Sean “Diddy” Combs will remain in federal custody on racketeering and sex trafficking charges, after a judge on Tuesday refused to grant him bail.
When asked for a plea, Combs said “not guilty” — the only two words he uttered at the two-hour hearing at federal court in downtown Manhattan.
Prosecutors argued that Combs should be held without bail pending the outcome of the trial. Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, urged the judge to release him on a $50 million bond, which would be secured by property in Miami.
The judge, Robyn F. Tarnofsky, decided that there were no conditions that could guarantee Combs’ appearance in court. She said that she considered alternatives, such as home detention and the substantial bond offered by Combs, but ultimately concluded that “the presumption in favor of detention has not been rebutted” by the defense.
If he is convicted, Combs faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and could face life in prison.
Before the judge’s decision, Agnifilo argued that Combs had worked toward earning the trust of the court by returning to New York from Miami “to turn himself in,” surrendering his passport (and the passports of six of his family members) to his attorneys, notifying the government of his domestic travel and attempting to sell his private plane, which the defense emphasized is a difficult undertaking and an “act of goodwill.”
The prosecution rebutted those claims, delivering a lengthy argument that Combs is a flight risk, a danger to the community and a repeat obstructor of justice. They said that Combs’ wealth would allow him to flee the country undetected, and that he is a “serial abuser and serial obstructor.” The prosecution added that Combs has contacted alleged victims and witnesses throughout the investigation, saying he has “spread false narratives” to “get victims on his side.”
Agnifilo pleaded with the judge to trust Combs and to trust his counsel in keeping an eye on the defendant. He also said that Combs is currently getting “treatment and therapy” in New York, arguing that detaining his client would prevent Combs from getting the “help he needs.”
“Everybody has flaws,” Agnifilo said. “Mr. Combs is not a perfect person.”
In her decision, Judge Tarnofsky addressed Combs and said, “I don’t know that you can trust yourself,” pointing to his history of substance abuse and anger issues. After the arraignment, Agnifilo said the defense will appeal the denial of bail, adding of Combs, “We believe in him wholeheartedly.”
According to the indictment, Combs has engaged in violent, abusive and coercive conduct toward women for many years. He is accused of orchestrating multi-day orgies, known as “freak-offs,” in which women would be coerced into having sex with male sex workers, sometimes on camera. The women would also be given ketamine and other drugs, and would require IV fluids afterward to recover, according to the documents.
The “freak-offs” were a large part of the prosecution’s argument in court. They described them as “elaborate sex performances” that could take place over multiple days, which occurred between 2009 and 2024. The prosecution said they have spoken to witnesses and victims of the “freak-offs,” and they have evidence including hotel records, supplies and video recordings.
Combs is also accused of hitting, kicking and dragging women by the hair, along with other violent acts. The documents claim that in 2011, he and an associate kidnapped someone at gunpoint and set fire to another person’s car with a Molotov cocktail.
Another point of discussion on Tuesday in court was a video from 2016 in which Combs assaults his then-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, in a hotel hallway. (Combs issued an apology after the video resurfaced in May 2024.)
The prosecution used the video as an example of Combs’ violent abuse and his history of “lying to cover things up.” They said he repeatedly denied that he was involved in the assault until the leaked hotel surveillance footage forced him into an admission. They also said that Combs attempted to bribe a hotel security officer in order to buy his silence, but the officer declined the money.
Agnifilo argued that the incident had nothing to do with sex trafficking and is instead “evidence of Mr. Combs having more than one girlfriend and getting caught.” He said that Combs and Cassie were in a loving 10-year relationship that turned “mutually toxic.” He also seemed to insinuate that the government leaked the hotel surveillance footage to the media on a “slow news day.”
Agnifilo said Cassie threatened to write a book about her relationship with Combs and offered him the chance to buy the exclusive rights for $30 million, so that he could prevent the book from ever being published. The defense said Combs declined, which led to Cassie’s civil lawsuit that was settled after “Mr. Combs wrote a very large check to someone he was in a relationship with for 10 years.”
Combs’ lawyers claimed that the “freak-offs” were entirely consensual, arguing that the government is “coming into this man’s bedroom” with such charges. Agnifilo said there was no sex trafficking because “everybody wanted to be there.”
From Variety US