By Blessing Nweke
Sean “Diddy” Combs has been denied bail and remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to charges including racketeering, sex trafficking by force, and transportation to engage in prostitution. A New York federal judge determined that the 54-year-old hip-hop mogul, arrested on Monday, poses a significant flight risk.
Prosecutors allege that Combs operated a criminal enterprise since 2008, using drugs and violence to coerce women into fulfilling his sexual demands. The 14-page indictment details accusations of abuse, coercion, and creating a criminal organization involved in sex trafficking, forced labor, and other crimes. If convicted, Combs could face a sentence ranging from 15 years to life in prison.
During his court appearance, Combs, dressed in a black T-shirt and grey sweatpants, proclaimed his innocence. His defense attorney, Marc Agnifilo, announced plans to appeal the bail decision, labeling the prosecution as unjust and expressing full confidence in Combs’s innocence. Agnifilo criticized the allegations as baseless and denied that Combs had engaged in criminal behavior.
The indictment accuses Combs of orchestrating “Freak Offs,” extended sexual sessions involving controlled substances to ensure victim compliance. Federal agents, during recent raids on Combs’s properties, reportedly discovered firearms, ammunition, and over 1,000 bottles of lubricant, with additional findings of defaced semi-automatic rifles and a drum magazine.
This legal battle adds to a string of past allegations against Combs, including a civil lawsuit filed last November by his ex-girlfriend, Casandra Elizabeth Ventura, who accused him of violent abuse. The high-profile music mogul has seen significant damage to his reputation, including the return of a ceremonial key to New York City and the revocation of an honorary degree from Howard University.
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