Diddy denied bail for 3rd time in sex trafficking case

Grammy award-winning artist Sean John Combs, 54, also known by his stage name Diddy, has been denied bail by a New York judge for the third time in his sex trafficking case. Combs has been locked up inside Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center since his September arrest. He is being held without bail.

Combs asked Manhattan Court federal Judge Arun Subramanian to set his bail at $50 million on Wednesday, but the disgraced music mogul's request was rejected. "The Court finds that the government has shown by clear and convincing evidence that no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the safety of the community," the judge ruled, according to court filings.

Prosecutors said before the court that Combs, who also requested 24/7 home surveillance in addition to the hefty bond amount, could not be trusted since he allegedly interfered with their ongoing investigation by contacting prospective witnesses, the New York Post reported

Judge Subramanian agreed and said evidence supports "a serious risk of witness tampering." He then brought up the video of Combs physically assaulting his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura at a California hotel as “direct evidence of [his] violence."

Combs has appointed Marc Agnifilo, a former Manhattan Assistant District Attorney, to represent him in court in connection with federal charges that include racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has entered a plea of not guilty to all charges and will remain in jail throughout his trial.

Prosecutors in the Southern District of New York have accused Combs of hosting elaborate, all-day sex performances that he referred to as "freak-offs," according to the indictment. The singer allegedly coerced his victims into engaging in sexual intercourse with male prostitutes. The indictment claims that Combs administered narcotics and issued threats of violence to his victims in order to coerce them into engaging in sex acts and masturbating during these freak-offs.

In a court filing earlier this month, prosecutors urged against a potential Combs release stating, "It strains credulity to believe that Combs will stop engaging in criminal conduct and abide by conditions of release."