Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is appealing a federal judge’s decision to keep him in prison pending trial and has enlisted the help of two high-profile 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.
It has added renowned attorneys Anthony Ricco and Alexandra Shapiro to its legal team, which already included seasoned attorney Marc Agnifilo, a former Manhattan assistant district attorney.
Lawyers for the hip-hop mogul filed a notice of appeal Monday with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
‘A notice of appeal was filed today in the Second Circuit regarding Mr. Combs’ detention. “This is a standard notification to the court and the actual appeal brief will be filed soon,” a source close to Diddy revealed.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, 54, is appealing a federal judge’s decision to keep him in prison pending trial and has enlisted the help of two high-powered attorneys; seen in march
“Sean Combs is building the legal defense team of his dreams, adding Anthony Ricco and Alexandra Shapiro to the trial team,” the source shared.
‘Tony is one of the best trial lawyers in the country. Alexandra is, without a doubt, the best appellate attorney practicing today.
Shapiro, co-founder of Shapiro Arato Bach LLP, began her career more than 30 years ago “as one of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s first clerks on the Supreme Court,” according to her biography.
“He has successfully represented prominent Wall Street professionals, public officials, as well as major public and private companies.”
Ricco, a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law, has represented 14 clients in federal death proceedings.
Marc has been the lead trial attorney at the Agnifilo Intrater law firm for the past several years.
He previously served as a supervisor in the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Assistant District Attorney for Manhattan.
He was also the attorney in NXIVM founder Keith Raniere’s sex trafficking and extortion 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
It has added renowned lawyers Alexandra Shapiro (left) and Anthony Ricco (right) to its legal team. Alexandra is one of the best appellate lawyers in the field, while Tony’s reputation as a trial lawyer is well established.
Diddy is also represented by Marc Agnifilo; Marc photographed leaving a Federal Court building in New York City on September 17, after Diddy was denied bail.
Diddy was arrested and charged on September 16 with sex trafficking, extortion and transportation to engage in prostitution.
The charge, which details allegations dating back to 2008, accuses him of abusing, threatening and coercing women for years “to satisfy his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct.”
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following his arrest, Judge Andrew L. Carter denied him bail after he used his and his mother’s home in Miami, valued at $50 million, as collateral.
He then lost an appeal to overturn the decision, despite his bizarre promise to the judge that he would not receive female visitors if he was released on bail.
Jude Carter claimed that the government had demonstrated “by clear and convincing evidence that there is no condition or set of conditions” that ensures it will not tamper with witnesses.
The rapper is currently being held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center in New York City.
The star’s legal team had previously asked that Combs be released on $50 million bail and be kept under electronic monitoring.
Following his arrest, he was denied bail after he used his and his mother’s home in Miami, valued at $50 million, as collateral. He then lost an appeal to overturn the decision; seen in 2023
Prosecutors argued that Diddy has a long history of intimidating both accusers and witnesses of his alleged abuse, and cited security footage showing Combs punching his then-girlfriend, Cassie, in a hotel hallway; seen with Cassie in 2015
According to the bail request, visits would be limited to family members or mothers of his children, property caretakers and friends who are not accomplices in the federal indictment, TMZ reported.
Records of all visitors to his home would be provided to the government each night.
The restrictions are believed to be an attempt to address the court’s concerns that he may contact or intimidate witnesses, as they also stipulate that he would have no contact with known grand jury witnesses and would undergo weekly drug testing.
However, prosecutors argued that the rapper has a long history of intimidating both accusers and witnesses of his alleged abuse and cited security footage that showed Combs punching his then-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, in the hallway of a hotel
Prosecutors accuse the hip-hop mogul of inducing female victims and male sex workers to perform drugged sex shows, sometimes lasting several days, known as ‘Freak Offs’.
The indictment against Diddy alleged that federal raids on his Miami and Los Angeles mansions led to the discovery of more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant.
His lawyer Agnifilo explained the alleged motive behind the ‘1,000 bottles’ of baby oil and lubricant: “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 They buy in bulk, as we know,” he told the New York Post.
Costco later weighed in and criticized the allegations in a statement to TMZsaying that they do not sell baby oil in any of their US retail stores.
Diddy’s associates allegedly abused victims with drugs to keep them compliant and threatened anyone who refused to participate, in claims similar to those raised in a civil lawsuit filed by Diddy’s ex-girlfriend, Cassie, last year.
Diddy was arrested and charged on September 16 with sex trafficking, extortion and transportation to engage in prostitution.
The rapper is currently being held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center in New York City.
These allegations were instrumental in prosecutors bringing sex trafficking charges against the producer, and observers noted that authorities are increasingly expanding the law to fit their cases against powerful defendants.
Agnifolo previously said the Bad Boy Records founder is “eager” to testify.
“I don’t know if I could keep him off the stand,” he said. “I think he’s very eager to tell his story. And I think he will tell every part of his story.”
If convicted, Diddy could spend the rest of his life behind bars. No trial date has been set.