Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial is to begin in the coming days.
Combs, 55, is accused of trafficking three women and is awaiting trial in New York on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering – allegations he denies. Jury selection begins on May 5.
On Thursday Combs and his defence team rejected a US government plea deal, which could have spared him the possibility of a prolonged prison sentence. Diddy has consistently pleaded not guilty.
The lead-up to the trial has not been without its setbacks. First, his barrister, Anthony Ricco, unexpectedly filed a motion to withdraw from the defence team in February, saying that “under no circumstances can I continue”.
Most recently, Combs’s legal team has lost a bid to delay proceedings, after requesting more time to respond to two additional charges filed on April 4. A US district judge, Arun Subramanian, rejected the request, ruling it came too close to the scheduled start of the trial.
But who is Anthony Ricco, the lawyer who has stepped away so suddenly from such a high-profile case? And who is representing Diddy now?
Here’s what we know so far.
Who is Anthony Ricco?
Like Combs, Ricco was born and raised in Harlem, New York City and worked his way up to become a respected defence lawyer.
He earned a BA in political science from Adelphi University in May 1978 and graduated from Northeastern University School of Law in May 1981.
Since being called to the bar, Mr Ricco has focused much of his career on representing people from marginalised communities, often taking on high-profile and complex cases. He is particularly known for his work on death penalty cases and regularly lectures on the subject, advocating for the preservation of life and fair representation.
In recognition of his contributions to the legal profession, Mr Ricco received the Outstanding Contribution to the Profession Award from the New York County Lawyers Association's Criminal Defence Division in 2004. He was further honoured in 2012 with the Outstanding Criminal Defence Attorney Award by the New York State Bar Association.
What cases has Anthony Ricco worked on?
Mr Ricco is particularly known for his work on death penalty cases and has acted as lead counsel in more than 45 federal capital trials.
He has consistently advocated life sentences over capital punishment. One of his notable cases involved Andre Cooper, a former member of a gang known as the Boyle Street Boys. Cooper was convicted of multiple offences including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, witness tampering, drug trafficking and firearms possession. Mr Ricco succeeded in having his sentence commuted to life imprisonment, sparing him the death penalty.
Mr Ricco also represented Jelani Solomon, who faced charges of murder and drug trafficking. Again, he successfully argued for a life sentence over execution.
He is perhaps best known for his role in several high-profile terrorism cases. Mr Ricco served on the legal defence team during the trials linked to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, including that of Omar Abdel Rahman, also known as “The Blind Sheikh”, who was convicted of plotting attacks in New York.
Mr Ricco was also one of the appointed defence attorneys in the federal case United States v Osama bin Laden, which charged Osama bin Laden and others in connection with the 1998 US embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. Although Bin Laden was not in US custody and was tried in absentia, Mr Ricco’s involvement in the case placed him among the few attorneys to represent the al-Qaeda leader in American court proceedings.
He also defended Mohamed Odeh, one of Bin Laden’s alleged co-conspirators, who was ultimately sentenced to life in prison – a result widely attributed to Mr Ricco’s advocacy against capital punishment.
Of the complexity of such cases, Mr Ricco has remarked: “Having knowledge that someone is in al-Qaeda is not a criminal act. Many members of al-Qaeda are not involved in criminal activity.”
Mr Ricco also acted as defence counsel for Detective Gescard Isnora in the widely reported Sean Bell case, in which Bell was fatally shot by undercover NYPD officers in Queens in 2006. Mr Ricco represented Isnora at trial. In 2008, Isnora and two fellow officers were acquitted of all charges – a verdict that triggered protests and renewed debate about police conduct, racial profiling and the use of deadly force.
Why has he declined to represent Diddy now?
Due to attorney–client privilege, which legally prevents lawyers from disclosing confidential communications with their clients, the full reasons behind Mr Ricco’s decision to step down may never be made public.
In a formal motion filed with the court in New York, Mr Ricco said: “Although I have provided Sean Combs with the high level of legal representation expected by the court, under no circumstances can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs.”
He added: “There are sufficient reasons (related to the protections afforded by the attorney–client privilege) for brevity in my application for withdrawal as counsel in this case.”
Mr Ricco also stated at the time that his departure would not delay proceedings, and that the trial – in which Mr Combs denies sex trafficking and racketeering charges – will still go ahead as scheduled in the coming days.
Is Anthony Ricco officially off Diddy’s case?
As it stands, Mr Ricco is still officially listed as part of Combs’s legal team. Under court rules, a defence lawyer remains counsel of record until a judge formally approves their withdrawal.
As mentioned, Mr Ricco has filed a motion to step down, citing attorney–client privilege as the reason for not disclosing further details. A judge must determine whether the reasoning is sufficiently valid to grant the request.
It is unclear how long this might take. However, given the nature of the filing and its proximity to the trial date, it is widely expected that Mr Ricco will no longer be representing Combs once proceedings begin.
Who are Diddy’s lawyers now?
Mr Ricco represents only one lawyer in a larger team defending Combs against accusations of rape and sex trafficking.
Marc Agnifilo, of the Agnifilo Intrater law firm, is expected to lead Combs’s legal representation in court, alongside other high-profile lawyers.
Mr Agnifilo has publicly stated that Combs will probably testify during the trial. He said: “I don’t know that I could keep him off the stand. I think he is very eager to tell his story. These are the actions of an innocent man with nothing to hide. He looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
Another attorney still believed to be involved in the case is Teny Geragos, daughter of renowned entertainment lawyer Mark Geragos. Her father has represented high-profile clients including Michael Jackson, Chris Brown (during his assault case involving Rihanna), Kesha and Winona Ryder.
He also played a role in the legal battles surrounding the Menendez brothers’ fight for prison release. Teny Geragos herself is known for her involvement in the “Ketamine Queen” case related to Matthew Perry’s overdose.
Attorneys Alexandra Shapiro and Brian Steel are the final members of Combs’s defence team. Shapiro has experience in white-collar cases, having represented Sam Bankman-Fried in his fraud case appeal.
Steel was named in rapper Drake’s new song and has represented fellow rapped Young Thug during his racketeering trial in 2023.
