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Arun Subramanian: Indian-American judge who jailed Sean 'Diddy' Combs for four years
Born in 1979 in Pittsburgh, Arun Subramanian made history in 2022 when he was appointed by Joe Biden as the first South Asian to serve as a federal judge.
Indian-American district judge Arun Subramanian sentenced Sean 'Diddy' Combs to four years and two months in prison for transporting people across state lines for sexual encounters. The judge rebuked the hip-hop mogul for subjecting two former girlfriends to years of abuse.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs, 55, was stoic as Arun Subramanian announced the 50-month sentence at the end of a day-long hearing in Manhattan federal court.
He could be released in less than three years after receiving credit for the time he has already spent locked up at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his September 16, 2024, arrest.
Combs had faced a maximum possible sentence of 20 years behind bars over his conviction in July on two counts of arranging for paid male escorts to travel across state lines to take part in drug-fueled sexual performances with Combs' girlfriends while he recorded video and masturbated.
The jury acquitted him on the more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking, which could have earned him a life sentence.
Who is Arun Subramanian?
- Joe Biden appointed him judge: Born in 1979 in Pittsburgh to Indian immigrant parents, Arun Subramanian made history in 2022 when he was appointed by then president Joe Biden as the first South Asian to serve as a federal judge.
- Education: Arun Subramanian holds a BA in computer science and English from Case Western Reserve University and earned his Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School, where he was recognised as a James Kent and Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar.
- Legal journey: Subramanian began his career as a judicial clerk and steadily rose through the ranks to become a respected federal judge, known for his strong sense of justice and legal acumen.
- Advocated for victims of child pornography: Throughout his career, he has advocated for victims of child pornography trafficking, defended consumer rights, and represented individuals affected by unfair or exploitative practices.
- Litigator: As a partner at Susman Godfrey LLP from 2007 to 2023, he helped recover over a billion dollars for defrauded public and private entities and built a reputation as an expert in commercial and insolvency law.
