A US judge has rejected a bid by Sean "Diddy" Combs to overturn his criminal conviction on felony prostitution-related charges, with the hip-hop mogul facing up to 20 years in prison at his sentencing.

The decision was issued by US District Judge Arun Subramanian in Manhattan on Tuesday.

Jurors found Combs, 55, guilty in July on prostitution charges following a two-month trial but acquitted him of more serious counts of sex trafficking and racketeering.

Combs was accused of paying male escorts to travel across state lines to have sex with his girlfriends, while he recorded video of their activity and masturbated.

He had pleaded not guilty to all charges, which could have landed him in prison for life.

Combs is due to be sentenced on October 3.

Defence lawyers had urged Subramanian in

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