Diddy wins fast-track appeal, raising hopes he could leave his cushy New Jersey prison well before his 2028 release date.
Sean “Diddy” Combs just got a major break in his ongoing legal saga.
The rapper and producer, who’s currently serving time for sex-related offenses, has been granted a fast-track appeal — a move that could help him get out of prison before his 50-month sentence ends.
A federal appeals judge approved Diddy’s defense team’s request to expedite the appeal process, setting an unusually tight schedule for a case like this.
According to Judge Beth Robinson’s order, Diddy’s legal team must file their opening brief by December 23, 2025, with the government’s response due by February 20, 2026, and oral arguments scheduled as early as April 2026.
This means Diddy’s challenge to his conviction could move through the system much faster than typical federal appeals, which often take years.
His lawyer, Alexandra Shapiro, didn’t comment on the ruling but has previously criticized prosecutors for what she called the “unfair use of the Mann Act” — a century-old law once used to target interracial relationships and sex work — to convict her client for “sex with consenting adults.”
Diddy was sentenced on October 3, 2025, at the age of 56, to 50 months (four years and two months) in federal prison. This sentence was accompanied by a $500,000 fine and five years of supervised release.
He was found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution under the Mann Act. Critically, he was acquitted of the more severe sex trafficking and racketeering charges, which carried a potential life sentence. He is currently incarcerated at the Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institute in New Jersey.
Originally held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, Diddy was moved on October 30 to Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institution, a low-security facility in New Jersey.
The transfer marked a big lifestyle upgrade — the prison is located on a joint military base and houses around 4,000 inmates, including former NBA player Sebastian Telfair.
Sources say Fort Dix offers more comfort and resources than his previous location, with better access to programs and recreation. If Diddy maintains good behavior and completes rehabilitation programs, he could shave additional time off his sentence — even before his appeal is decided.
While his official release date is May 8, 2028, all signs point to Diddy’s team working hard to make sure he’s back home — and back in business — long before then.
