Sean "Diddy" Combs Denied $50 Million Bond Proposal to Get Out of Jail After Sex Trafficking Arrest

Content warning: This story discusses sexual assault. 

There are new updates about Sean "Diddy" Combs' legal troubles.

After the rapper was arrested in New York City and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution—two of which carry a maximum sentence of life in prison—according to a newly unsealed federal indictment viewed by E! News, Combs has also been denied bond to be released from jail, according to NBC News.

Combs—who pled not guilty Sept. 17—submitted a request for a $50 million bond in a letter to New York judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky, offering a proposed package that would allow Combs to "fight this case in Court effectively," per the letter obtained by E! News.

The package included the $50,000,000 bond, which was co-signed by the 54-year-old's family—including his mother Janice Combs, sister Keisha Combs and three of his sons—several of whom also surrendered their passports following the raid on Diddy's homes in March, according to the letter. The package also offered equity in both his Miami home, as well as his mother's and limited his travel to within certain parts of Florida, New York and New Jersey.

The document additionally sought to "walk the Court through a series of actions taken by Mr. Combs over the past six months that prove that he is not a risk of flight or a danger to anyone in the community."

"These actions prove that Mr. Combs is eminently trustworthy," the letter signed by his lawyers Marc Agnifilo and Teny R. Geragos read, "that he is demonstrably committed to showing his innocence in Court in the context of this case, and that he should be released, on the conditions proposed, in order to do so."

His attorneys honed in on the fact that "when it became apparent to his counsel that Mr. Combs would at some point soon be formally charged, he did something extraordinary: He left his home in Miami and travelled to New York, the very location of the prosecutors and agents investigating him."

However, prosecutors in the Southern District of New York requested in a memo that he remain in jail until his trial, with U.S. Attorney Damian Williams stating that Combs' "disposition to violence cannot be reasonably prevented through bail conditions" and said that he is a flight-risk who "poses a significant danger to the community," per NBC News.

There is a hearing date set for the music mogul on Sept. 25.

The federal indictment obtained by E! alleges a decade's worth of crimes against Combs, including the alleged coercion of female victims to engage in sexual acts called "freak offs."

These alleged sexual performances occurred regularly for hours or even days, during which Combs "arranged, directed, masturbated during, and often electronically recorded" the performances, per the documents.

The U.S. Attorney also alleges that during the activity he would distribute "a variety of controlled substances to victims, in part to keep them obedient and compliant."

Per the indictment, methods to pressure victims included "force, threats of force, and coercion" to "engage in extended sex acts with male commercial sex workers." Following the alleged Freak Offs, "Combs and the victims typically received IV fluids to recover from the physical exertion and drug use."

Combs allegedly also used multiple corporate entities—collectively called the "Combs Business"—to disguise a criminal organization with other members and associates involved, per the documents.

He allegedly relied on his employees, including supervisors, security, household staff, personal assistants and others, to help facilitate travel, book hotel rooms and stock them with supplies, as well as making sure he had cash to pay the sex workers and schedule IV fluids. 

The indictment also stated that, after his Sept. 16 arrest in New York, authorities seized "various Freak Off supplies, including narcotics and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant," along with "firearms and ammunition, including three AR-15s with defaced serial numbers, as well as a drum magazine."

Following his arrest, lawyer Agnifilo told reporters, per NBC News, that Diddy was "going to fight this with all of his energy and all of his might and the full confidence of his lawyers."

"Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts," he added. "These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court."

To learn more about Diddy's case, keep reading.

(E! and NBC News and part of the NBCUniversal family.)

Federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed search warrants at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Los Angeles and Miami properties on March 25, multiple law enforcement sources confirmed to NBC News.  

The sources told the outlet the warrant was out of the Southern District of New York, and a spokesperson for HSI New York confirmed to E! News it “executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners.” 

Law enforcement sources told NBC News the music mogul was in the Miami area when the search warrants were executed. 

News about the investigation broke after Combs faced allegations of sexual misconduct in lawsuits filed by multiple accusers starting in November, with the musician denying the allegations. 

“Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday,” he wrote in a December statement posted on Instagram. “Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.” 

The day after HSI executed the search warrants at Combs' L.A. and Miami properties, his lawyer spoke out. 

"Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs' residences," attorney Aaron Dyer said in a March 26 statement to E! News. "There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated." 

Dyer noted Combs “was never detained but spoke to and cooperated with authorities.”  

“Despite media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested nor has their ability to travel been restricted in any way,” his lawyer's statement continued. “This unprecedented ambush—paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence—leads  to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits.” 

And Dyer expressed Combs' intent to defend himself.

“There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations,” he added. “Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name.”

As for what actually went down during the searches, multiple law enforcement sources familiar with the warrant told NBC News authorities with the Department of Homeland Security seized phones from Combs’ home in Miami before he was scheduled to travel to the Bahamas, and several sources familiar with the matter added that guns were discovered during the search.

One source familiar with the matter also told NBC News three women and one man were interviewed by prosecutors and investigators from the Southern District of New York about allegations of sex trafficking, sexual assault, the solicitation and distribution of illegal narcotics and firearms purportedly tied to Combs.

On the same day the search warrants were executed at Combs’ Miami and Los Angeles properties, one of his associates, Brendan Paul, was arrested by the Miami-Dade police on suspicion of drug possession, a law enforcement source familiar with the matter told NBC News. 

According to the Miami-Dade arrest affidavit obtained by the outlet, Paul was taken into custody for allegedly possessing suspected cocaine and suspected marijuana candy. 

Prison records obtained by NBC News show Paul was released on March 26 after posting bond.

“We do not plan on trying this case in the media,” Paul’s attorney Brian Bieber said in a statement obtained by the outlet, “all issues will be dealt with in court.” 

In May, Paul accepted a plea deal, with his lawyer Bieber telling People, "Brendan accepted the prosecutor’s offer to permit his entry into the diversion program which, after completion, the case against him will be dismissed in its entirety."

He was arrested in the lobby of a New York hotel on Sept. 16, 2024, according to NBC News. It's unclear what Combs has been charged with and if the arrest has any potential connection to the raids.

“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," his lawyer Marc Agnifilo said in a statement to E! News. "He is an imperfect person but Is not criminal. 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."

After Combs was arrested based on the sealed indictment, the indictment was unsealed on Sept. 17.

The 54-year-old was charged with racketeering conspiracy; sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; as well as transportation to engage in prostitution, according to court documents obtained by NBC News.

The indictment alleged Combs “abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct” for more than a decade, with prosecutors saying the purported behavior started around 2008.

"To do so," the documents stated, "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."

According to NBC News, Combs’ attorney Marc Agnifilo told reporters outside the New York courthouse that the Grammy winner would plead not guilty.

“He’s going to fight this with all of his energy and all of his might,” the lawyer added, per the outlet, “and the full confidence of his lawyers."

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