Donald Trump 'seriously considering' presidential pardon for disgraced Sean 'Diddy' Combs
Donald Trump is claimed to be considering a full presidential pardon for convicted Sean 'Diddy' Combs ahead of the disgraced music mogul's sentencing.
The move comes nearly two months after the US President publicly entertained the idea during a meeting in the Oval Office. According to reports in the States, a formal get-out-of-jail reprieve for the 55-year-old Bad Boy Records founder is under 'serious consideration' by Trump and his inner circle.
Combs was found guilty earlier this month on two federal counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. However, he was acquitted of more serious charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering, in a dramatic eight-week trial. The hip hop star and fashion entrepreneur, who once topped the Forbes list of wealthiest entertainers, is now awaiting sentencing on October 3. He faces a maximum of 10 years behind bars. It comes after Donald Trump was seen with a mystery mark in Scotland after his chronic health diagnosis.
In May, Trump, who was a friend of the I'll Be Missing You hitmaker, was asked during an Oval Office appearance whether he would consider intervening in the case.
'Nobody's asked, but I know people are thinking about it. I know they're thinking about it,' he said. 'I think some people have been very close to asking. First of all, I'd look at what's happening. And I haven't been watching it too closely, although it's certainly getting a lot of coverage,' Trump added.
"I haven't seen him, I haven't spoken to him in years. He used to really like me a lot, but I think when I ran for politics, he sort of, that relationship busted up from what I read. I don't know. He didn't tell me that.'
Contacted for comment, the star's defence team, led by Marc Agnifilo and Teny Gerago, had 'no comment' on any pardon for their client.
Attorney John Koufos, who recently met with Trump's pardon 'tsar' Alice Marie Johnson and pardon attorney Ed Martin, said elements of the Combs case fit with Trump's push against "overcriminalisation" and "weaponization" in charging
Trump and Combs were once close friends in New York's elite circles. The hip-hop star attended the property mogul's parties and praised each other in interviews prior to the real estate tycoon's political career.
Their relationship appeared to cool after Trump launched his presidential campaign in 2015, with Combs publicly criticising him in several interviews. Now, after winning a second term in the White House, he has the ability to commute any sentence handed to Combs or grant a full pardon.
Meanwhile, the star is continuing to be held at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn. His legal team has filed a motion requesting his release on a $50 million (£37.4 million) bond while he awaits sentencing.
'Sean Combs should not be in jail for this conduct,' Agnifilo argued in the court documents. He further claimed that conditions inside the notorious New York jail are dangerous, citing overcrowding and violence. Agnifilo also noted that other individuals convicted of similar charges have typically been allowed to remain free until sentencing.
Combs, who rose to fame in the 1990s with artists like The Notorious B.I.G. and Mase, has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.
Though he avoided conviction on the more damning charges of trafficking and organised criminal activity, the guilty verdict on two federal counts capped a stunning fall from grace for a man once dubbed the 'King of Hip-Hop'.
Whether Trump will ultimately grant a pardon remains unclear. A decision is not expected until closer to Combs' sentencing date. However, insiders in the president's circle suggest the idea has gained traction in recent weeks.
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