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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has been denied bail – again – in a sex trafficking case, less than a week after petitioning the judge and kissing family in court
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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has been denied bail – again – in a sex trafficking case, less than a week after petitioning the judge and kissing family in court

Sean “Diddy” Combs was again denied bail Wednesday in his sex trafficking case — his third failed attempt to get out of a Brooklyn lockup ahead of Thanksgiving.

Judge Arun Subramanian of Manhattan federal court denied the disgraced music mogul’s latest request, saying in a ruling: “The Court finds that the government has demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that no condition or combination of conditions of the community can reasonably guarantee. ”

Sean “Diddy” Combs was again denied bail Wednesday in his sex trafficking case. REUTERS

Combs, who has been behind bars since his arrest in September, asked to be released on a $50 million bond that includes home confinement with 24/7 security.

However, prosecutors successfully argued that he could not be trusted. They said he has already attempted to interfere with their ongoing investigation by contacting potential witnesses at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

Subramanian agreed, saying: “There is evidence to support a serious risk of witness tampering.”

He also pointed to the disturbing 2016 video of Combs beating his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a hotel hallway as “direct evidence of Combs’ violence.”

The fallen rapper was in court for the last time on Friday and blew kisses to his family members.

It was Combs’ third attempt to get out of a Brooklyn lockup in time for Thanksgiving. Paul Martinka

Combs is facing a sweeping racketeering and sex trafficking charge in which he abuses women and forces them to participate in “Freak Off” performances to fulfill his sick “sexual desires.” He watched and masturbated during the “elaborate and produced sex performances” and allegedly filmed them to use as leverage against his victims, the indictment said.

Combs also repeatedly attempted to “obstruct the course of justice,” the FBI argued, including by trying to bribe a hotel security official to cover up the attack on Ventura.

“It strains credulity to believe that Combs will desist from criminal conduct and comply with the conditions of release,” prosecutors said in a court filing earlier this month.

The FBI also argued that releasing Combs would allow the wealthy music mogul to buy his way out of custody by “paying for a private prison” — which amounts to a “two-tiered” justice system barred by federal bail rules.

Combs’ attorneys had argued that the setup in the mysterious Upper East Side apartment — whose address they redacted in court filings — would be secure enough to ensure Combs wouldn’t tamper with witnesses.

The fallen rapper was in court for the last time on Friday and blew kisses to his family members. AP

Combs will not have access to a cell phone as part of the bail package, attorneys claim in court filings. A member of the security force will hold his phone and keep a written log of all outgoing and incoming text messages and calls, the lawyers wrote.

“There is no legitimate legal basis to continue to force Mr. Combs to prepare for trial
out of jail,” one of his attorneys, Alexandra Shapiro, wrote to the court, adding that the FBI has not shown that “the highly restrictive proposed conditions are insufficient to prevent any potential danger or obstruction.”

Prosecutors had countered that no security team would be able to prevent Combs from violating the terms of his release.

“The defendant, simply put, cannot be trusted,” prosecutor Christine Slavik said during a Nov. 22 court hearing.

Subramanian’s decision comes after two other federal judges previously refused to grant Combs bail.