Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Attorney Seeks Withdrawal from Sex-Trafficking Case, Citing Inability to Proceed Under Any Circumstances
Combs remains in jail as he awaits his federal sex-trafficking trial
An attorney involved in Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex-trafficking case has filed a motion to withdraw from the legal proceedings.
On Friday, Anthony Ricco and Combs' legal team submitted a request for Ricco to be removed as counsel, just under three months before the case is scheduled to go to trial.
"Although I have provided Sean Combs with the high level of legal representation expected by the court, under no circumstances can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs, consistent with the ABA Standards for Criminal Justice," Ricco stated in the motion, obtained by Fox News Digital.
Ricco cited "sufficient reasons" for his abrupt withdrawal, noting that the specifics are protected under attorney-client privilege.
Anthony Ricco’s departure from Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team will not disrupt the rapper’s defense, a source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital. The team remains “intact and fully engaged.”
In his motion, Ricco emphasized that his withdrawal, if granted, would not delay the current timeline for jury selection, trial proceedings, or pre-trial motions.
“This motion for withdrawal of counsel, if granted, will not result in a delay of the present schedule for the commencement of jury selection and trial, or the present schedules for briefing of pre-trial legal issues,” Ricco wrote. “As a result, there will be no lapse in representation, as Sean Combs will continue to be represented by five other attorneys of record.”
The motion is now pending approval by Judge Arun Subramanian.
Combs’ trial is scheduled to begin on May 5. Prosecutors estimate the government’s case will take three weeks to present, while the defense anticipates requiring just one week.
A superseding indictment filed on January 30 expanded the scope of the case but did not introduce new charges. According to the updated document, the alleged racketeering conspiracy began in 2004 and continued through 2024. It also identified two additional victims, listed anonymously as “Victim-2” and “Victim-3,” alongside a previously named “Victim-1.”
Combs was initially indicted on September 17, 2024, on charges including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation for the purpose of engaging in prostitution. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, with the potential for life imprisonment.
Prosecutors allege that Combs operated a criminal enterprise through his various business ventures—among them, Bad Boy Entertainment, Combs Enterprises, and Combs Global—using threats, firearms, and various forms of abuse to satisfy his sexual desires. The indictment claims that Combs and his associates used coercion and intimidation to draw women into his circle, often under the guise of romantic interest, and forced them into prolonged sexual encounters with male sex workers, which he allegedly referred to as “Freak Offs.”
Attorneys for Combs have denied all allegations, maintaining that he is innocent.
