Diddy is attempting to dismiss a charge in the superseding indictment filed against him on the basis that the law itself is “racist” – and now the feds have responded, saying that’s definitely not the case.
Acting United States District Attorney Matthew Podolsky referred to the mogul’s claim as “outrageous and illogical,” emphasizing that “race played no role whatsoever in the decision to seek the charges contained in the Indictment.”
Diddy’s legal team filed the motion on February 18, taking aim at the charge of transportation to engage in prostitution under the Mann Act—one of three charges he’s facing alongside sex trafficking and racketeering. His lawyers argue that no white person has ever been prosecuted under the law, claiming that the music mogul is being targeted simply because he’s a “powerful Black man.”
Beyond the charges, Diddy’s team is also accusing federal prosecutors of leaking information to the press in an attempt to ruin his reputation before trial.
Diddy’s legal team filed the motion in February, taking aim at one of the three charges he faces – the Mann Act charge of transportation to engage in prostitution. His lawyers allege that no white person has ever been punished under the legislation, and that the music mogul is being targeted only because he is a “powerful Black man.”
Aside from the allegations, Diddy’s camp accuses federal prosecutors of leaking information to the public in an attempt to tarnish his reputation before trial.
Prosecutors Say Diddy is On Trial for “Violent, Abusive, and Criminal Conduct”
“The government’s handling of this case demonstrates bias and animus,” the motion claims. “It has gone out of its way to humiliate Mr. Combs and to prejudice the jury pool with pretrial publicity that plays on racist tropes.”
Podolsky says that the Mann Act violation is “overlapping and intertwined” with other counts in the state’s case. “The Motion misleadingly suggests that anyone who has ever hired an escort is similarly situated to [Diddy],” Podolsky stated, adding that such comparisons ignored the serious “aggravating factors” present in Diddy’s charges.
He noted explicitly that Diddy allegedly violated the Mann Act by hauling multiple victims through coercion and force for commercial sex acts—allegations missing from the cases cited by his defense team.
Diddy’s trial is currently scheduled to begin on May 5. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.
