Appellate judges signal strong interest in overturning Diddy's sentence — but there's a big catch

**From Business Insider’s Laura Italiano and Natalie Musumeci:**  During a lively exchange of questions and arguments on Thursday, a trio of federal appeals judges signaled their strong interest in overturning last year's sentence on prostitution-related charges for Sean "Diddy" Combs. The appellate judges repeatedly voiced skepticism over the Manhattan sentencing judge's decision to hold the trial's ample evidence of coercion and force against Combs in sentencing. Combs was acquitted of using coercion or force to sex-traffick his two longtime girlfriends, the judges noted — and it's the appellate court's duty to ensure that sentencing guidelines are followed, and "that the jury's acquittal isn't negated," as Judge M. Miller Baker noted Thursday. The judges' apparent sympathy with arguments by a Combs attorney on Thursday comes with a catch, however. Even if the defense wins and the case is kicked back down to US District Court Judge Arun Subramanian for resentencing, Subramanian has already said that even without considering coercion and force, 50 months remains, in his judgment, a fair sentence for Combs. Overturning Combs' sentence could set an important precedent in future cases — setting firmer guidelines on what federal judges can and cannot weigh at sentencing. Still, resentencing Combs could ultimately result in Subramanian imposing the exact same penalty for the "I'll Be Missing You" rapper. [Read more about the latest development in Diddy's conviction. ](https://www.businessinsider.com/diddy-lawyers-fight-to-overturn-conviction-sentence-2026-4?utm_source=listnook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=insider-entertainment-sub-post)