Sean “Diddy” Combs was ordered to jail on Tuesday to await trial on federal sex trafficking charges, after a judge denied him bail in a case accusing him of running a criminal empire centered around sexual exploitation.
Combs, 54, pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He is accused of orchestrating drug-fueled, multi-day sexual events referred to as “Freak Offs,” and the indictment also hints at a violent attack on his ex-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, which was allegedly captured on video.
Prosecutors pushed for Combs to remain behind bars, calling him a danger to the public. His defense team requested he be released on a $50 million bond with home detention and electronic monitoring. However, U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky sided with the prosecution, ordering Combs to be held without bail.
Combs was arrested on Monday in Manhattan, six months after federal authorities raided his homes in Los Angeles and Miami as part of a sex trafficking investigation. If convicted, he could face a minimum of 15 years in prison, with the possibility of a life sentence.
The indictment describes Combs as the leader of a criminal organization involved in sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping,