Diddy Being Held in ‘Special Housing Unit’ in Notorious Jail as His ‘Life Is in Danger’
Sean "Diddy" Combs is being held in a special housing unit away from the general population in the federal Metropolitan Detention Center, Brooklyn amid fears for his safety.
The disgraced music mogul, 53, was denied bail by a second judge on Wednesday, September 18, meaning he could be calling the notorious facility home until his federal trial on sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
Former MDC, Brooklyn warden Cameron Lindsay told TMZ that Diddy's star status and the nature of the allegations against him make him a target among other inmates, some of whom might consider killing the rapper a "badge of honor." If he was kept in the facility's general population, Diddy's life would be in danger.
MDC, Brooklyn is used to house arrestees prior to their trials and has been described as “hell on Earth" due to its poor conditions. The facility has been home to other high-profile detainees including R. Kelly, Ghislaine Maxwell and NXIVM sex cult founder Keith Raniere while awaiting their federal trials.
The jail is the only federal facility in the New York City area, and the "I'll Be Missing You" artist has been held there since Tuesday, September 17, when a judge denied him bail at his arraignment. A second judge denied Diddy's lawyer's appeal of the bond denial the following day.
Diddy was arrested on Monday, September 16, and charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution. He pled not guilty the following day in court after the grand jury's indictment was unsealed.
The arrest followed a months-long investigation by federal authorities and saw the Bad Boy Records founder's mansions in Los Angeles and Miami, Florida, raided in March.
The grand jury found that Diddy had abused, threatened and coerced women and others around him to “fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct” for years.
The indictment accused Diddy of being verbally, physically and sexually abusive. Prosecutors detailed “Freak Offs” that Diddy arranged between women he allegedly manipulated to participate and male sex workers.
Even though Diddy was willing to offer up his $48 million Miami home and his mother's house as collateral towards bail, federal prosecutors successfully argued to Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky that he needed to be kept in custody. They claimed he had previously reached out to witnesses and could do it again if out on bail and potentially obstruct the case.
Prosecutors also cited Diddy's wealth and access to private planes, which made him a potential flight risk.
In a letter to the judge, prosecutors said Diddy “poses a significant risk of obstructing justice. As reflected by the gravity of the charges in the Indictment, the defendant is dangerous and poses an ongoing threat to the safety of the community.”
The day after the judge denied Diddy's proposed $50 million bond package, In Touch exclusively obtained the letter submitted by his lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, outlining other bail conditions the musician would have been willing to submit to. They included weekly drug tests and restricting female visitors to his Miami mansion.
If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.
