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Sean “Diddy” Combs again denied bail in the sex trafficking case less than a week after he petitioned the judge and blew kisses to the family in court


Sean “Diddy” Combs again denied bail in the sex trafficking case less than a week after he petitioned the judge and blew kisses to the family in court

Sean “Diddy” Combs was denied bail again Wednesday in his sex trafficking case – his third failed attempt to be released from a Brooklyn jail before Thanksgiving.

Manhattan Federal Court Judge Arun Subramanian rejected the disgraced music mogul’s latest motion, saying in a ruling: “The Court finds that the government has established by clear and convincing evidence that no condition or combination of conditions will adequately ensure the safety of the community.”

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

Combs, who has been behind bars since his arrest in September, requested his release on $50 million bail, including house arrest with 24/7 security.

But prosecutors successfully argued that he couldn’t be trusted – and said he had already tried to interfere with their ongoing investigation by contacting potential witnesses from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

Subramanian agreed, saying: “There is evidence that there is 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 last in court on Friday and blew kisses to his relatives.

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

Combs is facing extensive racketeering and sex trafficking charges for abusing women and forcing them to perform “Freak Off” performances to fulfill his sick “sexual desires.” The indictment alleges he watched and masturbated at the “elaborate and staged sex performances” and allegedly filmed them to use as leverage against his victims.

Combs also repeatedly attempted to “obstruct justice,” the officials argued, including by allegedly attempting to bribe a hotel security guard to cover up the Ventura attack.

“It strains credibility to believe that Combs will stop engaging in criminal behavior and comply with his release conditions,” prosecutors said in a court filing earlier this month.

Federal authorities also argued that releasing Combs would allow the wealthy music mogul to buy his way out of prison by “paying for a private prison” – amounting to a “two-tier” justice system prohibited by federal bail rules.

Combs’ lawyers had argued that the facility in the mysterious Upper East Side apartment – whose address they redacted in court records – would be secure enough to ensure Combs did not tamper with witnesses.

The fallen rapper was last in court on Friday and blew kisses to his relatives. AP

Combs will not have access to a cell phone as part of the bond, attorneys claimed in court papers. A member of the security detail will keep 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 for continuing to force Mr. Combs to prepare for trial
from prison,” one of his attorneys, Alexandra Shapiro, wrote to the court, adding that federal authorities have not demonstrated that “the extremely restrictive conditions proposed are insufficient to prevent any possible danger or disability.”

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

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

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

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