The federal government demanded Diddy not be released on bond claiming he is a serious flight risk, In Touch can exclusively report.
The government filed a letter to the judge explaining their reasoning for keeping Diddy behind bars following his arrest on Monday, September 16, on sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
“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. 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. If released, he remains a serious risk of flight, despite the conditions offered by his counsel. Most glaringly, the defendant also poses a significant risk of obstructing justice,” the prosecutors wrote.
They added, “Indeed, and as set forth below, during the course of the charged conduct, the defendant has attempted to bribe security staff and threatened and interfered with witnesses to his criminal conduct. He has already tried to obstruct the Government’s investigation of this case, repeatedly contacting victims and witnesses and feeding them false narratives of events, as described in detail below.”
The government pointed to the grand jury indictment to make the case.
They said, “Using the power and prestige of the Enterprise, the defendant lured female victims into the defendant’s orbit, often under the pretense of a romantic relationship. The defendant then used force, threats of force, and coercion to cause those female victims to engage in sexual activity, which included frequent sex acts with male commercial sex workers that the defendant referred to as “Freak Offs.”
On top of that, they claimed that Diddy repeatedly engaged in “acts of violence directed towards his employees and others. As charged in the Indictment, the defendant, often assisted by members and associates of the Enterprise, engaged in kidnapping, arson, and physical violence, such as throwing objects at people, throwing people to the ground, and hitting, dragging, choking, and shoving others. Numerous witnesses, including the defendant’s employees and others, observed or experienced violence from the defendant firsthand and sustained lasting trauma as a result.”
The government said in December 2011, Diddy and a co-conspirator kidnapped an individual at gunpoint to facilitate breaking into and entering the residence of another.
“Multiple witnesses would testify at trial to the events surrounding the kidnapping and break-in, the latter of which is corroborated by police reports and other records,” the filing read.
The letter added, “Approximately two weeks later, the defendant’s co-conspirators set fire to Individual-1’s vehicle by slicing open the car’s convertible top and dropping a Molotov cocktail inside the interior. Police and fire department reports extensively document the arson and conclude that the fire was intentionally set. Multiple witnesses would also testify to the defendant bragging about his role in destroying Individual-1’s car.”
In addition, they claimed Diddy used firearms to intimidate and threaten others. They included photos of the guns they seized that had serial numbers obscured. “In sum, the defendant’s long history of violent conduct makes clear that even the most stringent bail conditions will not suffice to ensure the safety of the community. The defendant is a serial abuser who repeatedly assaults and coerces women to achieve his own sexual gratification, and uses his vast wealth and position of power in the entertainment industry to conceal his illegal conduct and prevent victims of, and witnesses to, his abuse from coming forward,” they argued.
The government pointed out, “The defendant’s incentive to flee, outlined above, coupled with the defendant’s seemingly limitless resources create significant risk of non-appearance. The defendant’s net worth is publicly estimated at being close to $1 billion. 9 Indeed, the investigation of this case has revealed that the defendant has access to vast funds and resources—including deep reserves of cash—which would facilitate his evasion of prosecution. At least as of December 2023, the defendant had access to dozens of bank accounts—some personal and many under corporate entities—which contain millions of dollars. Additionally, as of December 2023, the defendant had over $1 million in personal cash on hand.”
“The defendant’s lack of access to his passport or private jet would not negate the fact that the defendant could easily buy his way out of facing justice,” they said. The government said Diddy turned over his family’s passports, sold his plane and has been reporting his whereabouts to the government.
They added, “These steps have been taken with the precise goal of crafting an argument for bail before the Court. While the defendant may have made the calculated decision in consultation with his attorneys not to flee before any charges were filed, that calculus inevitably changes today, when an Indictment charging the defendant with extremely serious offenses carrying enormous potential penalties was unsealed. He is now—for the first time in his life—facing a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, in which the Government is prepared to prove the charges against him by, among other things, the testimony of dozens of witnesses and victims to his serial abuse, and evidence from dozens of his own electronic devices and those of his co-conspirators.”
A judge has yet to rule.
Following his arrest, Diddy’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, said, “We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children, and working to uplift the Black community.”
The lawyer added, “He is an imperfect person but is not criminal. To his credit Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
