Sean’ Diddy’ Combs has been detained without bail after being charged with several sex crimes.
“Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was charged with running a criminal enterprise in a shocking indictment that came out soon after he was arrested in the lobby of the Park Hyatt New York City hotel.
In Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, Combs, who is 54 years old, pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering plot and sex trafficking. His desire for a $50 million bail was turned down, and he was arrested right after the hearing.
Combs is being charged with racketeering plot, sex trafficking through force, fraud, or coercion, and transporting people to be prostitutes. “If found guilty, he could get at least 15 years in prison and up to life in prison as the maximum punishment.”
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, made the previously sealed indictment public just hours before Combs was scheduled to appear in court, unveiling a series of startling accusations against the once-prominent ‘Bad Boy’ entertainment mogul.
“Freak Offs”
“During his leadership of the organization, officials alleged that Combs and several unnamed associates within the Combs Enterprise employed intimidation tactics to attract female victims, often under the guise of a romantic relationship.
According to the indictment, Combs would then use ‘force, threats of force, and coercion’ to compel these victims into engaging in prolonged sex acts with male sex workers, whom Combs reportedly referred to as ‘Freak Offs’ among other terms.”
“According to the indictment, ‘Freak Offs’ were ‘elaborately staged sex performances’ that Combs organized, directed, and participated in, often recording them electronically.
Combs and his team allegedly arranged for commercial sex workers to be transported across state lines and internationally for these events, which were frequent and could last for several days, typically involving multiple sex workers.”
Combs is said to have given his victims “a variety of controlled substances,” in part to keep them quiet and in line. Combs saved videos of his victims having sex with commercial sex workers, and the victims didn’t always know about it.Following the “Freak Offs,” Combs and his victims “usually received IV fluids to recover from the physical exertion and drug use,” according to the papers.
Fox News Digital spoke with criminal defense lawyer Ally Keegan in San Diego. She said that if the accusations are true, they are “deeply disturbing.”
“What is interesting about the indictment itself is how detailed it is; the government knew this would be high-profile case, and clearly took the time to paint a picture of how Combs allegedly used his media empire to exploit and abuse women,” said Keegan. “That level of graphic detail helps those hearing the allegations for the first time to really picture the depth of the potential conspiracy.”
1,000 Bottles of Baby Oil and Lubricant
Officials told Fox News Digital at the time that Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami were searched on March 25 as part of a federal probe into trafficking in persons.
During the search, police are said to have taken drugs and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant, among other “Freak Off” goods.
“Members and associates of the Combs Enterprise, including high-ranking supervisors, security staff, household staff, personal assistants, and other Combs Business employees, facilitated the Freak Offs by, among other things, booking hotel rooms for the Freak Offs; stocking the hotel rooms in advance with the required Freak Off supplies, including controlled substances, baby oil, lubricant, extra linens, and lighting,” the indictment said.
After the Freak Offs, the employees cleaned hotel rooms to “try to mitigate room damage.” They also set up travel for victims, commercial sex workers, and Combs to and from the Freak Offs, and it’s our job to “resupply Combs with requested supplies.” The members of the team are said to have given Combs large amounts of cash to pay the commercial sex workers and set up times for IV fluids to be supplied.
A partner at Greenberg Glusker and a member of the firm’s Litigation Group, Priya Sopori, was shocked by how many goods were found at Combs’ house.
“Generally speaking, the allegations of a vast criminal conspiracy effectively designed and perpetuated to fulfill the sexual peccadillos of one individual seem pretty shocking in this day and age,” Sopori told Fox News Online. More specifically, the claim that police found more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant has a strong “Ew” factor, as it’s hard to imagine a reason to keep that much on hand. Was there a huge sale at Costco? Most likely not.”
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Firearms
The indictment says that people who worked for Combs Enterprise, including his personal security team, sometimes carried guns. Combs was accused of wanting to “intimidate and threaten others, including victims of his abuse and witnesses to his abuse.”
During the raid on March 25, police took guns and bullets from Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami. They found three AR-15s with tampered serial numbers and a drum magazine.
