Sean "Diddy" Combs was denied bail by a federal judge Tuesday after being taken into custody on charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution in a sweeping federal indictment.
Federal agents arrested the music mogul in the lobby of a midtown Manhattan hotel last night (Sept. 16). When making the ruling, Judge Robyn Tarnofsky indicated that Combs was a potential flight risk. Addressing the press, Combs' attorney Marc Agnifilo said they plan to appeal the decision.
The 14-page indictment alleges that Combs used his extensive music and business empire built upon his record label, Bad Boy Entertainment, as a criminal outfit in promotion of not only himself as an artist but in the fulfillment of his personal desires, “particularly those relating to sexual gratification, including through the exploitation of women and the use of commercial sex workers.”
In addition to accusations against Combs, the indictment alleges that he used his companies to create an intricate support system for his violent actions, citing the many staffers who enabled or participated in the abuse.
The arrest comes amid an ongoing torrent of civil lawsuits against Combs dating back to last November alleging patterns of sexual misconduct, abuse and coercion, along with claims of trafficking across state lines. The avalanche of accusations started with a lawsuit filed by Combs’ former girlfriend, singer Cassandra Ventura, detailing decades of abuse. Within Ventura’s suit, she described how Combs would solicit male prostitutes and film her as he forced her to participate in sex with them for his own voyeuristic pleasure. The incidents, which he referred to as “freak offs,” allegedly took place in multiple cities. These encounters are laid out in the indictment as cause for the criminal investigation.
Though Ventura’s suit was settled swiftly out of court for an undisclosed amount, the singer coming forward started a chain reaction. More civil suits followed, filed by women and men dating back to the 1990s. In a December 2023 lawsuit, Combs was accused along with his former Bad Boy Records president, Harve Pierre, and a third unidentified man of gang raping an unnamed 17-year-old victim at a Manhattan recording studio.
In a separate civil lawsuit against Combs filed earlier this year, record producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones accused Combs of forcing him to solicit sex workers, take illegal drugs and more. Jones’ suit names others close to Combs, including Combs' son, Justin Dior Combs, and high-ranking members of Motown Records and Universal Music Group, as co-defendants.
Earlier this month, another famous former employee of Combs, singer Dawn Richard, came forward with allegations in a civil lawsuit, adding to the chorus of claims of Combs’ bullying, assault and predatory violence. In her civil suit, Richard claims to have been a target of Combs’ abuse for years while a member of the girl group Danity Kane and the musical trio Dirty Money. Richards claims to have also witnessed Combs “gang bang” a young female assistant with members of his Bad Boy staff, and alleges she saw him beat Ventura many times, including at a Hollywood party where the R&B singer Usher and record executive Jimmy Iovine were present.
Back in March, the mogul’s homes in Los Angeles and Miami were raided by federal investigators. Agents seized guns from the home, electronics that the indictment claims hold evidence of the recorded “freak offs” and supplies for these encounters, including narcotics and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant.
At the time, Combs’ lawyer, Aaron Dyer, released a statement saying the warrants for these raids were served based on “meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits.”
At the time of Combs’ New York arrest, Agnifilo said, “We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.” Agnifilo characterized Combs as an icon and a vital member of the community while adding “he is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal” and asserting that Combs is innocent and plans to plead not guilty on all charges.
In a press conference to discuss the unsealing of the indictment, Damian Williams of the United States Attorney's office shared that they believe Combs tried to contact many of the witnesses and victims involved in the indictment to pressure or bribe them into silence leading up to his arrest. Williams also noted that, as a billionaire with many high-powered connections, Combs was a flight risk and the office would request that he be held without bail.
If convicted on all counts in the indictment, Combs faces a minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
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