What was Sean 'Diddy' Combs' bid for acquittal? Details explored as rapper denied new trial due to 'overwhelming evidence' 

Sean "Diddy" Combs tried to overturn his p*ostitution-related convictions by asking the court for an acquittal or a new trial. His lawyers argued that the law was applied incorrectly. They stated that his actions were more akin to adult entertainment and that he did not derive financial gain from them.

The court, however, disagreed. Judge Arun Subramanian ruled that there was strong evidence against Combs. The judge said that the testimony of victims and other records showed that Combs organized the travel of male s*x workers for private events. He also said that threats and drugs were used in some cases to pressure participation.

The judge denied the request for a new trial. With this ruling, Combs now faces sentencing. Prosecutors are seeking a prison term of more than 11 years, while his lawyers argue for a shorter sentence. The sentencing date is set for October 3, 2025.

Diddy’s argument for acquittal

As reported by BBC News on September 30, 2025, Diddy's legal team argued that his conviction under the federal Mann Act was an improper application of the law. They said that the law was originally meant to fight human trafficking. According to them, Combs’ conduct did not fall under this category.

His lawyers compared the events, often called "freak-offs," to adult film production. They claimed that the escorts were paid for voyeurism and not pro*titution. The defense said that since there was no financial motive for transporting the escorts, the case should not qualify as a Mann Act violation.

As reported by ABC News on September 30, 2025, the defense also argued that the jury was wrongly influenced. They said that evidence from other charges, such as s*x trafficking and racketeering, for which Diddy was found not guilty, had an unfair effect on the pro*titution case.

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Judge’s ruling and evidence

As reported by Reuters on October 1, 2025, Judge Subramanian rejected all of the defense arguments. He said that the interpretation of the law provided by Diddy's lawyers was too narrow. If accepted, he explained, the Mann Act would not be effective in cases like this.

As reported by Deadline on October 1, 2025, the judge opined that the government had proved its case many times over. He stated that the Mann Act violations stood on their own and were not affected by the more serious charges for which Combs was acquitted. Because of this, he ruled there was no reason to allow a new trial.

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Sean "Diddy" Combs will now move toward sentencing after losing his bid for acquittal.

The prosecution is seeking a sentence of more than 11 years in prison, while the defense is requesting a much lighter sentence of approximately 14 months.

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