P Diddy Fights 50-Month Sentence: His Lawyer Says He Should Walk Free

Sean 'Diddy' Combs just got 50 months in federal prison. It includes credit for time he’s already served, the fine is the max, the judge did not mince words, and Combs’s lawyers are already gearing up to appeal. There’s also some messy reporting on the timeline and sentencing math, so let’s untangle what actually happened.

What the court handed down

On October 3, 2025, Judge Arun Subramanian sentenced Combs to 50 months behind bars, a $500,000 fine, and five years of supervised release once he’s out. Multiple outlets described Combs as quiet and looking down while the sentence was read. Earlier in the hearing, he addressed the court and his family, apologizing for his conduct and asking for another chance.

"Mom, I failed you as a son. I’m sorry. You taught me better. You raised me better."

He also apologized to Cassie Ventura and others, calling his past actions "disgusting, shameful, and sick," and said he takes full responsibility. Six of his seven children spoke at the hearing.

Why the judge landed there

The $500,000 fine is the maximum allowed for the counts at issue, and the judge said he went that high because of Combs’s resources and how they enabled the conduct. The prison term is 50 months; the prosecution wanted 11 years. Some reporting characterizes 50 months as in the ballpark for what he was convicted of, but here’s where the coverage gets tangled: one line says the court didn’t deviate from a 70–87 month guideline range, which would obviously be higher than 50. That contradiction likely stems from confusing the fine (which the judge did vary upward) with the custody range; either way, the actual number is 50 months.

"A history of good works can’t wash away the record in this case. You abused these women. You used that abuse to get your way, freakoffs and hotel nights."

The judge also said the evidence of abuse was overwhelming, drugs worsened the behavior over the years, and he wasn’t convinced similar crimes wouldn’t happen again if Combs were released early.

The defense’s immediate pushback

Outside court, defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said they have a strong basis to appeal. His central gripe: the jury rejected a coercion finding, but the judge still leaned on coercion repeatedly when explaining the sentence. In his view, that’s unconstitutional and the jury’s verdict should carry more weight. He also said they don’t expect prosecutors to cross-appeal for a longer term, though the government will likely respond if the defense files.

Another Combs lawyer, Brian Steele, told CNN the sentence sends the wrong message and punishes Combs for conduct the jury did not convict him of, calling it un-American and a very hard sentence.

The team said they’ll work to place Combs in an appropriate facility as the appeal moves ahead. He has 14 days to file.

So when could he actually get out?

On paper, 50 months points to an earliest release in 2029. Some chatter suggests 2028 with good behavior. The source material also says non-violent federal offenses can lead to parole after one-third of the sentence. Quick reality check: modern federal cases don’t have traditional parole at all; early release typically comes from good-time credits and programming, not a parole board. So take that one-third line as loose shorthand, not how federal time really works.

One more wrinkle: reports say Combs has already logged 12–13 months of time served, but also say he was arrested on September 16, 2025. Those two things can’t both be true. Either the arrest date is off by a year or the credit calculation is. The sentence does include whatever time the court officially credited.

The numbers, at a glance

• Prison: 50 months (4 years, 2 months), with credit for time served
• Fine: $500,000 (the maximum allowed on these counts)
• Post-release: 5 years of supervised release
• Prosecutors asked for: 11 years
• Appeal window: 14 days
• Judge’s concern: evidence of abuse was extensive; not confident it wouldn’t recur
• Guidelines muddle: reporting mentions a 70–87 month range while the actual sentence is 50; the fine, not the prison term, was explicitly varied upward
• Max exposure on these counts: 20 years total (10 per count); other unconvicted charges could have meant life
• Time served: reported as 12–13 months, but that conflicts with the stated 9/16/2025 arrest date
• Release timing: some say 2029 earliest; 2028 floated with good behavior; note there is no federal parole in the modern system

Bottom line

Combs got four-plus years, the court hammered him on the record and his resources, and his lawyers are going to make the appeal about the judge referencing conduct the jury didn’t find. The timeline and guideline chatter in the reporting isn’t perfectly aligned, but the outcome is: 50 months, a max fine, five years of supervision after, and a legal fight that’s not over.