Diddy Faces Fresh Setback As His Attorney Makes Mysterious Move

Embattled rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs has suffered a setback in his bid to prove his innocence after one of his attorneys exited his legal team with a mysterious statement.

Diddy's lawyer, Anthony Ricco, filed a motion for withdraw of counsel on Friday, though his actions won't delay the current trial schedule.

The setback comes amid a recent legal victory for Diddy after one of his accusers voluntarily withdrew her case against him and Jay-Z.

Rico filed a motion for withdraw of counsel in New York, stating that he wouldn't continue his services to Diddy under any circumstances.

According to documents obtained by The Mirror US, Ricco said, "Under no circumstances can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs."

The documents also stated that Ricco held discussions with Diddy's lead counsel, Mark Agnifilo, before filing the motion.

The outlet also reported that Ricco declined to provide details to support the application and said his decision to step down won't affect the current schedule for the trial, which will begin on May 5.

In the court document, the attorney clarified that he has "provided Sean Combs with high level of legal representation expected by the court."

He added that "under no circumstances" could he continue to "effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs, consistent with the ABA Standards for Criminal Justice."

Signing off the document, Ricco wrote, "WHEREFORE, it is respectfully but regrettably requested that the court grant the relief requested in the annexed notice of motion, and permit counsel Anthony L. Ricco to withdraw as attorney of record."

After news of Ricco's exit from Diddy's legal team made headlines, several Redditors took turns trying to interpret his actions.

Some people shared their thoughts in the Music subreddit, which is comprised of over 37 million members.

One Redditor said, "Most likely, the lawyer found out Diddy was committing other crimes like witness tampering/intimidation/bribery/extortion, told Diddy to stop immediately, which he refused to."

Another person felt more attorneys would leave Diddy's legal team. They wrote, "This is standard for delays in cases. He will have multiple attorneys quit before he actually sees a courtroom."

A third Redditor added, "Why am I not surprised? They must have some serious proof that he's guilty if they won't grant him bail. And you know it's bad when his own friends aren't coming to his defense."

They added, "I'll bet if he's found guilty and facing serious time in prison, he'll sell out his friends to get some time reduced. Either way, he's done for."

Ricco's decision to step down as Diddy's legal counsel comes when the incarcerated music mogul gained a small legal victory.

On February 14, an unidentified woman, who accused Diddy and Jay-Z of raping her when she was 13 years old in 2000, voluntarily withdrew her case.

In the filing, the plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning the lawsuit can never be refiled in its current form.

Following the case's withdrawal, Diddy's legal team made a statement, stressing how the development confirmed how the lawsuits against him were "built on falsehoods, not facts."

They added, "For months, we have seen case after case filed by individuals hiding behind anonymity, pushed forward by an attorney more focused on media headlines than legal merit. Just like this claim, the others will fall apart because there is no truth to them. Sean Combs has never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone—man or woman, adult or minor."

The statement concluded, "No number of lawsuits, sensationalized allegations, or media theatrics will change that reality. We will continue to fight these baseless claims and hold those responsible. This is just the first of many that will not hold up in a court of law."

Earlier this week, Diddy's attorneys fought to dismiss a federal charge against him, arguing that prosecutors had used an outdated "racist" law to target him.

The rapper is facing charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution under the Mann Act.

Diddy claimed the law had historically been used against successful Black men like Chuck Berry and Jack Johnson.

According to TMZ, his lawyers argued that hiring escorts was widely accepted and that similar cases, such as former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer’s scandal, had not been prosecuted the same way.

Meanwhile, Diddy remains incarcerated, maintaining his innocence amid multiple legal battles.