Sean "Diddy" Combs has won an early procedural victory in his federal criminal case, after a U.S. court granted his request for an expedited appeal of the conviction that currently has him serving a 50-month prison sentence. The decision allows oral arguments to be scheduled as early as April 2026, significantly shortening a process that typically stretches 12 to 18 months.
The appeal comes as Combs, who was convicted on prostitution-related charges following an eight-week trial earlier this year, continues to pursue avenues to reduce his time behind bars. He was acquitted of the more serious sex-trafficking and racketeering allegations. He is serving his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution at Fort Dix and was also ordered to pay approximately £390,000 ($500,000), in addition to five years of supervised release. His current projected release date is May 8, 2028.
Legal analysts say the court's approval to fast-track the appeal reflects a common judicial consideration: if the appeal proceeds at standard speed, much of Combs' sentence could already be served before any ruling is reached. Neama Rahmani, president of West Coast Trial Lawyers and a former federal prosecutor, told Fox News that expediting the case acknowledges that the review "would be largely meaningless" if it were completed only after Combs neared the end of his term.
Rahmani noted that the accelerated timeline could create opportunities for Combs to seek transition to a halfway house or home confinement earlier than expected, particularly under federal rehabilitation and reentry programs.
Alongside the appeal, discussion continues around whether President Donald Trump could grant Combs a pardon. Criminal defense attorney Nicole Blank Becker said a pardon is "not out of the realm," pointing to Trump's record of issuing clemency to high-profile or celebrity petitioners. However, Becker emphasized that successful clemency petitions typically move through private legal channels rather than public pressure campaigns, and require the applicant to express contrition and avoid antagonizing prosecutors or the judicial process.
Trump has previously acknowledged that Combs requested a pardon, saying he would review the matter depending on whether he considered the case fair. According to reports from individuals at Fort Dix, Combs has expressed confidence to fellow inmates that a pardon may be granted in 2026, though such expectations remain speculative.
