A judge has ordered Sean "Diddy" Combs to be held without bail in jail after the music mogul was accused in a federal indictment of threatening and coercing women while engaging in sex trafficking.
Combs appeared in court earlier Tuesday to plead not guilty to the indictment's charges of transportation to engage in prostitution, sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.
His attorneys had submitted a motion to release him on a $50 million bond secured to his and his mother's Miami homes, arguing he wasn't a flight risk or a danger to those in his community.
Federal prosecutors had argued against Combs' release, saying he has a history of attempting to coerce victims into supporting him or not speaking out and has "seemingly limitless resources" to flee. They cited the alleged violence he committed against his victims in urging the court to deny his bail.
After the judge sided with the prosecution, Combs' lawyer Marc Agnifilo said his team would appeal the bail decision in court on Wednesday.
The alleged violent events described in the indictment that accuses Combs of abusing women for years and presiding over an empire of sexual crimes come almost six months after federal agents raided his home as part of the investigation.
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"For decades, [Combs] abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct," the indictment says.
"To do so, Combs relied on the employees, resources, and influence of the multi-faceted business empire that he led and controlled creating a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in, and attempted to engage in, among other crimes, sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice," the indictment goes on to state.
The charges accuse the rapper of using his Combs Enterprise, including certain employees to "facilitate, and cover up his abuse and commercial sex."
The indictment also says physical abuse by Combs was "recurrent and widely known." There were numerous occasions since at least 2009, and continuing for years, in which Combs attacked women by "striking, punching, dragging, throwing objects at, and kicking them," among other things, the indictment detailed. In some cases, the alleged assaults were witnessed by others.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams held a press conference Tuesday detailing Combs' indictment.
"I want to be clear about two things: First, this office is determined to investigate and prosecute anyone who engages in sex trafficking, no matter how powerful or wealthy or famous you may be. No one should doubt our commitment on that," Williams said. "A year ago, Sean Combs stood in Times Square and was handed a key to New York City. Today, he's been indicted and will face justice in the Southern District of New York. "
"Second, we are not done. This investigation is ongoing and I encourage anyone with information about this case to come forward and to do it quickly," Williams continued.
He implored anyone with information to call 1 (877) 4-HSI-TIP.
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As the investigation continues, Williams said he is "not taking anything off the table” in terms of additional future charges.
"We are committed to bringing justice to everyone who's been victimized by the defendant," he said.
He did not name the potential number of victims when asked but said the use of the term "multiple" was intentional.
Upon Combs' arrest Monday night, the musician's attorney spoke out, calling him an “innocent man.”
"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. 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. He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal," Combs' attorney Marc Agnifilo said in a statement to Scripps News.
"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," his attorney said.
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Federal authorities searched Combs' properties in Los Angeles and Miami in March as part of a sex-trafficking investigation. Combs had also in recent months been a defendant in sex abuse lawsuits. He has denied all the allegations in those suits.
One of the highest profile suits was by R&B singer Casandra Ventura, known as Cassie, who sued Combs in federal court on accusations of rape and repeated physical and sexual abuse over the course of years.
The lawsuit alleged that starting when she was 19, "Mr. Combs asserted complete control over Ms. Ventura’s personal and professional life, thereby ensuring her inability to escape his hold." It alleges numerous cases of physical and sexual assault.
The suit alleged that Ventura was a victim of sex trafficking, due to the nature of multiple sexual encounters she was coerced into across the country.
That suit was settled just a day after it was filed.
