Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs denied bail once more in intercourse trafficking indictment

Sean “Diddy” Combs will proceed to be held with out bail, a decide dominated Wednesday night, on expenses together with intercourse trafficking by power, transportation to have interaction in prostitution and racketeering conspiracy.

Decide Andrew Carter denied bail and ordered Combs remanded into custody, the place his lawyer mentioned he could be held within the particular housing unit of Metropolitan Detention Middle-Brooklyn.

Carter mentioned the federal government had supplied enough proof Combs is a hazard to the group and a hazard to hinder justice and intimidate witnesses. Carter mentioned the protection’s proposed bail package deal was “inadequate.”

Combs didn’t seem to react however had his eyes forged downward whereas seated on the protection desk.

Earlier than making his ruling, Carter had appeared skeptical of the protection’s declare {that a} 2016 video, during which Combs was seen kicking and dragging Cassie Ventura, was the product of a ten-year loving relationship dissolving due to her jealousy over his infidelity.

“What’s love obtained to do with that?” Carter requested.

The music mogul’s lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, conceded that it was “a tough video to look at,” however maintained that it “does not imply he needs to be incarcerated.”

Prosecutor Emily Johnson, in pushing for Combs to stay in custody, accused him of a “longstanding sample of abuse,” and mentioned his victims have an “excessive worry” of Combs due to his affect within the leisure business.

Johnson mentioned Combs known as a sufferer in November 2023 — after Ventura’s civil lawsuit was filed — looking for to take care of this sufferer’s public assist.

In response to prosecutors, the sufferer instructed Combs that when she learn Ventura’s lawsuit, “I really feel like I am studying my very own sexual trauma.” Combs allegedly tried to persuade her she willingly participated within the acts, however the lady pushed again, saying that was “not how she noticed issues,” Johnson mentioned.

Diddy instructed the girl, whom prosecutors mentioned he helps financially, that “she ain’t obtained nothing to fret about” if she stored up her assist of him. Prosecutors mentioned it made clear Combs would use monetary coercion to maintain victims shut.

Aware of the decide’s acknowledged concern about potential witness tampering, Agnifilo provided to put one or two retired cops at Combs’ home always to regulate who enters and hold a customer’s log.

“What I’m making an attempt to style is a state of affairs the place any witness intimidation … could be just about inconceivable,” Agnifilo mentioned.

Previous to Wednesday’s listening to, Agnifilo appealed Decide Robyn Tarnofsky’s Tuesday determination to detain the 54-year-old pending trial.

In a letter to the courtroom forward of the Wednesday listening to, Agnifilo wrote that Combs is “eminently reliable” and needs to be launched on a $50 million bond.

The bond — which might have been secured by his Miami dwelling value $48 million — would’ve been co-signed by Combs, his mom, his sister, his three grownup sons and the moms of two of his daughters. The protection additionally proposed restricted journey, restrictions on feminine guests and residential detention amongst different situations of launch.

Agnifilo took situation with prosecution comparisons of Combs to intercourse offenders like R. Kelly, Keith Raniere and Ghislaine Maxwell, all of whom had been jailed for a time on the similar place — MDC-Brooklyn — the place Diddy is presently being held. He mentioned the costs, whereas critical, are “eminently defensible” and pledged Combs would present as much as courtroom to defend himself.

“Sean Combs has by no means evaded, prevented, eluded or run from a problem in his life. He won’t begin now,” Agnifilo’s letter mentioned.

The lawyer beforehand mentioned Combs is making an attempt to promote his personal airplane. Agnifilo mentioned he took possession of his consumer’s passport and people of 5 of his family.

Combs is alleged to have run an “enterprise that he engaged in intercourse trafficking, compelled labor, kidnapping, arson and different crimes,” in keeping with the indictment unsealed Tuesday.

Federal prosecutors mentioned Combs “abused, threatened, and coerced girls and others round him to meet his sexual needs, shield his repute, and conceal his conduct” from 2008 to the current. The allegations mirror 11 civil complaints filed in opposition to him since 2023.

Explaining the choice to disclaim Combs bail on Tuesday, Tarnofsky mentioned, “My concern is that it is a crime that occurs behind closed doorways.”

Federal prosecutors argued Combs poses an ongoing risk to the group.

“The defendant additionally poses a major threat of obstructing justice,” prosecutors mentioned. “Throughout the course of the charged conduct, the defendant has tried to bribe safety workers and threatened and interfered with witnesses to his prison conduct.”

“He has already tried to hinder the Authorities’s investigation of this case, repeatedly contacting victims and witnesses and feeding them false narratives of occasions.”

“There are merely no situations that might be certain that the defendant’s efforts to hinder and tamper with witnesses will cease,” prosecutors mentioned.

He additionally argued that when Combs took two journeys — to a commencement get together for one among his kids and a whitewater rafting journey — “we instructed the federal government the place he was going.”

“Belief must be earned and we have now earned it,” he instructed the decide.

Upon his arrival to jail on Tuesday, Combs had a psychiatric analysis administered by Bureau of Prisons physiologists, in keeping with sources acquainted with his incarceration. The analysis is supposed to find out whether or not he wanted to be positioned within the Particular Housing Unit or on suicide watch.

Suicide watch requires around-the-clock care and hourly checks from corrections officers. Particular Housing is an remoted a part of the jail the place different high-profile MDC inmates, like El Chapo, had been stored.

It is unclear whether or not Diddy, who has a historical past of abusing opioids, sources have mentioned, is on suicide watch or in particular housing, however he isn’t in with the final inhabitants at MDC, the sources instructed ABC Information.

ABC Information’ Luke Barr, Josh Margolin and Sasha Pezenik contributed to this report.