Sean Diddy Combs faces another setback: Federal judge rejects $50 million package. What's next for US music mogul?

Sean 'Diddy' Combs, US rapper and music mogul, was denied bail for the third time after a judge rejected his last attempt to release him. The rapper and music producer now awaits trial on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.

Sean Diddy was denied bail by Indian-origin judge Arun Subramanian on Wednesday. "For the following reasons, Combs's motion is DENIED -- no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the safety of the community," federal judge Arun Subramanian said in an order.

His decision followed a two-hour court hearing on Friday where he appeared to explore potential options and questioned prosecutors’ allegation that Combs continued to obstruct the ongoing investigation, as per CNN.


“The Court finds that the government has shown by clear and convincing evidence that no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the safety of the community,” the judge wrote in a five-page order.

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When will Sean Diddy walk out of jail?

Sean 'Diddy' Combs' will remain behind the bars till he awaits his trial as the judge denied his request for a $50 million bail package. According to reports, the judge referred to Diddy on the alleged use of firearms, kidnapping, violence and arson, and also noted evidence of attempts to hide communications with people whom he was barred from contacting.

US District Judge Arun Subramanian concluded the court could not trust Sean Combs if released on bail. Prosecutors argued that Combs could not be trusted on bail as he violated the rules of the jail and judge. They said he posed a danger to women and was tampering with witnesses – even while in federal custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center.

Judges had already denied bail twice for the rapper -- real name Sean Combs -- and prosecutors alleged in opposing the third bid that the rapper and producer has contacted witnesses and used unauthorized communications platforms while incarcerated.

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The court reportedly noted that Diddy had violated the prison rules for communication, by allegedly paying other inmates to use their phone access codes and also allegedly instructed his lawyers and family to use three-way calls to bypass the monitoring.

In a recent court filing, prosecutors accused the rap mogul of misusing jail communications to influence witnesses in his case and coercing others in his orbit to post online in order to sway public opinion and benefit his defence.

What's next for Sean Diddy Combs?

The attorneys for Sean Diddy Combs have called for his release, arguing that private security would provide more restrictions on Combs than federal jail. They said Combs needed to be free to help prepare his defense against the criminal charges and roughly 30 civil lawsuit alleging sexual abuse.

They identified a three-bedroom apartment on Manhattan’s Upper East Side where they argued he would be surrounded by security 24/7 to monitor visits and phone calls. Under their proposed bail package, Combs would also post a $50 million bond. During Friday’s hearing the judge scoffed at the suggestion that Combs could stay at his home in Miami with a boat dock, saying that’s “not going to work.”

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Sean Diddy Combs was arrested in September and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and prostitution-related charges. He has pleaded not guilty and will go to trial on May 5.

Combs was previously denied bail by two other federal judges who found there were no conditions that would assure them that he wouldn’t try to obstruct the investigation or be a threat to the community. Combs initially appealed one of those rulings and then asked the appeals court to put that on hold while tried again with Judge Subramanian, who was transferred the case.

Public allegations have been building against the Grammy winner since late last year, when singer Cassie, whose real name is Casandra Ventura, alleged Combs subjected her to more than a decade of coercion by physical force and drugs as well as a 2018 rape.