Arun Subramanian: New Judge Assigned in Diddy’s Federal Trafficking Case

The judgeship for Sean “Diddy”Combs’ ongoing federal trial has been reassigned to Judge Arun Subramanian as per a court docket notice issued on Thursday, October 3, 2024. Initially, the case was randomly allocated to Judge Andrew Carter, who denied the rapper bail on two separate occasions.

As of now, the official rationale for this reassignment remains undisclosed. However, The Source reported that Judge Carter chose to recuse himself from the case. Legal journalist and analyst Meghann Cuniff noted that Judge Carter had previously expressed intentions to find another judge during the bail hearing on September 18.

“If I can’t try it, I’ll find a colleague who can if you want to set a trial date,” the judge remarked to Diddy’s lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo.

Judge Arun Subramanian, now presiding over Diddy’s case, is a United States District Court judge for the Southern District of New York. He has held this position for one and a half years and is notable for being the first Indian-American and South Asian judge in New York District Court history.

President Barack Obama initially nominated Judge Andrew Carter back in 2011. Judge Carter was responsible for denying Diddy a $50 million bond, citing concerns around witness tampering and violent behavior alongside other obstructions. Prosecutors deemed Diddy a “serious flight risk.”

Key Facts About Judge Arun Subramanian, the New Judge in Diddy’s Case

President Joe Biden nominated Arun Subramanian as a judge for the US District Court for the Southern District of New York in September 2022. However, the US Senate returned his nomination due to sine die adjournment in January 2023.

Judge Subramanian was re-nominated by President Biden, and the Senate confirmed him in March 2023 with a narrow margin of 59/37 votes. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer commented on the re-nomination, stating that Judge Subramanian embodies the “epitome of the American Dream,” being the child of hardworking Indian immigrants.

“Mr. Subramanian’s resumé tells a very clear story: he is excellent, he is accomplished, and he’s dedicated his entire career to fighting for average Americans. He served as a law clerk to Judge Dennis Jacobs on the Second Circuit, Judge Gerard Lynch in the Southern District of New York, and the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg,” Schumer shared.

Judge Arun Subramanian took over from Judge Alison J. Nathan at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and was later appointed to the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Prior to his judgeship, he was a partner at the law firm Susman Godfrey LLP from 2007 to 2023.

Arun Subramanian is a graduate of Columbia Law School (J.D. 2004) and holds a B.A. from Case Western Reserve University (2001). Born in 1979 to Indian immigrant parents in Pittsburgh, he also clerked for the Supreme Court under the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (2006–2007).

Sean “Diddy”Combs was arrested at the Park Hyatt Hotel in New York City following a grand jury indictment on September 16, 2024. He faces serious charges including sexual trafficking through force, fraud, or coercion, racketeering conspiracy, and facilitating sex work.

Diddy is currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn without bail and is under a “procedural” suicide watch. If convicted, he could face a sentence ranging from 15 years to life in federal prison.

The rapper is expected to appear in court next on October 9 and has appealed the bail decision.

Source