Judge Arun Subramanian has officially assumed responsibility for the case involving music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was arrested on September 16 on serious charges including sex trafficking, racketeering, and abuse. During a hearing on October 10, Judge Subramanian set the trial date for Combs’ federal sex crimes case for May 5, 2025.
This hearing follows Combs’ legal team’s submission of documents on Tuesday seeking to appeal his arrest. They contended that the reasons provided by federal prosecutors were largely speculative. Judge Subramanian, who was born to Indian immigrant parents in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has significant professional experience that he brings to the case.
Who Is Judge Arun Subramanian?
Judge Arun Srinivas Subramanian, the newly appointed District Judge for the Southern District of New York, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in March 2023. His confirmation marked a historic moment as he became the first South Asian to hold this position. The Senate approved his nomination with a vote of 58-37, announcing the decision on Twitter: “59-37, Senate confirmed the nomination of Arun Subramanian, of New York, to be U.S. District Judge for the Seventh District of New York. Rollcall Vote #45.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised Subramanian, emphasizing his immigrant heritage and his commitment to advocating for the community, particularly in a district with a notable South Asian-American population.
Arun Subramanian’s Background and Career
Arun Subramanian was born in Pittsburgh in 1979 to Indian immigrant parents. He completed his Bachelor of Arts in computer science and English at Case Western Reserve University before obtaining his Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School. At Columbia, he was recognized as a James Kent and Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and served as the executive articles editor for the Columbia Law Review.
Subramanian began his career as a law clerk for Judge Dennis Jacobs on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He also worked as a clerk for Judge Gerard E. Lynch in the Southern District of New York and had the opportunity to clerk for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. From 2007 until 2023, he was a partner at Susman Godfrey LLC, a prestigious law firm in New York City, where he specialized in commercial and bankruptcy law.
According to the Susman Godfrey website, the Indian-origin attorney has successfully recovered over a billion dollars for public and private clients affected by fraud and other unlawful activities. His career has focused on representing public entities in False Claims Act cases, as well as advocating for victims of child pornography trafficking and consumers harmed by unethical practices.
Currently, he is presiding over the case of Sean “Diddy” Combs, who faces serious allegations, including sex trafficking, racketeering, sexual abuse, and assault. There are also claims that he coerced women into sexual activities and abused minors. Combs has been denied bail twice, and the trial date has now been set for May.
Update on Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Case
During the court appearance for the announcement of his trial date, Combs was joined by six of his seven children: Quincy Brown, 33, Justin Combs, 30, Christian “King” Combs, 26, Chance Combs, 18, and 17-year-old twins Jessie and D’Lila Combs, along with his mother, Janice Combs. Dressed in prison attire and shackles, the rapper appeared more relaxed. Earlier in the week, his legal team filed a third appeal for pretrial release, arguing that there is insufficient evidence to justify his detention and highlighting legal errors in the court’s earlier decisions, as reported by PageSix.