Latest news with #MannAct
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Trump to grant Sean Diddy a pardon? Here's what we know ahead of October sentencing
US President Donald Trump is 'seriously considering' granting disgraced rapper Sean 'Diddy' Combs a complete presidential pardon before the convicted Bad Boy Records founder is sentenced later this year. In May, Trump mentioned Diddy used to like him alot, but he has not seen him or spoken to him in years. Speaking to Deadline, a Trump administration source said that a full get-out-of-jail card for Diddy is being 'seriously considered,' for nearly two months after Trump openly discussed the idea of a his pardon in an Oval Office gaggle. Moreover, other insiders confirm that since Combs was found partially guilty in his NYC sex-trafficking trial earlier this month, the subject has escalated from 'just another Trump weave to an actionable event,' as multiple supporters of the heavily the currently imprisoned rapper have been pitching the White House. Charges against Diddy and all about his sentence Diddy, 55, was convicted of two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution, but was found not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering earlier this month. Combs, who is scheduled to be sentenced on October 3, faces a maximum term of ten years in jail. Trump even hinted in May that he was amenable to the concept of a presidential pardon, which has been discussed from the start of Combs' trial. Also Read: US warns its citizens against tsunami threats in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu; 'Be prepared to…' Here's what Trump said in May on Diddy pardon When questioned about the issue in the Oval Office in May, Trump acknowledged, 'I know people are thinking about it,' but added that no one has asked for the pardon yet. He mentioned that Diddy used to like him alot, but he has not seen him or spoken to him in years. '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, but I'd read some nasty statements in the paper all of a sudden.' 'So, I don't know. I would certainly look at the facts. if I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don't like me it wouldn't have any impact,' the POTUS said. Combs' lawyers are contesting his pre-sentencing confinement, arguing that his actions were consensual and hence he doesn't deserve detention. They call his imprisonment excessive and against Department of Justice policy, claiming that no other person in America has ever been imprisoned under the Mann Act for comparable acts.
IOL News
8 hours ago
- IOL News
Sean 'Diddy' Combs faces public outrage over bid to return to lavish Miami mansion
Sean 'Diddy' Combs has requested release from federal custody ahead of his sentencing. Image: X Sean 'Diddy' Combs has formally requested release from federal custody, months before his scheduled sentencing on October 3. In a motion filed on Tuesday, July 29, Combs' legal team is seeking a $50 million bond to secure his release until sentencing, arguing that the music mogul poses neither a flight risk nor a danger to the public. The filing proposes several conditions for his release, including home confinement at his Miami mansion, strict travel restrictions and participation in mental health and substance abuse treatment programmes. His attorneys emphasised that Diddy is willing to surrender his passport, remain under supervision and only travel within Florida and New York for court-related matters. According to the motion, Combs' lead attorney Marc Agnifilo argued that the conditions inside the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn - where Diddy has been held since his September 2024 arrest - are 'dangerous and inhumane.' Agnifilo also noted that many individuals convicted of comparable offences are typically released before sentencing. 'Sean Combs should not be in jail for this conduct,' the attorney stated. 'In fact, he may be the only person currently incarcerated in the US for being a john - and certainly the only one jailed for hiring adult male escorts for himself and his partner.' Diddy was acquitted earlier this month of more serious charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering, but was found guilty on two counts of violating the Mann Act, which prohibits transporting individuals across state lines for illicit purposes. The convictions relate to his use of private transportation services to fly adult male sex workers for personal engagements. The defence contends that Combs' actions, including his widely publicised 'freak-off' parties and unconventional relationships, have been mischaracterised. They argue that the behaviour in question took place between consenting adults and should not be grounds for incarceration. In addition, Combs' team claims that he has been subjected to threats of violence and severe mental distress during his time in federal custody. They also cited his participation in a domestic violence rehabilitation programme, which he joined voluntarily before his arrest, as evidence of his commitment to personal reform. The $50 million bond would be secured against Diddy's multimillion-dollar Miami property, with electronic monitoring and other supervision mechanisms in place if the court grants the request. A ruling on the motion is pending. As news of the filing broke, social media exploded with reactions from users voicing their opinions on the case. Some believe Diddy is receiving preferential treatment, while others are surprised he has remained in custody this long. Twitter user @Azeez4901 vented frustration: 'If he gets released, all pedophiles and serial killers should be released. They also have a right.' Another user, @CalistaCapulet, added: 'He is a total flight risk.' Some questioned why he hadn't been released earlier. @Invisime101 tweeted: 'I'm actually surprised he is not out already. So I presume more jail time will be added. I do hope Cassie, however, goes to the criminal court.' Others took a hard stance against the potential bail. 'No one is above the law. Equal rights should apply in this case. A big NO!' wrote @realthoughs23. Despite mounting public pressure and scrutiny, Diddy's legal team remains adamant that the charges he faces do not justify continued detention. His lawyers continue to frame the situation as a case of overreach, where consensual behaviour is being punished as criminal activity. The case has drawn widespread attention due to Combs' celebrity status and the broader conversations it has sparked around justice, consent and the treatment of high-profile defendants. As the October sentencing date approaches, the court's decision on bail may set the tone for what lies ahead for one of the music industry's most controversial figures.
Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Diddy could walk free: Donald Trump ‘seriously considering' pardon as disgraced mogul makes another $50M jail release plea
Donald Trump is reportedly considering letting Sean 'Diddy' Combs enjoy the perks of a presidential pardon as the music mogul waits for his October sentencing. Diddy was found guilty earlier this month on two lesser charges, including transporting someone for prostitution, but dodged the bigger ones tied to sex trafficking and racketeering. If the pardon happens, it could wipe the slate clean, letting Diddy walk free. Back in April, a few insiders from Diddy's legal team hinted at exploring a presidential pardon, pointing to his old ties with Trump. Then in May, Trump weighed in, saying no one had approached him yet, but added he'd be open to looking into it if he felt Diddy had been treated unfairly. Now, an administration insider tells Deadline that the topic inside the White House has picked up. A few people close to Diddy have been quietly pushing for the pardon, even though his lawyers haven't officially stepped in. The idea is now being 'seriously considered' in the Oval Office. That said, the White House hasn't issued any official statement. And as always with Trump, nothing's real until he signs it. Also read: Sean 'Diddy' Combs found guilty in sex trial, but cleared of trafficking and racketeering charges Even when the Bad Boy producer managed to dodge the biggest charge, he wasn't granted bail, despite his lawyers pushing for house arrest. Diddy's been behind bars at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Centre since his September 2024 arrest, having tried and failed multiple times to get out on a $50 million bond. His final sentencing is set for October 3, and he's staring at a minimum 20-year prison threat. Sean Combs' lawyers, Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos, told the judge his case is unlike anything ever tried under the Mann Act. According to court papers accessed by Deadline, the team is once again offering a '$50 million bond secured by Mr. Combs' home in Miami,' along with tight travel and contact restrictions. Also read: Sean 'Diddy' Combs seeks release on $50-million bond ahead of sentencing The eight-week trial saw several ex-girlfriends, staffers, and even a pregnant Cassie Ventura testifying about drug-laced, violent sex parties. Still, due to a lack of solid evidence, the jury found him guilty on just two lesser charges. He walked free on the more serious ones, a big setback to the prosecution led by Maurene Comey (daughter of James Comey). She was sacked soon after the verdict by the Trump-led administration. Diddy's lawyers now argue the charges don't justify prison time, calling the case an unfair attack on a swinger lifestyle under an outdated law from 1910. They've also claimed he's being punished for hiring adult male escorts, even though, by their account, he never actually slept with them. On the other hand, Trump is also facing heat from his own MAGA base for not pushing the Justice Department harder on releasing Epstein files. The pressure has surged after a Wall Street Journal report linked Trump's name to those documents. In response, Trump is now suing Rupert Murdoch for $10 billion.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sean Combs Requests to Be Released Before Sentencing
Sean Combs' legal team has requested his release from prison ahead of his October sentencing on prostitution charges. The lawyers for the former music mogul and Sean John founder claimed that his continued confinement is 'unwarranted.' He is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he has been since his arrest in September. More from WWD African Designers to Be Focus of First Fashion Show at Festival in Rwanda Fashion Designer Charlene Hyman Dies at 68 Levi Evans Makes a Name for Himself in the Music Space Following a seven-week trial, the 'I'll Be Missing You' singer was found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Each count could carry a prison sentence of up to 10 years. The 12-person jury found Combs not guilty of one count of racketeering, and two counts of sex trafficking. The prosecutors had argued that Combs ran a criminal enterprise with the help of his associates from at least 2004 to 2024. He denied all charges against him as well as any wrongdoing. During the trial, jurors heard from Combs' former girlfriend Cassie Ventura, a model and singer, and another ex-girlfriend, who testified anonymously. Both women testified that they had been forced to have drug-fueled sex with hired escorts for days on end. Combs' lawyers claimed that the Mann Act 'has never been applied to facts similar to these to prosecute or incarcerate any other person.' Passed in 1910 and previously known as the White-Slave Traffic Act, the federal law 'criminalizes the transportation of any woman or girl for the purpose of prostitution or debauchery, or for any immoral purpose.' Sent on July 29, the 12-page request to Justice Arun Subramanian was signed by eight attorneys with the Agnifilo Intrater law firm. The filing claims, 'There has literally never been a case like this one, where a person and his girlfriend arranged for adult men to have consensual sexual relations with the adult long-term girlfriend as part of a demonstrated 'swingers' lifestyle and has been prosecuted and incarcerated under the Mann Act.' Media requests seeking comment about the release request to Ventura's attorney Douglas Wigdor of Wigdor LLP were not immediately returned Tuesday. Combs' proposed bail package would include his signing a $50 million bond secured by his Miami home and co-signed by 'three financially responsible