Diddy's lawyer Anthony Ricco quits the rapper's legal team before the impending trafficking case
The legal team defending Sean "Diddy" Combs has recently experienced a change-up as one of his attorneys, Anthony Ricco requested to step away from representing the rapper in his upcoming alleged s*x trafficking trial.
Ricco submitted his request to withdraw as defense counsel from Combs' representation on February 21, stating his inability to "effectively serve as counsel" under any "circumstances."
NBC News obtained documents where Ricco submitted his requested withdrawal "respectfully but regrettably" by referencing the American Bar Association Standards for Criminal Justice. Ricco explained in his motion "that enough grounds from attorney-client privileged security measures existed" to prevent the disclosure of further details regarding his departure.
However, a judge must approve Ricco's motion before his official removal from the case can take effect. Ricco further assured that Combs, who faces charges including alleged racketeering conspiracy, s*x trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution, would continue to have legal representation.
The rapper maintains five other legal representatives alongside his lead counsel Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos as part of his defense team. Anthony Ricco made it clear that his departure would not affect the timeline of the trial, as it remains scheduled for May 2025 with jury selection.
Anthony Ricco's exit follows Combs' lawsuit against NBCUniversal
Anthony Ricco's departure comes shortly after Combs filed a lawsuit against NBCUniversal on February 12, 2024. The lawsuit, in which Combs seeks $100 million in damages, alleges that the media company defamed him through the release of the Peacock documentary Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy.
According to documents obtained by E! News on February 21, Combs claimed that the documentary aired false accusations of crimes including "s*xual assault of minors" and "serial murder" without "a shred of evidence."
He further asserted that the documentary tainted the potential jury pool in the Southern District of New York, where his trial is set to take place. NBC and Peacock have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit.
While Anthony Ricco did not disclose specific reasons for leaving Combs’ legal team, Rolling Stone on February 21, noted that his name was absent from a recent motion filed to dismiss the pr**titution charge against the rapper.
In that filing, Sean Combs claimed that the Southern District of New York prosecutors had unfairly targeted him due to his status as a "powerful Black man." He further argued that "no white person has ever been the target of a remotely similar prosecution."
More about Anthony Ricco
Anthony Ricco, a Harlem-born attorney, has built a reputation as a prolific defense lawyer, having worked on 45 federal death penalty cases, according to Times Now World. He has defended multiple high-profile clients and represented more than a dozen individuals in New York before the state abolished capital punishment in 2004.
Although Ricco had not worked with Combs prior to this case, he previously represented former Bad Boy artist G. Dep, who confessed to a decades-old shooting after learning the victim had died.
The pending court case against Combs will continue as planned with the potential for a 15-year-to-life prison sentence if he gets convicted. Legal representatives of Anthony Ricco have not revealed any public information about his exit from the team beyond his resignation.
