Federal prosecutors are urging an appeals court to uphold Sean "Diddy" Combs' Mann Act convictions and 50-month prison sentence, forcefully rejecting his claim that he functioned as an adult film producer rather than someone engaged in prostitution-related activity.
According to AllHipHop, government attorneys filed a sharply worded appellate brief defending Combs' July 2025 conviction on two counts of transporting individuals across state lines for prostitution under the Mann Act. The filing comes ahead of oral arguments scheduled for April 9, 2026, before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Lower Manhattan.
Prosecutors argued in court papers that the sentence imposed by Judge Arun Subramanian was properly calculated and should stand. Combs, 55, is currently serving his term at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey following his October 2025 sentencing, which included 50 months in prison, five years of supervised release and a $500,000 fine.
In their filing, prosecutors addressed Combs' argument that the judge acted improperly at sentencing. Diddy argued that the judge acted like a "13th juror" by relying on conduct tied to charges for which he was acquitted in determining his sentence, per ABC News.
His attorneys have also characterized him as operating more like a producer of adult content than someone orchestrating prostitution. Prosecutors directly rejected that framing in their response.
In the brief, federal lawyers wrote, "In both cases, Diddy's threats occurred during or immediately preceding the act of transportation and helped establish his intent that the victim would engage in prostitution."
The government cited testimony that Combs allegedly threatened singer Cassie Ventura during a transatlantic flight from France to New York, saying he would release intimate videos and then demanding she participate in what prosecutors called "Freak Offs" upon landing. They also described similar allegations involving a woman identified as Jane, who told Combs she wanted to stop participating in what prosecutors termed "Hotel Nights."
Federal lawyers further disputed the "adult film producer" defense, noting that Combs did not provide advance notice of filming or seek consent to record participants. One escort testified that he filmed encounters only once or twice, while witnesses described feeling "humiliated" and "degrading" when videos were kept without permission.
Prosecutors emphasized that Combs actively participated in the encounters and sought what they described as "immediate sexual gratification," undermining claims of any legitimate business purpose.
The Second Circuit panel will hear 10 minutes of argument from each side. The court may affirm the conviction, reverse it or remand the case for further proceedings in the high-profile Diddy appeal involving Mann Act convictions and a federal prison sentence.
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