A New York federal judge ruled on Monday that Sean “Diddy” Combs will remain jailed until sentencing.
According to TMZ, Judge Arun Subramanian once more rejected Combs’ bail request, determining there were no “exceptional reasons” to justify his release before the sentencing hearing on October 3. Combs had suggested a $50 million bail arrangement, which included remaining at his home in Miami, Florida, until the sentencing.
On July 2, Combs was found guilty by a jury of transporting for the purpose of engaging in prostitution but was not found guilty of charges regarding sex trafficking and racketeering. Nevertheless, his defense attorneys argued that the Mann Act of 1910 — the basis for this prosecution — has not been historically used against individuals involved in a consensual “swingers” lifestyle.
Following the conviction, Combs’ legal team promptly attempted to secure his release with a $1 million bond, but Judge Subramanian denied their motion. The judge referenced the attorneys’ own admissions of Combs’ violent conduct towards former partners as part of his rationale, emphasizing that such behavior persisted even after federal agents had conducted a search of his residence.
Judge Subramanian determined that Combs’ behavior exhibited a “disregard for the rule of law and a propensity for violence.” Additionally, a letter from a lawyer representing Combs’ former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, was submitted to the court, advising against his release.
The jury heard testimonies from three women alleging physical or sexual abuse by Combs. Ventura, who was in a relationship with Combs from 2007 to 2018, testified that he “stifled” her music aspirations while coercing her into participating in “freak offs,” which involved her engaging in sexual acts with other men in his presence. These events, fueled by drugs, left her exhausted and dehydrated, continuing for multiple days.
Another alleged victim, known by the alias “Mia,” worked as Combs’ assistant for eight years. She accused him of coercing her into oral sex and entering her bed without her consent. She further claimed he threw objects at her and slammed her against a wall.
A third woman, who used the pseudonym “Jane,” dated Combs from 2021 to 2024. She testified about “hotel nights,” which allegedly were sexual rendezvous arranged by Combs. Combs reportedly watched these encounters, which Jane said she had to be under the influence of drugs to participate.
The defense did not call a single witness to testify. Instead, they presented texts between Combs and the alleged victims, which they believe proved the sex encounters were consensual and non-coercive. They compared Combs and Ventura to “swingers” — and claimed the issues in their relationship stemmed from Combs dating other women, not from the alleged “freak offs.”
Combs turned down a plea deal days before his trial began.
[Feature Photo: Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP, File]
