NEED TO KNOW
With less than two months before his sentencing, one of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ attorneys claimed that efforts have been made to secure a pardon from President Donald Trump.
“It’s my understanding that we’ve reached out and had conversations in reference to a pardon,” Nicole Westmoreland, a member of Combs’ legal team, told CNN in an interview that aired on Tuesday, Aug. 5.
Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty
However, behind the scenes, that narrative is being disputed. Multiple sources with knowledge of the situation tell PEOPLE that Combs’ legal team has not made any formal contact with Trump or his administration.
“People in Diddy’s world and orbit are reaching out to his administration for a pardon, but not his legal team,” one source close to the rap mogul tells PEOPLE. “They have nothing to do with it — but they are aware it’s happening.”
As for how Combs feels about the possibility of a pardon from the former president, Westmoreland told CNN, “He is a very hopeful person, and I believe that he remains hopeful.”
A White House official told CNN they “will not comment on the existence or nonexistence of any clemency request.”
PEOPLE has reached out to Westmoreland for comment, but has not heard back.
On July 31, Rolling Stone reported that longtime allies of Combs have approached political operatives, lobbyists and others with close ties to Trump’s circle and government officials, allegedly offering large sums of money in exchange for help securing a presidential pardon. Three people familiar with the discussions told the magazine that at least one of the offers reached the mid-six-figure range. However, the sources also noted that some of these offers came with strings attached — namely, that most of the money wouldn’t be paid until after a pardon was granted.
“This is such bulls—,” another Diddy source told PEOPLE. “I don’t think any of this is true.” Two other knowledgeable sources claim they also don’t believe it’s true.
Westmoreland also told Piers Morgan on Wednesday, Aug 6, “We’re laser focused on preparing for October 3… You want to do what is right and fair,” later adding, “I think being pardoned would be the right thing to do. We’re hopeful.”
After a nearly two-month-long federal trial that gripped New York and dominated headlines, Combs was convicted on two felony counts of transporting individuals across state lines for the purpose of prostitution on July 2. He was acquitted on the more explosive charges of racketeering and sex trafficking — a partial win in a case that has shadowed one of hip-hop’s most iconic moguls.
Combs, who has maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty to all charges, has been locked up at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center since his arrest in September 2024. His legal team has filed five unsuccessful motions for bail. The most recent rejection came on Monday, Aug. 4, when U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian again ruled that Combs posed too great a flight risk.
Steve Granitz/WireImage
His sentencing is now set for Oct. 3, and he faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Westmoreland told CNN his lawyers are preparing an appeal “as soon as possible.”
When the president was asked in May whether he’d consider issuing a pardon for the embattled rapper, Trump told reporters, “[I] would certainly look at the facts. If I think someone was mistreated, it wouldn’t matter whether they like me or not.”
During an Aug. 1 interview with Newsmax’s Rob Finnerty, Trump remained ambiguous when pressed again on the Combs case.
“Well, he was essentially, I guess, sort of half-innocent,” Trump said. “I don’t know what they do, still in jail or something. But he was celebrating a victory, but I guess it wasn’t as good of a victory.”
Trump and Combs go way back, often crossing paths during the 1990s. In one particularly iconic moment, Trump posed alongside Combs at the grand opening of Justin’s, the rapper’s upscale Atlanta restaurant.
“We were very friendly,” Trump recalled in the Newsmax interview, saying he “got along great” with Combs.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
That relationship soured when Trump entered the political arena. Combs, once a flashy fixture in Trump’s social orbit, became a vocal critic during Trump’s presidency, something the president hasn’t forgotten.
“We’re human beings. We don’t like to have things cloud our judgment, right? But when you knew someone and you were fine and then you run for office and he made some terrible statements,” Trump told Newsmax. “So, I don’t know. It’s more difficult. Makes it more, I’m being honest, makes it more difficult to do.”
“More likely a ‘no’ for Combs?” Finnerty asked Trump.
“I would say so,” Trump replied.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
