Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs appeared in court on Tuesday (Sept. 17) for three counts of sex trafficking and racketeering charges. His arraignment comes less than 24 hours after the FBI arrested him in a New York City hotel on Monday night. He has reportedly entered a not-guilty plea, and the judge has now ruled on his $50 million bail proposal.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to include new details, from the judge’s ruling to Diddy and his sons’ court appearances and a breakdown of arguments presented by the defense and U.S. prosecutors at the arraignment. Keep scrolling for live updates.
CNN reports that Sean stood and gave his “not guilty” plea in “a clear voice. Additionally, he was reportedly dressed in a black T-shirt paired with gray workout pants with 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.
RELATED: Here’s Everything You Need To Know About The 14-Page Federal Indictment Against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs (LIVE UPDATES)
According to NBC News, Diddy’s biological sons, Christian and Justin Combs, and informally adopted son, Quincy, arrived at the courthouse to support Diddy ahead of the arraignment.
Judge Remands Sean Combs For THESE Reasons, Lawyer Plans Appeal
After a brief recess, Judge Robyn Tarnofsky returned to the courtroom with a ruling on the defendant’s request for bail. According to CNN, the judge has ruled to remand Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, meaning he will remain detained ahead of trial. Judge Tarnofsky cited concerns about crimes happening behind closed doors despite monitoring from pretrial services.
“There has been significant violence and weapons around. Also, coercion of witnesses, even gentle coercion, can be effective. The type of behavior we’re talking about happens behind closed doors. I thank your family members for coming, but I cannot release him,” the judge reportedly said.
CNN reports that Diddy showed no reaction to the judge’s remand ruling aside from taking a sip of water from a bottle. After Combs was led out of the courtroom, his lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, told the press that they plan to appeal the remand. The bail appeal will take place tomorrow (Sept. 18) in the same courtroom, in front of a different judge, per Marc. Additionally, the attorney insisted his client didn’t commit the acts alleged by prosecutors.
“He’s going to clear his name and we’re going to stand by his side as he does. We believe in him wholeheartedly,” Marc said.
After Diddy was remanded to custody, the press swarmed Combs’ sons Justin, Christian, and Quincy outside of the courthouse. Neither of the adult sons offered a statement.
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, who is considered a flight risk. 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, ahead of 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.
Prosecutors Suggest Sean Combs Pressured Kalenna Harper Into Shutting Down Dawn Richard’s Lawsuit
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. 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 a former groupmate of Dawn Richard’s after Richard filed her lawsuit against him last week, per CNN. For context, Dawn and Kalenna Harper were briefly part of the group Diddy — Dirty Money. Harper was also the only former groupmate of Dawn’s to distance herself from the lawsuit, in which she is repeatedly mentioned. She spoke out days after Dawn’s lawsuit.
Johnson said in court that Diddy reached out to this former groupmate, presumably Harper, 58 times in four days. According to the New York Post, Diddy’s last text message to Harper came in on Sept. 14, one day after she released her neutral statement.
“While I fully respect Dawn’s right to recount her experiences, I want to emphasize that her account reflects her personal perspective and should not be interpreted as a universal truth applicable to everyone,” Harper’s statement said.
RELATED: UPDATE: Here Are More Details About Dawn Richard’s Lawsuit Against Diddy
Diddy’s Lawyer Explains 2016 Assault Video Cited By Prosecutors
CNN reports that prosecutors also named the assault of Cassie in 2016 in a hotel hallway as “critical evidence” of Diddy being a public danger. 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.
However, Diddy’s attorney, provided a different viewpoint of the 2016 surveillance footage. Marc Agnifilo argued that the video shows the results of Diddy having “more than one girlfriend and getting caught.” Marc further claimed that Cassie “hit [Diddy] in the head with her cellphone” while he was asleep and left him with no clothes in the room. That’s allegedly why he was naked and wrapped in a towel, per Marc.
Additionally, Combs’ legal team argued that he engaged in “mutual” “toxic relationships,” including with Cassie. Marc Agnifilo alleged that Diddy and Cassie had been “cheating on each other for years,” including with her trainer, whom she later married, Alex Fine.
“She has her lawyer call his lawyer and say she has written a book. But if you want to buy the rights, you’ll have the rights for $30 million. We have a recorded conversation. It did not go well for her and the lawyer. November 2023, she sues.”
