Prosecutors have accused Sean “Diddy” Combs of violating prison regulations by attempting to contact potential witnesses ahead of his upcoming sex trafficking trial.
It is alleged that the music mogul made “relentless efforts” to “corruptly influence witness testimony” by using the phone accounts of other prisoners to make three-way calls with individuals who were not on his list of authorized contacts.
Sean Diddy Combs called witnesses from prison
In a court filing, prosecutors claimed that an examination of recorded conversations revealed that Combs instructed his family to reach out to possible witnesses in his case. The 55-year-old is being held in Manhattan and has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, entering a not-guilty plea to all allegations against him.
Known for his 1990s hits such as “I’ll Be Missing You” and “Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems,” Combs has been denied bail since his arrest. Several judges have noted concerns that he could interfere with witnesses.
Sean Diddy Combs called witnesses from prison
Last Monday, his attorneys submitted a revised bail request, proposing a $50 million (£39.6 million) package that would place him under house arrest with 24/7 security monitoring. Attorney Alexandra Shapiro argued that due to the “incredibly voluminous” amount of material to analyze—especially without access to a laptop—Combs cannot adequately prepare for trial while incarcerated. She further stated that prison conditions, including frequent lockdowns and the removal of pens he uses to take notes, have further hindered his ability to prepare.
According to Shapiro, Combs’ rights under the U.S. Constitution are being violated by his detention, which prevents him from having “any real opportunity” to prepare for his trial.
Prosecutors countered that Combs “poses serious risks of danger and obstruction” to the proceedings, arguing that the bail request should be denied. In court filings, he was also accused of planning social media posts intended to “influence a potential jury pool” for his trial. The prosecution referenced an Instagram comment from a woman identified only as “witness two” to challenge claims made by singer Dawn Richard in a civil complaint against Combs. They alleged that her statement was communicated in collaboration with Combs through “multiple texts” and “multiple calls” from prison.
One of the accusations against Combs was that he “paid witness two after she posted her statement.” Another point of evidence indicating a “public relations strategy to influence this case” was a video uploaded by Combs’ seven children on November 5. Several media outlets covered the footage, which showed the family calling Combs in prison to wish him a happy birthday.
Prosecutors stated, “The defendant then monitored the analytics—i.e., audience engagement—and explicitly discussed with his family how to ensure that the video had his desired effect on potential jury members in this case.” Additionally, Combs was charged with “directing others” to arrange funding for this access and for violating prison rules by using the phone accounts of at least eight other inmates.
The prosecution described Combs’ actions as a “relentless” scheme to “contact potential witnesses, including victims of his abuse who could provide powerful testimony against him.” They argued that “no set of conditions” could mitigate the potential threats to the trial and urged the judge to deny Combs’ bail request. “The defendant has demonstrated an uncanny ability to get others to do his bidding—employees, family members, and [prison] inmates alike,” prosecutors stated.
Sean Diddy Combs called witnesses from prison
“There is no reason to believe that private security personnel would be immune.” They also dismissed concerns about conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, referencing an interview with Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, who noted that “food’s probably the roughest part” of Combs’ transition to prison life.
The court has not yet received a response from the musician’s legal team, which has been contacted by the BBC for comment. Combs’ legal troubles began in November when his ex-partner, Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura, filed a civil case alleging instances of rape and bodily assault from 2007 to 2018. Although this matter was quickly resolved out of court, it triggered a wave of similar allegations and led to a federal inquiry.
In March, federal officials raided the star’s properties, and in September, he was arrested in New York. A federal indictment outlined claims of drug-fueled, multi-day sexual acts referred to as “Freak Offs,” charging Combs with three counts of sex trafficking and racketeering. More than two dozen individuals have filed legal lawsuits against the singer, alleging rape, sexual exploitation, and sexual assault.
Combs maintains that the sexual encounters central to his criminal case were consensual and has vehemently denied all accusations against him, including those in the civil lawsuits.