundingly clear,” Agnifilo said. “There was no sex trafficking, there was no racketeering, everything was consensual, everything was adult. Which is why he was convicted of only a prostitution offense.”
Diddy’s lawyer Marc Agnifilo said Judge Arun Subramanian acted as a “13th juror” when he determined that Diddy should be punished for using fraud, force, or coercion against the victims of the prostitution charges, which completely glosses over the actual legal argument. pic.twitter.com/OsYviVbvLS
— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) October 4, 2025
Lawyer Claims Judge Arun Subramanian Overstepped His Role
Agnifilo further claimed the judge overstepped his role during sentencing.
“What we feel happened was the judge acted as a 13th juror, one that we did not choose, and that he second-guessed the jury’s verdict,” he said.
Amid brief commotion outside the courthouse, Agnifilo added that the team was working to “find the right facility for Mr. Combs” but remained “very serious about pursuing an appeal.”
Judge Arun Subramanian Cites Abuse of Power in Sentencing
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Subramanian acknowledged Diddy’s cultural impact but emphasized that his philanthropic contributions could not outweigh the evidence presented at trial.
“While you have innovated, inspired and lifted up communities, your history of good works can’t wash away the record in this case which showed that you abused the power and control that you had over the lives of women you professed to love dearly,” the judge said.
“You abused them physically, emotionally, and psychologically. And you used that abuse to get your way, especially when it came to freak-offs and hotel nights,” he continued. “The defense’s argument that all of this was unrelated to the offense conduct in this case doesn’t hold up.”
Diddy Issues Apology in Court
Before the sentence was handed down, Combs apologized to his victims, his mother Janice Combs, and his seven children, including his adopted son, Quincy Brown.
A video montage highlighting his charitable work and moments with his family was also played during the hearing.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
