Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs accused of contacting witnesses from his jail cell
As the case against Sean Combs, better known by his stage name Diddy, rallies on, prosecutors have accused the rapper and music mogul of attempting to obstruct the federal case against him from a Brooklyn jail. In court papers filed on Friday, the prosecution alleged that Combs has been making three-way phone calls and eliciting the help of other inmates to contact witnesses and obstruct the trial.
Since September, Combs has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, inside a special wing that is reserved for high-profile inmates like the hip-hop star. The accusation that Combs has been attempting to influence the outcome of his federal trial – in which he stands accused of racketeering and sex trafficking – from his prison cell comes only a week before a hearing which will decide whether he can be released on bail.
The filing accuses Comb of “relentless efforts” to contact witnesses in addition to various other associates – members of Comb’s “criminal enterprise” according to prosecutors – who might be able to influence the outcome of his federal trial. Prosecutors also allege that Combs has used the telephones of at least eight other inmates, paying them for their services via a third party.
“The defendant has demonstrated an uncanny ability to get others to do his bidding — employees, family members, and M.D.C. inmates alike,” the filing reads. The specific individuals Combs’ had contacted have been redacted in court documents, but the rapper’s alleged disregard for prison regulations and attempts to obstruct the trial by contacting witnesses would certainly not endear the music mogul to the court ahead of his bail hearing.
In response to these fresh allegations of tampering, Diddy’s legal team filed a paper which stated, “The evidence makes clear that the government’s case is thin,” adding that the contacting of witnesses to aid in his defence case “does not amount to obstruction or evidence any risk of obstruction.”
Combs, who has denied all accusations of wrongdoing, including the sex trafficking and racketeering case that he will face in a federal courtroom, and his legal counsel have been seeking bail for some time now. Initially, Combs’ request for bail was rejected by a judge back in September, who claimed that the musician would pose a threat to the trial if released on bail, given the increased risk of witness tampering.
Earlier this week, the defence team won a third opportunity to appeal Combs’ request for bail after it was rejected by a second judge. If this appeal is, once again, rejected, Combs will be forced to remain in prison awaiting his criminal trial, which is set to commence on May 5th, 2025.
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.