(NewsNation) — Sean “Diddy” Combs is adding a new name to his legal representation as he fights the federal sex trafficking case he’s facing.
The music mogul hired the same lawyer as his cellmate, former FTX CEO turned convict Sam Bankman-Fried, who was sentenced this year to 25 years in prison for fraud, conspiracy and money laundering.
Combs’ new lawyer, Alexandra Shapiro, will help him appeal a judge’s decision to keep him detained in a Brooklyn jail while he awaits trial on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, among others. A Sept. 18 notice of appeal lists Shapiro as his counsel.
Shapiro has represented Bankman-Fried since the fraudster’s conviction, filing a 102-page appeal for a new trial. Shapiro’s experience also includes clerking for former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Two judges rejected Combs’ $50 million bond offer citing the possibility of violence or witness tampering. He remains in the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center where he shares a cell with Bankman-Fried. It’s unclear whether the two discussed legal representation.
The rapper was arrested Sept. 16. Since then, he has faced 120 new sexual misconduct allegations, which a lawyer saying he expects his clients to file civil lawsuits soon.