Sean “Diddy” Combs has been incarcerated pending trial in his federal s*x trafficking case, following a court’s decision to detain him without bail until his trial.
The music industry titan pleaded not guilty on Tuesday, September 17, to charges of racketeering conspiracy and s*x trafficking. He is accused of coercing female victims and male s*x workers into engaging in s*xual activities under the influence of drugs, sometimes lasting for days, which he referred to as “Freak Offs.” The indictment also indirectly mentions an incident involving his former partner, the R&B singer Cassie, which was recorded on video.
On Tuesday, September 17, a federal judge in New York denied Combs’ request for bail, opting instead to keep him in custody at his arraignment, despite his attorneys’ efforts to secure his release.
Combs was indicted on charges of s*x trafficking, racketeering, and facilitating prostitution through transportation, following the unsealing of a federal indictment.
During his arraignment, prosecutors revealed that they found drugs in the hotel room where Combs was arrested on Monday, September 16.
Combs appeared in court on Tuesday, dressed in a black long-sleeve shirt and grey sweatpants. As a rapper and producer, he entered a plea of not guilty.
Combs’ legal team proposed a $50 million bail package, which included a $50,000 bond for him as the founder of Bad Boy Records. However, U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky ruled against this, opting to have Combs detained due to the severity of the charges.
Combs, one of the most powerful individuals in the music industry, is accused of forcing women to engage in long, orchestrated s*x performances known as “freak offs,” some of which lasted several days.
“Not guilty,” Combs told a court, standing to speak after listening to the allegations with his uncuffed hands folded in his lap.
The rapper, 54, was led out of court without being handcuffed.
“Mr. Combs physically and s*xually abused victims for decades. He used the vast resources of his company to facilitate his abuse and cover up his crimes. Simply put, he is a serial abuser and a serial obstructor,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson told a court.
She also said he had an “extensive and exhaustive history of obstruction of justice,” including alleged bribery and witness intimidation.
His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, acknowledged Combs was “not a perfect person.”
“There has been drug use. He has been in toxic relationships,” Agnifilo told the court. The lawyer said Combs was receiving “treatment and therapy for things that he needs treatment and therapy for.”
Agnifilo had said outside court earlier that Combs is innocent, and he argued in court that “the evidence in this case is extremely problematic.”
He maintained that the case stemmed from one long-term, consensual relationship that faltered amid infidelity. He didn’t name the woman, but the details matched those of Combs’ decade-long involvement with Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura.
The “Freak Offs,” Agnifilo contended, were an expansion of that relationship, and not coercive.
