Sean 'Diddy' Combs has appointed Alexandra Shapiro, the lawyer representing Sam Bankman-Fried, to handle his appeal against a New York court's ruling to keep him in custody pending his trial on charges of racketeering and sex trafficking. Bankman-Fried, who received a 25-year prison sentence in March for his role in the demise of his cryptocurrency exchange, FTX, hired Shapiro shortly after his conviction to oversee his appeal. Recently, she submitted a 102-page appeal to the Second Circuit, seeking a new trial for Bankman-Fried and alleging that the presiding judge in his case displayed unfair bias against him. Lawyers consulted by CoinDesk express skepticism regarding the appeal's prospects for success.
Bankman-Fried, six months into his sentence, has opted to remain at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, known for its harsh conditions, rather than being transferred to a low-security prison near his family in California. This decision has led to an unexpected outcome: Bankman-Fried and Diddy are now cellmates, sharing a dormitory-style room with other inmates, according to a New York Times report citing informed sources. Diddy was charged by New York prosecutors on September 12 with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking of minors by force, fraud, or coercion, and transporting individuals for prostitution. The sex trafficking charge alone carries a potential life sentence, with minimum sentences ranging from 10 to 15 years, depending on the victims' ages.
The racketeering conspiracy and transportation for prostitution charges carry maximum sentences of 20 and 25 years, respectively.