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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs to remain jailed without bail in sex trafficking case: judge
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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs to remain jailed without bail in sex trafficking case: judge

Sean “Diddy” Combs must be held without bail until his trial in a case in which he is accused of abusing women, including by forcing them to participate in Freak Off sex sessions.

Manhattan federal Judge Robyn Tarnofsky made the ruling after a nearly two-hour hearing in which prosecutors and lawyers for the hip-hop group argued over whether he should be jailed.

Combs was arrested Monday in a sex trafficking case, accusing him of forcing women to have Freak Offs with male prostitutes while he masturbated and recorded the sometimes days-long sex sessions.

The 54-year-old music producer appeared in court shortly after 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, dressed in a black T-shirt and gray sweatpants. He appeared largely expressionless, occasionally taking sips from a Fijian water bottle.

Federal prosecutor Emily Johnson has asked Tarnofsky to hold Combs in custody, saying he poses an “extreme danger to the community,” including because he is an alleged “serial abuser” and because he has repeatedly attempted to obstruct justice by persuading witnesses to lie and protecting his reputation.

For example, Johnson says Combs attempted to bribe a hotel security guard to cover up an alleged assault on his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura on March 5, 2016. In that incident, Combs also allegedly tried to destroy surveillance footage that was made public earlier this year.

And just last week, Johnson says, Combs sent 58 text messages to former Diddy-Dirty Money singer Kalenna Harper after she was named in a lawsuit Dawn Richard filed against him.

Harper released a statement Friday saying she had never seen the rapper abuse anyone.

Combs “has the ability to keep witnesses in his pocket and at his disposal at all times,” Johnson argued.

And on Monday night, during Combs’ arrest, officers found baggies of pink powder in his hotel room, which Johnson believes is ecstasy.

Johnson said her office was still awaiting test results on the substance, but told the judge the substances resembled bags of pink powder that had previously been identified as a party drug.

After Combs’ attorney Marc Agnifilo — who notably represented now-convicted NXIVM sex cult leader Keith Raniere — said his client flew from his Miami home to the Big Apple on September 5 with plans to “turn himself in.”

Agnifilo attempted to argue that the sexual acts described in the complaint were performed by consenting adults.

Combs has pleaded guilty to the three-count indictment and faces up to life in prison if found guilty.

This is a developing story. Check back for more updates.