Sean “Diddy” Combs can forget about getting out of the notorious Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he’s been since his September arrest on sex trafficking and RICO charges.
Judge Arun Subramanian denied Combs’ team’s motion for release on Wednesday (November 27). His decision followed a two-hour court hearing on Friday (November 22).
“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,” the judge wrote in a five-page order.
Prosecutors maintained the 8-year-old video of Combs assaulting Cassie Ventura the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles was evidence of sex trafficking.
However, the disgraced mogul’s lawyers claimed the government submitted an altered video that left out critical scenes and presented events materially out of order.
“He admitted to it and apologized for it. This took place in the middle of a freak-off. The US has evidence a male commercial sex worker was in the hotel room at that time,” prosecutors told the judge.
Prosecutors also accused Combs of using other inmates’ phone access, using a “non-authorized third-party messaging service” to communicate with multiple people and using his children for a “social media campaign” for his recent birthday.
Combs’ lawyers admitted to using the PACs but said he had no choice due to the dire conditions at MDC. They also argued the Feds failed to prove their claims of witness tampering. His lawyers insisted any contact with witnesses was innocent and consistent with his right to participate in his defense by developing potential defense witnesses.
“Some of these recordings show that he’s telling people, just tell the truth, talk with my lawyer,” Diddy’s lawyer Marc Agnifilo told the judge.
Comb’ lawyers also pointed to the case of Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Michael Jeffries and the fact that he was released on a $10 million bond. Jeffries was charged in a 16-count indictment accusing him of sex trafficking and engaging in interstate prostitution. He was also charged with using force, fraud and coercion to traffic men while operating a prostitution enterprise.
“The charges in the Jeffries, Abercrombie case are worse than here,” Combs’ lawyer Alexandra A.E. Shapiro told the judge. “They allege an international sex trafficking business. They were raped and forced to engage in a### sex.”
Prosecutors noted the similarities but pointed out key differences: Jeffries’ obstruction stopped in 2015, while Diddy’s conduct extended to 2024.They also pointed out that Jeffries had no criminal record, while Combs’ stretched back over two decades.
Judge Subramanian ultimately sided with prosecutors and sent Combs back to his jail cell at MDC.
Combs initially proposed a robust $50 million bail package. He offered to live at home alone in Florida with a 24/7 security team that would monitor a pre-approved guest list.
Prosecutors shot down the security team because the security team and an investigator “has been out contacting witnesses. Essentially, they work for him. This would be the defendant buying his way out.”
Combs also said he would give up access to his mobile phone and internet and, in the words of his lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, “do nothing but prepare for his trial.”
However, Judge Subramanian upheld previous rulings that stated, “there is no condition or combination of conditions to ensure he will not obstruct justice or tamper with witnesses.”
Combs is charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution.
He pleaded not guilty to all charges. His trial is scheduled to begin in May 2025.