Sean “Diddy” Combs will remain in federal custody on sex trafficking and racketeering charges after a judge refused to grant him bail.
During a court hearing in New York on Tuesday, September 17, prosecutors argued that the music mogul should be held without bail pending the outcome of the trial.
According to Variety, prosecutors alleged that Diddy, 54, is a flight risk and his wealth could allow him to flee the country undetected.
As for Diddy’s attorney Marc Agnifilo, he urged the judge to release him on a $50 million bond, which would be secured by property in Miami. Agnifilo also argued that Diddy had worked toward earning the trust of the court by returning to New York from Miami “to turn himself in.”
The judge ultimately decided that there were no conditions that could guarantee Diddy’s appearance in court.
Us Weekly has reached out to Diddy’s team for comment on the court hearing and ruling.
On Monday, September 16, Diddy was arrested in New York City amid his multiple sexual assault lawsuits and a federal investigation.
One day later, Diddy was indicted on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. The 14-page indictment details a barrage of accusations against the rapper.
Diddy allegedly “abused, threatened and coerced women and others around him,” the indictment stated. Some of the alleged incidents, which the indictment claimed were carried out to fulfill “his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct,” date back to 2009.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Diddy pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Previously, his attorney reacted to the music mogul’s arrest by stating he is an imperfect person, but not a criminal.
“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” Agnifilo told Us in a statement. “Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children, and working to uplift the Black community.”
Agnifilo added, “He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal. To his credit, Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).