Sean 'Diddy' Combs' lawyer quits sex trafficking case ahead of federal trial

Sean "Diddy" Combs is facing legal troubles as his federal sex trafficking trial approaches. The case recently took another turn as one of Combs' top defense attorneys quit the case.

Criminal defense lawyer Anthony Ricco has filed a motion to withdraw from the case, citing an inability to "effectively serve as counsel." His decision comes just weeks before the trial.

Diddy has been behind bars since his arrest in September 2024. He faces charges of sex trafficking, among others.

His legal team for the trial is led by Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos. It has been argued that the prosecution is targeting Combs unfairly. However, as Anthony Ricco steps away, the team is now expected to face unprecedented turmoil.

Netizens reacted under the comments of this X post, with some saying,

"Dang! This is getting crazy!", stated an X user.

"Wow, that's a big move from Diddy's lawyer! What does it mean for the case moving forward? Things are heating up. Do you think Diddy can recover? LOL!", questioned another.

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Who is Anthony Ricco?

Anthony Ricco, who is based in New York, is a criminal defense attorney with a reputation for handling some of the most known cases in federal court.

Anthony has worked on multiple death penalty cases and high-profile trials, including the World Trade Center bombing and the U.S. Embassy bombings case. His withdrawal from Diddy's defense team is significant, believes many.

Ricco did not provide specific reasons for leaving. Deadline reports that he stated in his withdrawal filing,

"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."

Diddy's legal battles

In November 2023, Sean "Diddy" Combs' ex-girlfriend, Cassandra "Cassie" Ventura, accused him of rape and abuse. The lawsuit was settled within 24 hours. Nevertheless, it eventually led to multiple civil and criminal cases against him.

In March 2024, Homeland Security raided his properties. By September 2024, he was arrested. Since then, he has been denied bail multiple times.

The charges against Combs include allegations that he financed parties where individuals were allegedly trafficked for sex. His defense team has been pushing back against these accusations. They have been arguing that he is being targeted under biased laws.

They reportedly claimed that the government’s use of the Mann Act was used against Black men like Diddy. It is an early 20th-century law, which was designed to prevent human trafficking.

In the present scenario, Combs’ legal team reportedly insists that his exit will not impact their strategy or delay the trial, which is set to begin on May 5, 2025.