The Diddy release date keeps creeping forward. According to Federal Bureau of Prisons records, Sean “Diddy” Combs is now projected to walk out of FCI Fort Dix on January 21, 2028 — the earliest release date the music mogul has been given since his sentence began. TMZ was first to spot the change on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, and Page Six independently confirmed the new date in BOP records.
For a man whose release calendar has shifted more times than most people change addresses, this latest move shaves another two weeks off his time behind bars. His previous projected date was February 5, 2028 — which itself had been moved up from February 20, 2028 earlier this month.
How the Diddy Release Date Keeps Shifting
The 56-year-old Bad Boy Records founder is serving a 50-month federal prison sentence at the low-security FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey. In July 2025, a jury convicted him on two counts of transportation for prostitution under the Mann Act, while acquitting him of the heavier charges — sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and racketeering conspiracy.
His sentencing in October 2025 was a study in contrast: his legal team asked for 14 months, prosecutors pushed for 11 years, and Judge Arun Subramanian landed on 50 months, plus a $500,000 fine and five years of supervised release. Since then, the projected release date has been a moving target, as USA Today detailed:
- May 8, 2028 — the original release date set after sentencing, accounting for time served since his September 2024 arrest.
- June 4, 2028 — pushed back in November 2025 amid reports that Combs made and consumed alcohol in prison, which his representative denied.
- April 25, then April 15, 2028 — moved up after he entered a drug abuse and rehabilitation program.
- February 23, then January 24, 2028 — a series of early-year adjustments.
- February 20, 2028 — delayed again in August after a reported prison fight landed him in solitary confinement.
- February 5, 2028 — moved up earlier this month.
- January 21, 2028 — the current, earliest-yet date.
USA Today notes that modifications to an inmate’s release date can happen for a variety of reasons, including good behavior, time served, and participation in Evidence-Based Recidivism Reduction or Productive Activities. In other words, the date can still move in either direction.
What Got Him Here
Combs’ two-month trial in 2025 was one of the most closely watched celebrity trials in recent memory. The jury ultimately found him guilty of transporting several women — including two former girlfriends, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura Fine and an anonymous witness known as “Jane,” along with sex workers — for the purpose of paid sexual encounters.
Before sentencing, Combs wrote a letter to the judge saying he had gotten sober “for the first time in 25 years,” had been attending therapy, and had started a mentorship program for fellow inmates. He has continued to appeal his conviction.
The case that started it all was a 2024 sexual assault lawsuit filed by ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, which revealed the sex parties Combs hosted — dubbed “freak-offs” — and was followed by the viral hotel-hallway video of Combs assaulting Ventura. He quickly settled that lawsuit while denying the sexual assault accusations, though he publicly apologized for beating her.
What Comes Next
Even with a January 2028 release in sight, Combs’ legal troubles are far from over. As USA Today reported, the Bad Boy founder still faces more than 70 civil lawsuits across the country, with the most recent filed in June by a former child actor.
Meanwhile, Combs reached out to the Trump administration seeking a presidential pardon — a request President Donald Trump has indicated he will not grant.
His time at Fort Dix has also been eventful. According to TMZ, a summer altercation with another inmate — after the inmate allegedly insulted him — ended with both prisoners separated by staff and Combs placed in solitary confinement. The Bureau of Prisons declined to discuss the conditions of any inmate’s confinement.
With the projected release now set for January 2028, Combs could be a free man just weeks into the new year — though, given the history of the Diddy release date, nobody is marking the calendar in pen.
For more on the music industry’s biggest stories, see our coverage of the 2026 MTV VMAs, where Madonna and Taylor Swift dominated the night.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Diddy’s release date now?
According to Federal Bureau of Prisons records reported by TMZ and confirmed by Page Six, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ projected release date from FCI Fort Dix is now January 21, 2028 — the earliest date yet, down from February 5, 2028.
Why does Diddy’s release date keep changing?
Inmate release dates can be adjusted for good behavior, time served, and participation in rehabilitation or recidivism-reduction programs. USA Today reported that Combs’ date has both moved up and been pushed back since his sentencing, most recently delayed by a prison fight that put him in solitary confinement.
What was Diddy convicted of?
A jury in July 2025 convicted Combs on two counts of transportation for prostitution under the Mann Act. He was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges. He was sentenced to 50 months in prison, a $500,000 fine, and five years of supervised release.
Will Diddy get a pardon?
Combs reached out to President Donald Trump’s administration seeking a pardon, but the president has indicated he will not grant one, according to USA Today.
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