The high-profile legal battle between Diddy and federal authorities plunged further into turmoil on Tuesday when Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney overseeing preparations for the case, announced his resignation from the Southern District of New York.
Williams, who has overseen some of the country’s most high-profile prosecutions in recent years, confirmed his departure will be effective December 13, 2024.
The announcement comes days after President-elect Donald Trump vowed to replace Williams with SEC Jay Clayton.
“Today is a bittersweet day for me,” Williams said in a statement. “It is painful in the sense that I am leaving my dream job to lead an institution that I love and is filled with some of the best public servants in the world. Happily, I am confident that I will be in the office Coming away while operating at an incredibly high level.
Williams’ exit comes at a critical time for multiple investigations he has led, most notably the high-stakes prosecution of hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs.
The Grammy-winning artist faces sex trafficking and racketeering charges, which he vehemently denies.
It marks the latest in a series of high-profile cases that Williams has handled during his tenure, ranging from political corruption investigations to financial crimes.
In light of Williams’ role in the conviction of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, the bribery indictment of Senator Bob Menendez, and the indictment of New York City Mayor Eric Adams Eric Adams’ campaign, the sudden announcement sent shockwaves through legal and political circles.
Williams, 43, was appointed U.S. attorney by President Joe Biden in 2021, becoming the first Black person to lead the Southern District.
He grew up in Brooklyn and Atlanta, the son of Jamaican immigrants, before attending Harvard, Cambridge and Yale Law School.
He went on to clerk under the tutelage of legal luminaries, including Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens and then-Appellate Justice Merrick Garland.
While Williams’ storied trajectory has been filled with high-profile victories and honors, his resignation is not a retreat but a reflection of confidence in the office he shaped.
“This success is due to the career attorneys, staff and law enforcement officers of this office,” he said. “They are patriots. They are my family. I will miss them terribly.
His tenure has been characterized by an aggressive pursuit of justice even in the face of tremendous public scrutiny, a dynamic highlighted by the recent charges against Combs. Although the timing of Williams’ resignation has fueled speculation about his potential impact on ongoing cases, Deputy U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim has been named as his acting successor. Kim is widely expected to continue his predecessor’s focus on complex and high-stakes prosecutions.
Legal experts say Williams’ exit could create complications for a lengthy trial, but the office’s legacy of independence provides a degree of stability. Still, unanswered questions about Diddy’s case remain, raising questions about how the trial will proceed in Williams’ absence.
