Sean "Diddy" Combs is pursuing an appeal of his federal convictions on two prostitution-related charges while serving a 50-month sentence, and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has confirmed it is separately reviewing sexual battery allegations brought by music publicist Jonathan Hay [1]. The LA review, confirmed as of June 2, 2026, involves Hay's claims that Combs battered him on two occasions, in 2020 and 2021 [1]. No criminal charges have been filed in Los Angeles [1].
Combs was convicted on the prostitution-related counts, which implicated conduct under the Mann Act, the federal statute prohibiting the transportation of individuals across state lines for commercial sex purposes [2]. The 50-month sentence followed proceedings in the Southern District of New York, and the appeal is now before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit [2]. Combs was acquitted on a separate racketeering conspiracy count at trial, a result that narrows but does not eliminate the appellate issues in play [2].
The LA County District Attorney's Office, under a standard pre-charging review posture, has not disclosed a timeline for its decision on the Hay allegations [1]. Hay has identified himself publicly as the complaining witness and has described the alleged incidents as sexual battery under California Penal Code standards [1]. A separate individual identified in connection with the LA review, Venusse Dunn, has also been named in reporting on the matter, though her precise role in the review has not been publicly specified [1]. California sexual battery can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the circumstances, which affects both the statute of limitations analysis and potential sentence exposure.
The convergence of a live federal appeal and a parallel state-level review presents an unusual procedural posture. If the Second Circuit vacates any count or remands for resentencing, the federal picture changes materially before any LA charging decision is made. Conversely, new California charges, if filed, would not be barred by federal double jeopardy principles because they would arise from separate sovereign authority and distinct alleged conduct. Combs remains incarcerated during the pendency of the appeal.
The appeal briefing schedule before the Second Circuit has not been publicly reported in detail as of the date of this publication. The LA District Attorney's Office has given no public indication of when it expects to complete its review.