A $55 Million Exit from Star Island
Sean “Diddy” Combs has offloaded his waterfront estate at 1 Star Island Drive in Miami for $55 million.
Inside the Estefan-Owned Estate
Combs purchased the sprawling property from Gloria and Emilio Estefan in 2021 for $35 million. Occupying more than an acre of land, the residence features a six-bedroom, eight-and-a-half-bathroom main house and a separate guest house. The grounds include a swimming pool, a private dock, a basketball court, and a spa, all positioned to overlook the Miami skyline.
Legal Hurdles Before the Closing
The buyer, John A. Franklin, secured the purchase with an $18.5 million mortgage from the San Diego-based Axos Bank. The path to the sale was not smooth. In June 2024, Franklin sued 1 West Star Island LLC—the entity Combs used to hold the deed—alleging the company failed to close by the May 12 deadline. A representative for Combs dismissed the allegations as “frivolous,” asserting that the company was ready to close and that the buyer had failed to perform.
The Collateral of 2 Star Island
While the 1 Star Island estate has changed hands, Combs retains ownership of his neighboring property at 2 Star Island. Acquired in 2003, the estate became a centerpiece of his legal defense in 2024. Following his September 2024 arrest, his legal team proposed a bail package using the 2 Star Island property as collateral. To present the asset as “free of a mortgage,” Combs paid off the remaining $18 million debt on August 20, 2024. A federal judge denied the bail request regardless, and the property remains under the shadow of a federal investigation that included a raid by Homeland Security agents earlier this year.
The Ongoing Federal Case
Combs remains in federal custody while his defense prepares for trial. His legal team continues to challenge the conditions of his detention. A three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has reviewed arguments regarding his incarceration, specifically questioning the necessity of his continued detention, but no ruling has been issued. The sale of the 1 Star Island estate marks a significant divestment of the mogul’s Florida portfolio, where he held interests for over two decades.
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