NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) – Sean “Diddy” Combs has been denied bail once again by a Manhattan federal judge as he awaits trial on sex trafficking and racketeering charges. On Wednesday (November 27), Judge Arun Subramanian ruled against releasing the rapper, citing a “propensity for violence” and a “serious risk of witness tampering.”
Combs’ legal team had proposed a $50 million bond with strict house arrest terms, but prosecutors argued that even from jail, Combs had been attempting to undermine the case. Judge Subramanian agreed with the prosecution, stating that no combination of conditions would ensure public safety if Combs were released.
“There is compelling evidence of Combs’s propensity for violence,” Judge Subramanian wrote, also highlighting potential witness tampering. The judge pointed to evidence that Combs had communicated with a witness called to testify before the grand jury and concerns over potential prison rule violations since his September arrest.
Combs was indicted in September on charges of running a criminal enterprise centered on “freak off” parties, where drugs were allegedly used to coerce victims into sex. Acts of violence were reportedly employed to silence victims. If convicted on all charges, Combs could face a life sentence. His trial is currently scheduled for May 5, 2024.
This marks the second time bail has been denied for Combs. His lawyers have argued for his release, citing other high-profile cases like former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries, who was granted bail on similar charges. Despite this, federal prosecutors have maintained that Combs poses a significant risk, alleging that he has continued efforts to obstruct justice even from jail.
Until the trial begins, Combs will remain at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, and his legal team may now focus on re-appealing the bail denial to the U.S. Court of Appeals.
Original Story Below: Published September 18, 2024
Sean “Diddy” Combs will remain in federal lockup after a judge on Wednesday rejected an appeal that would have allowed the former rap icon to return home to his mansion in Florida while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
According to the Associated Press, Combs’ defense team proposed a release plan that which included $50 million in bail and would have required Diddy to submit to GPS monitoring and limitations on his visitors but U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter ruled that the proposal was “insufficient.”
Carter ruled that no condition or set of conditions” for Combs’ release would provide sufficient safeguards against the risk of him threatening or harming witnesses, a key element of the case against him, the AP reported.
Combs, who is 54, stands accused of leveraging his position to compel male and female victims into drug-fueled sex acts that Combs was alleged to have often filmed and participated in.
Combs has been in federal custody since his arrest Monday night at a Manhattan hotel and he entered a not guilty plea on Wednesday in connection with the charges leveled against him.
