Sean “Diddy” Combs remains incarcerated after a judge denied the hip-hop mogul's request to await his sex trafficking trial at his Florida mansion rather than in a Brooklyn federal jail. US District Judge Andrew L. Carter deemed Combs' proposal—which included a $50 million bail offer, GPS monitoring, and strict visitor restrictions—insufficient to ensure community safety and the integrity of the case. Agreeing with prosecutors who opposed Combs' release, Carter concluded that no conditions of release could mitigate the risk of him intimidating or harming witnesses, a key charge in his case.
Combs' legal team made their second attempt in two days to secure his release from the Metropolitan Detention Center, where he has been held since pleading not guilty to charges of physically and sexually abusing women over the years. Combs has been in federal custody since his arrest at a Manhattan hotel. A federal magistrate initially rejected his bail request, and on Wednesday, Judge Carter followed suit.
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo plans to appeal to the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn Carter's ruling and release Combs. In the interim, Agnifilo seeks to have Combs transferred from the Brooklyn facility, known for its violence, to a New Jersey prison. Judge Carter stated that placement decisions are within the purview of the federal Bureau of Prisons.
Combs, 54, is accused of leveraging his influence to coerce female victims and male sex workers into drugged, sexually explicit performances known as “Freak Offs,” which he often recorded. The indictment alleges that Combs maintained a network of associates and employees to help him coerce and abuse women, using blackmail and violent acts such as kidnapping, arson, and physical assaults to silence victims.
Prosecutor Emily Johnson argued for Combs' continued imprisonment, citing his history of intimidating accusers and witnesses. She referenced text messages from women alleging that Combs forced them into “Freak Offs” and threatened to release videos of their sexual acts. Johnson criticized Combs' defense team for downplaying his violent tendencies, particularly in relation to a 2016 assault on his then-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, which was captured on security footage.
If granted bail, Combs would have been confined to his home, with visits limited to family, property caretakers, and non-co-conspirator friends. His lawyers proposed hiring a new security firm to monitor him, but Judge Carter remained unconvinced, questioning the plan's reliability.
A conviction for Combs could result in a mandatory 15-year prison sentence, with the possibility of a life sentence.