people,' whose names were not identified. Combs would reside in Miami and limit travel to the southern district of Florida and the southern district of New York for attorney meetings. He would surrender his passport and be placed under the supervision of the U.S. Pretrial Services Agency, according to the filing. In an attempt to 'invalidate any claim that Mr. Combs poses a future danger,' the request notes how he had enrolled in a domestic violence program prior to his arrest and detention. In order for the 55-year-old to be released, two conditions must be met: the district court must find by clear and convincing evidence that person is not likely to flee or pose a danger to the safety of any other person in the community if released. Secondly, it must be shown that there are exceptional reasons why such person's detention would not be appropriate, according to the request. The request also notes how across the country where the primary or sole conviction was for a violation of 18 U.S.C. 2421(a), the 'defendants who were not charged with running a prostitution business have been released pending sentencing.' The motion insists: 'Sean Combs should not be in jail for this conduct' (page 3) and argues that the government's approach 'is inconsistent with Justice Department policy' (page 3), which historically prioritizes the prosecution of commercial profiteers, not individual customers in consensual settings. The request cites how Combs 'pursued a consensual lifestyle with two of his long-term girlfriends and obviously was not involved in making a profit from prostitution, which was not even alleged by the government.' The filing stated, 'In the lifestyle that he and other adults voluntarily chose, Mr. Combs would be called a swinger. But in the vocabulary of the Mann Act or of prostitution generally, he might — at worst — be somewhat analogous to a 'John,' someone who pays to have sex with a sex worker, in this case a male sex worker, more particularly a male sex worker who works for and is vetted by a well-known agency called Cowboys for Angels, or another similar agency or who works as a paid porn star in connection with movies. Sean Combs should not be in jail for this conduct. In fact, he may be the only person currently in a United States jail for being any sort of john, and certainly the only person in jail for hiring adult male escorts for him and his girlfriend, when he did not even have sex with the escort himself.' Combs' attorneys contended that over the past 75 years, 'the White-Slave Traffic Act has been limited to defendants, who cause interstate travel for financial gain through the business of prostitution, as reflected in the cases brought under the statute as well as the explicit enforcement policies set out in the United States Attorney Manual, more recently called the Justice Manual.' Best of WWD The Biggest Legal Battles Shaping the Fashion Industry Today PETA Asks Lululemon About Slaughterhouse Practices China's Livestreaming Star Viya Fined $210 Million for Tax Evasion
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Sean Diddy Combs' legal team seeks his release before October sentencing; offers $50 million bond for bail
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' lawyers have asked the court to release him from jail before his sentencing in October. Early this month, he was found not guilty of charges like sex trafficking but was convicted on two lesser charges. His legal team has cited that it's unfair to keep him in jail and that his case is very 'unusual'. According to the reports of The Hollywood Reporter, Combs' legal team has filed a request asking the court to release him from the Brooklyn jail where he has been held since September. They argue that he shouldn't remain in custody, especially after he was cleared of racketeering and sex trafficking charges. However, the jury found him guilty of charges related to the Mann Act, a law that makes it illegal to transport someone across state lines for prostitution. Prosecutors said he used his power and staff to pressure two girlfriends into participating in drug-filled sex parties with male escorts, which he watched and recorded. However, the jury did not believe he broke the major laws like RICO or committed sex trafficking. His lawyers say this case is 'unusual' and claim it's 'unfair' for him to stay in jail when many others in similar situations are not detained. They also say that the Mann Act is usually used in cases where someone profits from prostitution, not in situations like this one, where it involved adults in consensual acts with no commercial gain. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cargo Ship Meets Pirates - Watch What the Captain Does Next! Tips and Tricks His lawyers believe that the Justice Department usually avoids prosecution in such 'non-commercial' cases. The judge, Arun Subramanian, had previously denied Combs' request for release after the trial, partly due to video footage showing him assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, in a hotel hallway footage that was shown repeatedly during the trial. However, Combs' lawyers now say he has taken responsibility and had already joined a domestic violence program before his arrest. Legal team offers $50 million bond The legal team has reportedly offered a $50 million bond to secure his release. They said Combs would stay at his home in Miami, follow all legal conditions, give up his passport, and only travel for legal matters under supervision. Combs could face up to 20 years in prison, but prosecutors are expected to ask for a sentence between 51 to 63 months. His defence team, however, is suggesting a lighter sentence of 21 to 27 months.
