In a bombshell move, a federal judge ordered Sean “Diddy” Combs to be held without bail until he goes on trial for sex trafficking and racketeering charges, even though there is no trial date set.
Diddy’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, told reporters outside the New York City courthouse on Tuesday, September 17, that he would be filing an appeal the following day in order to secure bond for his client.
“Mr. Combs is a fighter … he’s not afraid of the charges,” the lawyer said of the music mogul. “He’s been looking forward to this day, he’s been looking forward to clearing his name. He didn’t do these things.”
“All we can do is show good faith. He got on a plane and he came here,” he added. “They arrested a guy who came here to turn himself in.”
Diddy, 54, was arrested on Monday, September 16, and charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
Federal prosecutors successfully argued to Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky that Diddy needed to be kept in custody because he had previously reached out to witnesses and victims and could possibly obstruct the case and intimidate the witnesses if freed on bail.
They also noted that the “I’ll Be Missing You” rapper’s massive wealth and access to private planes made him a flight risk.
“As set forth below, there is no condition, or combination of conditions, that will reasonably assure the appearance of the defendant as required and the safety of others and the community, not to mention the integrity of the proceedings,” the prosecutors wrote in a letter to the judge, adding that he “poses a significant risk of obstructing justice. As reflected by the gravity of the charges in the Indictment, the defendant is dangerous and poses an ongoing threat to the safety of the community.”
A separate judge will rule on Diddy’s bail appeal.
Prior to the ruling, Diddy’s attorneys said he would be amenable to putting up $50 million as bond and offered his $48 million Miami mansion and his mother’s home as collateral in lieu of cash, TMZ reported.
The Bad Boy Records mogul also agreed to wear a GPS ankle monitor and keep his travel limited to the New York area and South Florida, the outlet added.
Diddy listed his L.A. mansion for $61.5 million on September 8. The home was raided by federal agents in March amid the sex-trafficking and abuse allegations.
One source exclusively told In Touch on Tuesday, September 17, that Miami is Diddy’s home base “and he doesn’t need the L.A. place.” A separate insider exclusively dished that Diddy needs fast cash to pay legal fees.
“Defending him against these serious charges is a huge undertaking, and it’s gotten very expensive,” said the source. “He will hate to part with it, but he has no other choice,” the insider added about the 17,000-square-foot home featuring 10 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms.
According to the unsealed indictment obtained by In Touch on September 17, a grand jury alleged that Diddy had abused, threatened and coerced women and others around him to “fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct.”
“To do so, [Diddy] relied on the employees, resources, and influence of the multi-faceted business empire that he led and controlled — creating a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in, and attempted to engage in, among other crimes, sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice.”
The indictment accused Diddy of engaging in a persistent and pervasive pattern of abuse toward women, while the complaint claimed Diddy was verbally, physically and sexually abusive.
If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.
