Diddy argued that the century-old definition of prostitution no longer fits his case as he seeks to overturn his Mann Act conviction.
Diddy is asking a federal judge to throw out his Mann Act conviction in New York, claiming the legal meaning of “prostitution” no longer applies to his conduct.
The 55-year-old Hip-Hop mogul was convicted in June of transporting adult men across state lines to have sex with his girlfriends.
Though he was acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking charges, the jury found him guilty on two counts tied to the over 100-year-old Mann Act. His sentencing is set for October 3, 2025.
In a motion filed Wednesday (September 3), Diddy’s legal team argued the government failed to prove its case and that the remaining charges should be dismissed.
“The remaining Mann Act conviction…should never have been brought—and wouldn’t have been brought absent the failed charges,” wrote lead defense attorney Alexandra Shapiro.
The case centers on whether paying men who had consensual sex with Diddy’s girlfriends qualifies as prostitution under federal law. His lawyers say it doesn’t.
“No other similarly-situated person has ever been charged under the Act for arranging interstate travel and paying adult males who had consensual sex with his adult girlfriends,” the filing stated.
Diddy’s attorneys say that “prostitution” as it was defined in 1910, when the Mann Act was passed, broadly included any sex outside of marriage.
They claim that modern laws have narrowed that definition, and applying the outdated one would violate due process. They also challenged the strength of the government’s evidence.
The motion said prosecutors failed to show that Combs intended for sex to occur as part of the travel arrangements.
The defense also claimed the Mann Act was misused in this case and infringed on Diddy’s First Amendment rights. They compared his conduct to producing amateur adult content for private use.
His legal team said the jury was unfairly influenced by evidence tied to charges he was acquitted of, including racketeering and sex trafficking.
The court is expected to rule on the motion for acquittal or a new trial in the coming weeks. If the conviction stands, Diddy faces at least five years in prison.
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