Diddy's 'dream team' defense could cost him $15M: expert

Fox News

2 days ago

Sean "Diddy" Combs' legal team for his sex-trafficking and racketeering trial in New York is stacked with a high-profile group of lawyers.
Marc Agnifilo, who represented NXIVM cult leader Keith Raniere, and Brian Steel, who recently represented rapper Young Thug, are among the team of lawyers listed on Diddy's court docket.
The others include Teny Geragos, Anna Estevao, Jason Driscoll, Xavier R. Donaldson and Alexandra Shapiro.
Since the musician has a hefty legal team, experts have estimated the price tag for his eight-week trial and months of pretrial motions and preparations will cost him a pretty penny.
Civil rights and criminal defense attorney Adante Pointer told Fox News Digital that he believes Combs' legal tab will top $10 million.
"When you consider the severity of the potential punishment Diddy is facing if convicted, including life in prison, and the sprawling indictment which alleges RICO charges along with the number of witnesses and locations of the conduct being prosecuted, it's easy to see the legal tab topping $10 million," Pointer said.
"I'd suspect Diddy will end up paying at least $15 million for the entire package. This is literally a 'money is no object' defense."
The lawyer claimed that Combs' legal tab began "well before" his indictment was made public.
"You don't become a billionaire by being clueless and not preparing for a legal battle that will put your life, legacy and wealth on the line. His bill started growing the moment he began conversations with lawyers, their legal staff, private investigators, potential witnesses and all the pretrial preparation that goes into such a complicated case long before it ever went before a jury," Pointer said.
Pointer said the group of eight lawyers are likely on Combs' "beck-and-call" with one goal: allowing Combs to walk out of the courtroom a free man.
"And that costs a lot of money," Pointer said.
Criminal defense attorney John Day compared Combs' case with Alec Baldwin's lawyer Alex Spiro's rate.
"By comparison, Alec Baldwin's lawyer, Alex Spiro, was reportedly charging similar clients over $2,000 per hour or roughly about $80,000 a week. And Diddy is no regular client with his life and career on the line.
"This kind of intensive work by lawyers on such a complicated case keeps them from taking on other high-paying clients, and I'm sure they're also paying for publicists since this is playing out in the court of public opinion, as well, and everyone is watching," Day said.
He told Fox News Digital that he estimates Combs' trial will cost him $15 million "for the entire package."
"This is literally a 'money is no object' defense," Day said.
Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told Fox News Digital that Combs will drop eight figures when his trial is all said and done.
"Top-tier criminal defense attorneys like Marc Agnifilo and Brian Steel may charge retainers of $1 million or more in complex federal cases like this. In addition to those two, Combs has a small army of lawyers working on the trial," Rahmani said.
He estimated Combs' net worth at about $1 billion before his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, accused the rapper of rape in 2018 and domestic abuse.
"Combs' life is literally on the line, so money is no object, and he has assembled his version of a 'dream team.'"
"The trial is estimated to last up to two months, and the daily cost for all the lawyers, paralegals, assistants, experts and jury consultants may exceed $100,000 for each day of trial. That's not even counting the many months of pretrial work and preparation and the inevitable appeal to the Second Circuit, Supreme Court and lobbying President Trump for a pardon if Combs is convicted," Rahmani said.
Combs' sex-trafficking trial began on May 12 with opening statements and is expected to last two months.
The rapper is being charged with multiple counts of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transporting for prostitution in September.