Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has been denied bail for a third time ahead of his sex trafficking trial.
The 55-year-old disgraced hip hop mogul had made another bid for freedom before Thanksgiving – but will now remain behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn ahead of his May 2025 trial.
Combs has been charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution — all of which he denies.
US District Judge Arun Subramanian made the decision in a written ruling Wednesday following a bail hearing last week, when lawyers for the rapper argued that a $50million bail package they proposed would be sufficient to ensure Combs does not flee and does not try to intimidate prospective trial witnesses.
Subramanian cited direct evidence of Combs’ violence – referring to Diddy beating ex Cassie in a 2016 hotel surveillance video – and a serious risk of witness tampering in the denial
The ruling read: ‘The Court finds that the government has shown by clear and convincing evidence that no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the safety of the community.
Sean Diddy’ Combs has been denied bail for a third time ahead of his sex trafficking trial – pictured 2022
Prosecutors had previously said Combs had been ‘witness tampering’ from behind bars with Subramanian agreeing and saying: ‘There is evidence supporting a serious risk of witness tampering’
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The judge also cited evidence that Diddy violated communication behind bars rules including paying for inmates’ Phone Access Code numbers to make three way calls to people who are not on his approved contact list.
‘Compelling evidence of Combs’s propensity for violence’ was also cited in the decision.
Combs had asked to be released on on $50 million bond and on 24/7 house arrest, even offering up his mother’s house as collateral.
Two other judges previously had been persuaded by prosecutors’ arguments that the Bad Boy Records founder was a danger to the community if he is not behind bars.
Diddy appeared before a federal judge in New York last week and was supported by his family in court.
His mother Janice, 84, emerged holding hands with Diddy’s son Christian ‘King’ Combs, 26, and walked into court.
Diddy himself walked into court from a side door and was wearing a prison-issued tan top and pants
The 55-year-old disgraced hip hop mogul had made another bid for freedom before Thanksgiving – but will now remain behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn
The Combs family arrived at the Southern District of New York Federal Court to attend a hearing for Diddy on November 22 – including his (pictured) adopted son Quincy, 33, Chance, 18, and his twin daughters D’Lila and Jessie, 17
Subramanian cited direct evidence of Combs’ violence – referring to Diddy beating ex Cassie in a 2016 hotel surveillance video – and a serious risk of witness tampering in the denial
He was not shackled after his lawyers claimed that doing so offended the ‘dignity’ of the court.
Diddy began smiling when he saw seven members of his family in the second row of the public gallery including his mother Janice, 83, who was wearing sunglasses, adopted son Quincy, 33, Justin, 30, King, Chance, 18 and his twin daughters D’Lila and Jessie, 17.
He blew them kisses, formed a prayer sign with his hands and tapped his heart.
Diddy hugged his lawyers warmly and sat down at a table where he put on a pair of reading glasses to review some documents.
The proceedings started out with a bang when the disgraced rapper’s defense attorney Anthony Ricco said to Judge Arun Subramanian: ‘I would like to point out that the family of Mr. Combs is present. They traveled a great distance to be here. That would be his mom, his children and other relatives.’
Subramanian thanked Diddy’s family in response and said it was ‘important for you to be here’.
Prosecutor Christy Slavik said Diddy was ‘a violent abuser and he’s a danger to the community’ while arguing he should be remanded in custody.
The brutal video of Diddy attacking singer Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in March 2016 was released by CNN back in May
Lawyers for the Bad Boy Records founder claim that the prosecution case is ‘fictional’ and that they have been putting a ‘theatrical spin’ on it.
They are expected to argue that a key piece of evidence – a video showing him assaulting ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016 – was ‘manipulated’ to make it look worse than it really is.
Diddy is accused of running a decade-long criminal empire including orgies called ‘Freak Offs’ in which women were drugged and forced into marathon sex sessions, sometimes with male prostitutes.
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He has denied sex trafficking and racketeering among other charges and is due to go on trial in May next year.
Diddy has already been denied bail twice including a $50 million bail package involving round the clock monitoring by security guards and home detention.
But prosecutors have argued that he continues to obstruct justice while in prison and that no set of bail conditions would stop him from influencing the jury and tampering with witnesses.
Their filings have led to a legal showdown over what Diddy’s attorneys claim is a ‘complete institutional failure’ by prosecutors.
The dispute concerns notes seized by a Bureau of Prisons investigator during an October 28th raid on Diddy’s cell in the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, where he is being held.
Under-fire rap megastar Diddy looks on top of the world as he and his then-girlfriend Cassie party during the Bad Boy Sound Clash in Kingston, Jamaica, back in January 2013
Diddy is being accused of running a decade-long criminal empire including orgies called ‘Freak Offs’ in which women were drugged and forced into marathon sex sessions, sometimes with male prostitutes
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson argues for the prosecution as Diddy and his defense lawyers Agnifilo and Geragos are seated during a bail hearing on September 18
Prosecutors used some of the notes to argue that Diddy was still trying to obstruct justice by paying a female witness to make a positive statement about him on Instagram.
Diddy’s lawyers have claimed that this material is privileged and said in court this week that they need to find out more information before deciding what the remedy could be.
But the matter is so serious that the case could need to be dismissed, or the team of four female prosecutors may need to be recused, Marc Agnifilo said.
Diddy was arrested on September 16th and has been in the MDC ever since then.
He appeared relaxed in court during the hearing on Wednesday and was smiling and joking with his lawyers.
Earlier this week he was hit with five new civil lawsuits, the latest in a deluge which is expected to come to more than 100 when they are all filed.
The new claims include one from a woman who says that she was drugged and raped at one of Diddy’s infamous ‘White Parties’ in the Hamptons in New York.
Diddy’s lawyers deny all the civil allegations.