Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs appeared in court on Tuesday (September 17), facing three counts of sex trafficking and racketeering.
His arraignment came less than 24 hours after the FBI apprehended him at a New York City hotel on Monday night. He reportedly pleaded not guilty and proposed a bond.
According to CNN, Sean stood and pleaded “not guilty” in a clear voice. He was also reportedly wearing a black T-shirt, gray training leggings, and a black side stripe.
As previously reported, the indictment accuses Combs of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, cause or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors cited multiple related instances between 2009 and 2018 for the trafficking and 2009 and 2024 for the position, per Forbes.
Diddy’s Legal Team Wants Bail, But Prosecutors Are Arguing Against That In Court
Ahead of his arraignment, prosecutors revealed they had filed a letter seeking pre-trial detention for the producer.
Furthermore, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, addressed concerns about Diddy’s safety while in custody. He stated that he draws no comparisons between Jeffrey Epstein’s self-harm while in custody and Diddy’s safety.
Also, before the arraignment, Sean Combs offered big bucks to remain free while facing three federal charges.
An excerpt from a bond proposal shows that the producer proposed a $50 million payout. The proposal stated that Combs would agree to wear a GPS monitor and limit his travel between New York City and Miami to visit his doctors, see his lawyers, and attend court.
Furthermore, his lawyers claimed that Diddy’s plane, located in Los Angeles, is in the process of being sold.
Combs has also offered to surrender several passports, including his, his mother Janice’s, and four daughters, Chance, Jessie, D’Lila, and Love Combs.
Nonetheless, prosecutors have reportedly cited additional concerns beyond fleeing during the arraignment.
The feds allege that Diddy has a long history of violence, witness tampering, and obstruction.
CNN reports that prosecutors named the assault of Cassie in 2016 in a hotel hallway as “critical evidence” of these allegations. In addition to appearing violent, Diddy also allegedly attempted to bribe a hotel security officer for the footage, which reportedly disappeared from the hotel servers days after the incident.
Assistant US Attorney Emily Johnson told the judge on Tuesday that “witnesses have universally expressed fear” of Diddy.
Furthermore, Johnson seemingly suggested that Diddy reached out to Kalenna Harper 58 times in four days after Dawn Richard filed her lawsuit against him last week, per CNN.
