Sean 'Diddy' Combs denied bail amid witness tampering allegations in federal sex trafficking case

Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been denied bail for the second time after prosecutors presented new evidence of alleged witness tampering. The music mogul, who faces federal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, was accused of repeatedly contacting individuals involved in his case. Prosecutors allege that Combs attempted to influence Kalenna Harper, a former protégé, by contacting her 58 times in four days following a lawsuit filed by her bandmate, Dawn Richard. The lawsuit accuses Combs of groping and threatening Richard during their time in the group Diddy – Dirty Money.

Prosecutors claimed in court that Combs stopped contacting Harper after she made a public statement denying some of Richard’s allegations. "This incident is just one way of making clear that this defendant has the ongoing ability to keep witnesses... in his pocket," Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson told the court. Combs' legal team argued that the communication was not obstructive and was simply a matter of "two witnesses having divergent recollections of similar events."

Despite his defense team offering a $50 million bond for his release, U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter Jr. upheld the decision to deny bail, citing concerns about witness tampering and public safety. Prosecutors also noted that Combs contacted other witnesses who received grand jury subpoenas, further demonstrating his influence over individuals involved in the case.

Combs, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, is accused of running a criminal enterprise that engaged in sex trafficking and other crimes. The indictment alleges he orchestrated events, referred to as “freak offs,” involving drugged women and male prostitutes.