Members and friends of Combs Enterprise are said to have seen the rapper hurt the victims or be violent toward them without doing anything about it.
Sometimes, people who worked for Combs Enterprise “helped conceal the violence and abuse by, among other things, helping COMBS keep an eye on victims and keep them from leaving places like hotels or COMBS’ homes.” On some of these occasions, a victim had to stay hidden, sometimes for days at a time, to heal from injuries caused by COMBS without being seen by anyone else.
Arson
In the racketeering conspiracy, Combs allegedly did “multiple acts involving arson, chargeable under the following provisions of state law: California Penal Code§ 451 (arson), California Penal Code§§ 21(a), 664 (attempt), California Penal Code § 31 ( aiding and abetting), and California Penal Code § 182 (conspiracy).”
“When employees, witnesses to his abuse, or others threatened Combs’ authority or reputation, Combs and members and associates of the Enterprise engaged in acts of violence, threats of violence, threats of financial and reputational harm, and verbal abuse,” the charge said.
“Some of these violent acts were theft and setting fires. Additionally, Combs threw things and people more than once, as well as hit, dragged, choked, and kicked others.
Officials said Combs “relied on the employees, resources, and influence of the multi-faceted business empire that he led and controlled – creating a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in, and attempted to engage in, among other crimes, sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice.”
Video Evidence
According to the indictment, physical assaults by Combs were ‘frequent and widely recognized.’ It is alleged that Combs physically attacked women by ‘striking, punching, dragging, throwing objects at, and kicking them,’ among other forms of violence.”
“Surveillance footage from a Los Angeles hotel in 2016 allegedly captured the billionaire assaulting his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. The indictment claims the video shows Combs’ kicking, dragging, and throwing a vase at the woman as she tried to leave.’ When a hotel security staff member intervened, Combs reportedly tried to bribe the staffer to keep quiet.
Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor and president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, told Fox News Digital that the video evidence significantly strengthens the case.
‘We’ve all seen the footage of Diddy attacking Cassie, but U.S. Attorney Damian Williams also referenced additional video evidence during his press conference,’ Rahmani noted. ‘Diddy is said to have recorded the ‘Freak Offs,’ according to Cassie and other civil plaintiffs. People can lie, but video evidence is undeniable.'”
Combs Enterprise
“According to the indictment, Combs allegedly operated a network within his ‘Combs Enterprise’ designed to support his global business by ‘preserving, protecting, promoting, and enhancing the power, reputation, and brand of Sean Combs.’
His associates demonstrated their loyalty and met their obligations through ‘violence, use of firearms, threats, coercion, and various forms of abuse, including verbal, emotional, physical, and sexual.’
Furthermore, the indictment claims that these members were also expected to cater to Combs’ personal desires, particularly those related to ‘sexual gratification,’ which included the exploitation of women and the use of commercial sex workers.”
“Keegan stated, ‘RICO charges can be challenging to overcome, even with a talented attorney. The prosecution must prove each element of the RICO case beyond a reasonable doubt. Therefore, Diddy’s best strategy might be to contest either the existence of the supposed criminal organization or argue that the alleged activities do not establish a sufficient pattern of criminal behavior.'”
“Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky ruled on Tuesday that there were ‘no conditions’ under which she could grant bail to Combs.
She noted that sex trafficking is often a covert crime and that monitoring the rapper, even with pre-trial services, would be challenging. While the judge considered alternatives to detention, she determined they would not be adequate. Tarnofsky acknowledged the substantial weight of the evidence against Combs.”
“Combs’ legal team intends to appeal the bail decision.
‘Mr. Combs is determined to fight this case until the end,’ his attorney stated outside the courthouse after the arraignment. ‘He is innocent and came to New York to prove it. He is not intimidated by the charges.'”
Rahmani told Fox News Digital, “I doubt Diddy can prevail. Jurors might suspect a single victim is fabricating claims for a civil lawsuit, but when multiple victims provide consistent accounts supported by video evidence, it becomes overwhelming for jurors to dismiss.”
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