P Diddy: What is Sean Combs accused of, why was he denied bail and what did he say? | Ents & Arts News

Sean Combs – also known as P Diddy and Puff Daddy – was denied bail after pleading not guilty to three counts.

The charges were brought after the rapper and music mogul arrested in a hotel in New York on Monday, September 16th.

CombsThree-time Grammy winner and one of the most influential hip-hop producers of the last three decades, is facing a wave of lawsuits from women accusing him of sexual assault.

And now he is facing criminal proceedings after Bail of $50 million denied (£37.8 million).

Here's what charges he faces, why he was denied bail, and what he and his lawyers have said.

What fees apply?

They relate to sex trafficking, drug possession and weapons offenses.

Specifically, the Southern District of New York (SDNY) lists three charges in its indictment:

• Organized crime conspiracy
• Sex trafficking through violence, fraud or coercion
• Transportation for the practice of prostitution

For conspiracy to commit organised crime, the maximum penalty is life imprisonment; for sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, the maximum penalty is life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment; and for deportation for the purpose of prostitution, the maximum penalty is 10 years.

It alleges that since at least 2008, Combs has “abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his behavior.”

It alleges that the 54-year-old used his employees, resources and influence in the music industry to build a “criminal organization whose members and associates were involved or attempted to engage in, among other things, sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice.”

According to the document, he is said to have lured female victims and male sex workers into drug-induced sexual performances, so-called “freak offs”.

The freak-offs, mentioned about 16 times in the document, were described as “elaborate and staged sex performances that Combs arranged, directed, masturbated during, and often electronically recorded.”

Prosecutors allege that victims were given controlled substances to keep them “obedient and submissive” during incidents that sometimes lasted days, and that Combs subjected them to “physical, emotional and verbal abuse” to get them to participate.

The indictment also alleges that Combs and members of his company “engaged in acts of violence, threats of violence, threats of financial and reputational harm, and verbal abuse,” including kidnappings and arson, when witnesses to the alleged abuse threatened his authority or reputation.

What did Combs and his lawyers say?

Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

After his arrest, his attorney Marc Agnifilo said he was “disappointed” by the U.S. Attorney's Office's decision “to continue what we believe is an unjustified prosecution of Mr. Combs.”

“Diddy is an imperfect human being, but not a criminal,” he continued.

“To Mr. Combs' credit, he has cooperated fully with this investigation and voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges.

“Please reserve judgment until you have all the facts. These are the actions of an innocent man who has nothing to hide and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”

Speaking to reporters after Combs entered his confession, the lawyer added: “I am confident. We will get Mr. Combs out of prison.”

In a statement, lawyers for some of the charges against Combs said the “much-anticipated arrest is the first step toward justice for our clients.”

“The evidence is very clear and it was only a matter of time,” said the statement from lawyers Rodney Diggs and Tyrone Blackburn read.

“This is an important step toward justice for all of Mr. Combs' victims, including my clients. Justice will prevail.”

Why was Combs denied bail?

Combs' lawyers offered him bail of $50 million (£37.8 million) in exchange for his release to house arrest with GPS monitoring and strict visitation restrictions.

Prosecutor Emily Johnson argued for Combs to be kept behind bars, telling the judge that he had a long history of intimidating accusers and witnesses to the abuses he was accused of.

Ms Johnson cited text messages from women who said Combs forced them to participate in the freak-offs and then threatened to release explicit videos of them engaging in sexual acts.

She also said that Combs' own defense team “trivialized and terribly downplayed” his tendency toward violence.

The defense and prosecution argued over the request before U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter denied bail.

He said the government had “demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that there is no condition or set of conditions” that would ensure the safety of the community and that the rapper and music mogul would not influence witnesses.

Previous allegations against Combs

Combs has been facing civil charges since November 2023, including rape, sexual assault and forcible drug administration.

The first allegations were made by the rapper's ex-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie. who claimed in her lawsuit that she was a victim of human traffickingOver the course of ten years, Combs repeatedly raped her, drugged her, and brutally beat her.

He denied all allegations and settled the legal dispute with Cassie the day after filing, with the terms of the agreement kept confidential.

Months later CNN broadcast footage of hotel security shows Combs hitting, kicking and throwing Cassie to the ground. He apologized for his “inexcusable” behavior in the video and said he was “disgusted” by his past behavior.

Combs was sued by Joie Dickerson-Neal in November who claimed that he drugged and sexually abused her when she was a psychology student at Syracuse University in January 1991. She also accused him of filming the attack.

In May, A former model accused Combs of sexually harassing her in his New York recording studio in 2003.

In the same month a woman accused Combs of sexual assault over 20 years ago when she was a fashion student in New York City.

In February, a music producer claimed that Combs forced him to recruit prostitutes and pressured him to have sex with them.

Read more:
Man who ordered his teenage son to murder rapper jailed
Harvey Weinstein pleads not guilty to new sex crimes charges

Combs was also named in a lawsuit in which claims his son sexually abused a woman He worked on a yacht chartered by his father.

His son is accused in the lawsuit of spiking alcohol into a woman's drink and groping her. Combs is said to have created the circumstances that led to the assault and later paid for the cover-up. Both Combs and his son have denied the allegations.

The most recent lawsuit against Combs was filed shortly before his arrest by singer Dawn Richard. She describes how he mentally and physically abused and harassed her for years while helping her launch her career.

Combs has denied all allegations made in the lawsuits against him. Read more about it here.

In a statement in December, Combs described the allegations he faced at the time as “repulsive” and claimed his accusers were “looking for a quick payday.”

“Let me be clear: I have not committed any of the horrific acts I am accused of. I will fight for my name, my family and the truth,” he said.

What happens next?

Combs is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center, where he will remain until the start of his trial.

A trial date has not yet been set, and prosecutors say the investigation into Combs' alleged criminal activities is ongoing.

They say they have interviewed more than 50 victims and witnesses of Combs' alleged abuse, but expect more people to come forward with their accounts.

When asked at a press conference whether charges would be brought against Combs' associates or employees, U.S. Attorney in Manhattan Damian Williams said he did not want to “take anything off the table” and added: “Our investigation is very intensive and ongoing.”