Sean “Diddy” Combs remains in custody: Judge denies bail again

For the fallen hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs (55), his time behind bars continues for the time being. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian also denied the rapper’s fourth request for bail and conditions on Wednesday, court documents show. The US media reports this unanimously. Even an offer of $50 million couldn’t change the judge’s mind.

Just late last week, a request from Combs’ lawyers that he wait for trial under house arrest on a private island in Florida instead of in custody was rejected. Justice Subramanian had dismissed this saying “It won’t work”. As an alternative, it was suggested that Sean “Diddy” Combs could stay in an apartment in Manhattan – under constant surveillance by security guards and without access to the Internet or telephone. This alternative proposal has now also been rejected.

“No condition or combination of conditions will adequately ensure the safety of the community,” said presiding judge Subramanian in his written reasoning. The public prosecutor’s office had previously made a serious allegation that the musician tried to contact witnesses while in custody in order to influence them. He is also said to have used unauthorized communication channels.

Combs was arrested in September 2024 and has been in custody in the New York City borough of Brooklyn ever since. The indictment accuses the founder of Bad Boy Records of sexually abusing women and men over the years and using a network of employees to put them under pressure. He is said not to have shied away from kidnapping, arson and physical violence. The rapper protests his innocence and speaks of consensual relationships.

The trial against the three-time Grammy winner is scheduled to begin on May 5, 2025. In addition to the criminal charges, Combs also faces several civil lawsuits. A lawyer said in October that his firm represented more than 100 alleged victims. If convicted, Combs faces life in prison.