Sean “Diddy” Combs is appealing a federal judge’s decision to keep him in jail pending trial and has enlisted the help of two high-powered attorneys.
The disgraced hip-hop mogul, 54, is making a third attempt at bail after two previous denials – two weeks after he was arrested on sex trafficking charges.
He has added renowned attorneys Anthony Ricco and Alexandra Shapiro to his legal team, which already included veteran attorney Marc Agnifilo, a former assistant district attorney in Manhattan.
The hip-hop mogul’s lawyers filed an appeal Monday with the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals.
“Today, an appeal was filed in the Second Circuit regarding Mr. Combs’ detention. This is a standard notice to the court and the actual notice of appeal will be filed shortly,” a source close to Diddy revealed.
Sean “Diddy” Combs, 54, is appealing a federal judge’s decision to keep him in jail pending trial and has enlisted the help of two high-powered attorneys; seen in March
“Sean Combs is building his dream legal defense team, adding Anthony Ricco and Alexandra Shapiro to the trial team,” the insider said.
“Tony is one of the best trial lawyers in the country. Alexandra is without a doubt the best appellate attorney working today.”
Shapiro – co-founder of Shapiro Arato Bach LLP – began her career more than three decades ago “as one of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s first law clerks at the Supreme Court,” according to her biography.
“She has successfully represented prominent Wall Street professionals, government officials and major public and private companies.”
Ricco, a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law, has represented fourteen clients in federal capital murder cases.
In recent years, Marc was head lawyer at the law firm Agnifilo Intrater.
He previously served as a supervisor in the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Manhattan Assistant District Attorney.
He was also the attorney for NXIVM founder Keith Raniere’s sex trafficking and racketeering case.
The disgraced hip-hop mogul is making a third attempt at bail after two previous denials – two weeks after he was arrested on sex trafficking charges; seen in a courtroom sketch
He has added renowned attorneys Alexandra Shapiro (L) and Anthony Ricco (R) to his legal team. Alexandra is one of the best professional lawyers in this field, while Tony’s reputation as a trial lawyer is well established
Diddy is also represented by Marc Agnifilo; Marc pictured himself leaving a federal court building in New York City on September 17 after Diddy was denied bail
Diddy was arrested on September 16 and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution.
The indictment, which details allegations from 2008, accuses him of abusing, threatening and coercing women for years “to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his behavior.”
He has denied being guilty of the charges.
Following his arrest, he was denied bail by Judge Andrew L. Carter after using both his and his mother’s home in Miami – valued at $50 million – as collateral.
He subsequently lost an appeal to overturn the decision, despite his bizarre promise to the judge saying he would not have any female visitors if released on bail.
Jude Carter stated that the government had “proven by clear and convincing evidence that there is no condition or set of conditions” that will ensure he will not tamper with witnesses.
The rapper is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn in New York City.
The star’s legal team had previously requested that Combs be released on $50 million bail and be electronically monitored.
After his arrest, he was denied bail after using both his and his mother’s house in Miami – worth $50 million – as collateral. He subsequently lost an appeal to overturn the decision; seen in 2023
The prosecutor argued that Diddy has a long history of intimidating both accusers and witnesses to his alleged abuse, citing security footage showing Combs punching his then-girlfriend Cassie in a hotel hallway; seen with Cassie in 2015
Under the bail request, visits would be limited to family or mothers of his children, property managers and friends who are not co-conspirators in the federal indictment, TMZ reported.
The logbooks of all visitors to his home would be turned over to the government every night.
The restrictions are believed to be an attempt to address the court’s concerns that he might contact or intimidate witnesses, as they also stipulate that he would have no contact with known grand jury witnesses and would undergo weekly drug tests.
However, the prosecutor argued that the rapper has a long history of intimidating both accusers and witnesses to his alleged abuse and cited security footage that showed Combs punching his then-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, in a hotel hallway.
Prosecutors accuse the hip-hop mogul of luring female victims and male sex workers into drugged, sometimes days-long sexual performances called “Freak Offs.”
The indictment against Diddy alleged that federal raids on his mansions in Miami and Los Angeles led to the discovery of more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lube.
His lawyer Agnifilo explained the alleged reason behind the “1,000 bottles” of baby oil and lube: “I don’t think it was 1,000. I think it was a lot. I mean, there’s a Costco right down the street. I think Americans are buying in bulk, as we know,” he told the New York Post.
Later, Costco intervened and denounced the allegations in a statement TMZand say they do not sell baby oil in any of their US retail locations.
Diddy’s associates allegedly gave the victims drugs to keep them compliant and made threats against anyone who refused to cooperate, in claims similar to those in a civil lawsuit filed by Diddy’s ex-girlfriend Cassie last year.
Diddy was arrested on September 16 and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution
The rapper is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn in New York City
These allegations were critical for prosecutors who filed sex trafficking charges against the producer, with observers noting authorities are increasingly expanding the law to suit their cases against powerful defendants.
Agnifolo previously said that the founder of Bad Boy Records is ‘eager’ to testify.
“I don’t know if I could keep him off the witness stand,” he said. ‘I think he really wants to tell his story. And I think he will tell every part of his story.”
If Diddy is convicted, he could spend the rest of his life behind bars. No trial date has been set.