Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs denied bail, sent to jail to await trial on sex trafficking and other federal charges
Law enforcement officials in New York announced on September 17 that rapper / producer Sean Combs, aka “Diddy,” aka “Puff Daddy,” aka “P. Diddy,” aka “PD,” aka “Love,” was arrested Monday night and charged in a three count Indictment with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. The Indictment alleges that between 2008 and the present, Combs abused, threatened, and coerced women and others, and led a racketeering conspiracy that engaged in sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice, among other crimes.
Combs appeared in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, before Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky, where he was denied bail and ordered to be held without bond. The music mogul pleaded “Not guilty” to the charges and was then sent off to jail to await trial on the racketeering charges.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged in the Indictment, for years, Sean Combs used the business empire he controlled to sexually abuse and exploit women, as well as to commit other acts of violence and obstruction of justice. Today, he is charged with racketeering and sex trafficking offenses. If you have been a victim of Combs’ alleged abuse – or if you know anything about his alleged crimes – we urge you to come forward. This investigation is far from over.”
Following yesterday’s judgment, Diddy’s lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, spoke to reporters on the courthouse stairs and said that “Mr. Combs is a fighter. He’s going to fight this to the end. He’s innocent. He plans to appeal the bail decision.”
Background, according to the indictment: From at least 2008 through the present, Combs led a criminal enterprise that existed to facilitate his abuse and exploitation of women, to protect his reputation, and to conceal his conduct. As part of that criminal enterprise, COMBS along with other members and associates of the enterprise, committed crimes including sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice.
Among other things, Combs’ sexual abuse of women included causing them to engage in frequent, days-long sexual activity with male commercial sex workers, some of whom were transported over state lines. These events, which Combs referred to as “Freak Offs,” were elaborate sex performances that Combs arranged, directed, and often electronically recorded. To ensure participation in Freak Offs, Combs used violence and intimidation, and leveraged his power over victims—power he obtained through obtaining and distributing narcotics to them, exploiting his financial support to them and threatening to cut off the same, and controlling their careers. COMBS also threatened his victims, including by threatening to expose the embarrassing and sensitive recordings he made of Freak Offs if the women did not comply with his demands.
Combs’ efforts to control women included repeated physical abuse. Combs assaulted women by, among other things, striking, punching, dragging, throwing objects at, and kicking them. Combs similarly assaulted witnesses to his abuse. These assaults often resulted in injuries to the victims, which took days or weeks to heal.
To commit these crimes, Combs relied on his power as the leader of a multi-faceted business empire. Employees of Combs ‘ businesses—including high ranking supervisors, security staff, personal assistants, and household staff—acted as Combs’ intermediaries to, among other things, arrange travel and hotel rooms; stock the hotel rooms for COMBS’ commercial sex activity; contact or locate women and other individuals whom he targeted for abuse; and conceal and cover up the abuse. This criminal concealment included efforts to prevent law enforcement from learning about his abuse.
Related, see: “Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs can’t be charged for brutal domestic violence assault captured on video”
The 54-year-old Combs who is a resident of Miami, Florida, has been charged with:
- one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison;
- one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison; and,
- one count of transportation for purposes of prostitution, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Those prosecuting the case want to hear from any potential victims that are out there. If you believe you are victim of a crime perpetrated by Sean “Diddy” Combs, you can contact HSI at Sextrafficking_outreach@hsi.dhs.gov or via their mobile tip-line at 1-877-4-HSITIP, and reference this case.
You can see the Grand Jury’s indictment against Diddy here
For more on the story and Sean “Diddy” Combs being denied bail and sent off to jail yesterday, see the video accompanying this article.
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(Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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