Hip-hop titan Diddy faces a brutal legal battle, claiming racial bias in sex trafficking charge

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ empire is in turmoil as he fights explosive sex trafficking and racketeering charges in a case that could end his career—and his freedom. Held without bail at a Brooklyn detention centre, the rap mogul is now pushing to have one of his charges dismissed, claiming it’s rooted in systemic racism.

Combs’ legal team argues that prosecutors are using the Mann Act, a 1910 law originally called the White-Slave Traffic Act, to unfairly target him. The law, they say, has a history of ensnaring Black men—most infamously boxing legend Jack Johnson and rock ’n’ roll icon Chuck Berry. Now, they claim, it’s being weaponised against Diddy.

“Mr. Combs has been singled out because he is a powerful Black man, and he is being prosecuted for conduct that regularly goes unpunished,” his attorneys wrote in a fiery court filing.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. Combs, once one of hip-hop’s most untouchable figures, has been locked up since his September arrest in Manhattan. He’s pleaded not guilty to all charges, but three separate federal judges have denied his bail. His fate now rests on a trial set for May, where prosecutors will present what they claim is damning evidence linking him to a web of sex trafficking and illicit activity.

Beyond the criminal case, Combs is also drowning in civil lawsuits. Accusers have come forward with disturbing allegations of sexual misconduct, painting a picture of a man whose past is catching up with him. He has denied every claim, but the mounting legal pressure is threatening to dismantle the empire he spent decades building.

For now, his legal team is fighting tooth and nail to erase at least one charge. If they succeed, it could shift the case in his favour. If they fail, Diddy’s downfall could be sealed in court.