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Sean 'Diddy' Combs, Charged With Racketeering And Sex Trafficking, Denied Bail By Federal Judge; Rapper Pleads Not Guilty
Prosecutors accused Sean 'Diddy' Combs of witness tampering and orchestrating coerced sex acts. Diddy's lawyer, however, expressed confidence in proving his client's innocence.
Trigger Warning: This article includes references to sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and drugs
Sean 'Diddy' Combs, who was arrested by federal authorities on the evening of Monday, September 16, from a hotel in Manhattan, has been charged with racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution, according to his indictment unsealed on Tuesday. At a hearing on September 17 in Manhattan, Combs, who pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, was denied bail, per People.
He will remain in custody until his next hearing, scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, where his lawyer plans to appeal for his release again.
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During the Tuesday hearing, prosecutors accused Combs of witness tampering, claiming that the rap mogul’s employees attempted to ensure his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, and the hotel employees remained silent about a beating at an LA hotel in 2016. Video of the assault, which captured Combs kicking and stomping Ventura in the lobby of the InterContinental Hotel eight years ago, disappeared from the hotel’s server, prosecutors detailed. The footage is now public, courtesy of CNN, which obtained the video and published it.
Diddy, describing his behavior in the video as “inexcusable,” apologized for the incident, which was part of Cassie's lawsuit last year. She, however, settled it the very next day outside of court after negotiations with Diddy’s team.
Prosecutors on Tuesday said they have recordings of the musician telling a bandmate of another woman, who has accused him of sexual assault in a lawsuit, that she did not have to worry about anything if she was willing to be on his side.
Additionally, prosecutors stated they found bags of pink powder in Combs’ hotel room, where he was staying on the advice of his lawyer to await arrest. The substance wasn’t tested, but prosecutors said it appeared to be narcotics, as similar bags were previously seized from Diddy’s properties and tested positive for drugs at the time.
Per CNN’s report of the hearing, authorities said they had interviewed more than 50 witnesses and seized dozens of mobile phones, laptops, and hard drives. They also obtained possession of videos that they claim show coerced sex acts (freak-offs) that Combs is accused of orchestrating.
The music mogul’s lawyer, meanwhile, argued that his client should not be compared to some of the nation’s most notorious sex criminals, including Keith Raniere, R. Kelly, or Jeffrey Epstein. “This is different,” he told the court. “These were consenting adults.”
“Mr. Combs is a fighter. He’s going to fight this to the end. He’s innocent. He came to New York to establish his innocence,” Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, said outside the court, adding, “He’s not afraid of the charges.”
The defense attorney said his client was prepared to surrender to authorities before he was arrested on Tuesday night.
If you need support or know someone who is struggling with substance abuse, domestic violence, assault, or abuse, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist, NGO, or speak to someone about it. There are several helplines available for the same.
ALSO READ: Who Is Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Attorney Marc Agnifilo? What We Know About Him Amid Rapper's Arrest
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