Sean "Diddy" Combs, the music mogul facing federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges, has been denied bail for a third time, ensuring he will remain behind bars at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center as his trial approaches in May 2025. District Judge Arun Subramanian rejected the $50 million bond proposal on Wednesday, citing concerns about community safety and potential witness tampering.
In his ruling, Judge Subramanian stated that "no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the safety of the community." He emphasized that there is "compelling evidence of Combs's propensity for violence" and a "serious risk of witness tampering." These findings reinforce prior concerns raised during Combs' earlier unsuccessful bail attempts.
Federal prosecutors have consistently argued that Combs poses a significant risk if released. They allege that the 55-year-old leveraged his vast business empire to orchestrate coercive and abusive events, referred to as "Freak Offs," where individuals were reportedly drugged and forced into explicit acts. Prosecutor Christy Slavik stated, "He is paying his way out of custody and continues to flout the rules. He's a risk of flight, a danger to the community, and he's obstructing and trying to subvert the integrity of these proceedings."
Prosecutors also pointed to alleged instances of witness tampering, including accusations that Combs used other inmates' cell lines to make prohibited calls and directed his family to create public narratives on social media. They highlighted a birthday video featuring Combs speaking to his children from jail, suggesting it was an attempt to sway potential jurors.
In their latest bid for bail, Combs' defense team proposed stringent conditions, including home detention at a three-bedroom apartment on Manhattan's Upper East Side, constant armed security at his expense, and restricted communication to pre-approved family and attorneys. However, prosecutors dismissed the plan, asserting that such measures fell far short of mitigating the risks associated with his release.
The case against Combs includes accusations of decades-long abuse, with reports from multiple victims alleging drugging, sexual exploitation, and violence. Federal investigators uncovered footage from 2016 showing Combs allegedly assaulting ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a hotel. Though Combs' legal team argued the video was edited, Judge Subramanian responded, "There is clearly violence even in the version of the footage submitted by Combs."
Combs' defense maintains his innocence and insists the allegations are unfounded. Attorney Marc Agnifilo stated, "We're going to fight this case with everything we have, as is he, and eventually, he's going to be shown to be innocent." Defense lawyers have also accused prosecutors of violating Combs' constitutional rights, particularly after investigators improperly seized 16 pages of attorney-client privileged notes from his jail cell. The judge recently ordered the destruction of these documents.
The legal saga surrounding Combs has drawn significant public attention, especially as more victims come forward. Texas lawyer Tony Buzbee, representing over 120 alleged victims, claims that 25 of them were minors at the time of the alleged abuse. Buzbee described the scale of the accusations as unprecedented, calling for accountability and justice.
Combs' trial, set for May 2025, is expected to bring further scrutiny to the entertainment industry and its complicity in alleged abuses of power.
