Current:Home > FinanceSean “Diddy” Combs Moved Into Same Jail Housing Unit as Disgraced Exec Sam Bankman-Fried -MoneyMatrix
Sean “Diddy” Combs Moved Into Same Jail Housing Unit as Disgraced Exec Sam Bankman-Fried
View
Date:2025-04-13 21:33:31
Sean “Diddy” Combs is not the only high-profile bunkmate in his jail unit.
As he awaits trial on charges of sex trafficking and more, the music mogul is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, in the same unit as disgraced cryptocurrency entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried sources told NBC News.
According to the outlet, three sources familiar with the matter say the area where both men are being held is reserved for detainees who require special protection.
E! News has reached out to Combs' legal team for comment and has not heard back.
Bankman-Fried, who was accused of orchestrating one of the biggest cryptocurrency frauds in history through his company FTX, was found guilty of fraud in November 2023. Despite being sentenced to 25 years in prison in March, he’s being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in order to have easier access to his lawyers as he appeals his conviction, NBC News reports.
For his part, Combs was arrested Sept. 16 and charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution, according to an unsealed indictment obtained by NBC News. The “I’ll Be Missing You” rapper, who has pleaded not guilty on all charges, was denied bail by a judge and was placed on suicide watch upon entering the detention center.
However, a source with knowledge confirmed with E! News last week that this is a common practice for high-profile individuals upon admittance to a federal facility and is not indicative of mental state.
Combs’ lawyer Marc Agnifilo told TMZ, that after spending hours with the Bad Boy Entertainment founder in federal lockup, he viewed his client as "not at all suicidal,” calling him, "strong, healthy, confident and focused on his defense."
For more details on Combs’ legal troubles, read on.
(E! and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)
Federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed search warrants at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Los Angeles and Miami properties on March 25, multiple law enforcement sources confirmed to NBC News.
The sources told the outlet the warrant was out of the Southern District of New York, and a spokesperson for HSI New York confirmed to E! News it “executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners.”
Law enforcement sources told NBC News the music mogul was in the Miami area when the search warrants were executed.
News about the investigation broke after Combs faced allegations of sexual misconduct in lawsuits filed by multiple accusers starting in November, with the musician denying the allegations.
“Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday,” he wrote in a December statement posted on Instagram. “Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”
The day after HSI executed the search warrants at Combs' L.A. and Miami properties, his lawyer spoke out.
"Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs' residences," attorney Aaron Dyer said in a March 26 statement to E! News. "There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated."
Dyer noted Combs “was never detained but spoke to and cooperated with authorities.”
“Despite media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested nor has their ability to travel been restricted in any way,” his lawyer's statement continued. “This unprecedented ambush—paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence—leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits.”
And Dyer expressed Combs' intent to defend himself.
“There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations,” he added. “Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name.”
As for what actually went down during the searches, multiple law enforcement sources familiar with the warrant told NBC News authorities with the Department of Homeland Security seized phones from Combs’ home in Miami before he was scheduled to travel to the Bahamas, and several sources familiar with the matter added that guns were discovered during the search.
One source familiar with the matter also told NBC News three women and one man were interviewed by prosecutors and investigators from the Southern District of New York about allegations of sex trafficking, sexual assault, the solicitation and distribution of illegal narcotics and firearms purportedly tied to Combs.
On the same day the search warrants were executed at Combs’ Miami and Los Angeles properties, one of his associates, Brendan Paul, was arrested by the Miami-Dade police on suspicion of drug possession, a law enforcement source familiar with the matter told NBC News.
According to the Miami-Dade arrest affidavit obtained by the outlet, Paul was taken into custody for allegedly possessing suspected cocaine and suspected marijuana candy.
Prison records obtained by NBC News show Paul was released on March 26 after posting bond.
“We do not plan on trying this case in the media,” Paul’s attorney Brian Bieber said in a statement obtained by the outlet, “all issues will be dealt with in court.”
In May, Paul accepted a plea deal, with his lawyer Bieber telling People, "Brendan accepted the prosecutor’s offer to permit his entry into the diversion program which, after completion, the case against him will be dismissed in its entirety."
He was arrested in the lobby of a New York hotel on Sept. 16, 2024, according to NBC News. It's unclear what Combs has been charged with and if the arrest has any potential connection to the raids.
“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office," his lawyer Marc Agnifilo said in a statement to E! News. "He is an imperfect person but Is not criminal. To his credit Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges."
After Combs was arrested based on the sealed indictment, the indictment was unsealed on Sept. 17.
The 54-year-old was charged with racketeering conspiracy; sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; as well as transportation to engage in prostitution, according to court documents obtained by NBC News.
The indictment alleged Combs “abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct” for more than a decade, with prosecutors saying the purported behavior started around 2008.
"To do so," the documents stated, "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."
According to NBC News, Combs pleaded not guilty and was denied bail.
“He’s going to fight this with all of his energy and all of his might,” his attorney Marc Agnifilo told reporters outside the courthouse prior to the arraignment, “and the full confidence of his lawyers."
Following his arrest, Combs was held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center where he was denied a $50 million bond. The music mogul was also placed on suicide watch, which a source told E! News is a customary procedure for high-profile inmates.
He was assigned the same area of the jail as cryptocurrency fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried, a source told NBC News.
veryGood! (4875)
Related
- Krispy Kreme offers a free dozen Grinch green doughnuts: When to get the deal
- Christopher Eccleston alleges A-list actress falsely accused him of 'copping a feel' on set
- Charles Osgood, longtime CBS host on TV and radio, has died at 91
- TurboTax maker Intuit barred from advertising ‘free’ tax services without disclosing who’s eligible
- Don't let hackers fool you with a 'scam
- Yelp's Top 100 US Restaurants of 2024 list is out: See the full list
- Nebraska lawmaker announces Democratic bid for Congress, says Republicans bend to ‘vocal minority’
- Just 1 in 10 workers in the U.S. belonged to labor unions in 2023, a record low
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Lawsuit says Minnesota jail workers ignored pleas of man before he died of perforated bowel
Ranking
- Trump's 'stop
- Appeals court rejects Trump’s bid to reconsider gag order in the election interference case
- See the full list of Oscar nominations for 2024 Academy Awards
- Narcissists wreak havoc on their parents' lives. But cutting them off can feel impossible.
- DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
- Images of frozen alligators are causing quite a stir online. Are they dead or alive?
- Retired Georgia mascot Uga X dies. 'Que' the bulldog repped two national champion teams.
- Adrian Beltré, Todd Helton and Joe Mauer elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame
Recommendation
Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
NATO signs key artillery ammunition contract to replenish allied supplies and help Ukraine
Kansas lawmakers want a report on last year’s police raid of a newspaper
Mark Ruffalo Shares How He Predicted a Past Benign Brain Tumor
Man can't find second winning lottery ticket, sues over $394 million jackpot, lawsuit says
'Locked in’: Ravens adopted QB Lamar Jackson’s motto while watching him ascend in 2023
Martin Luther King’s daughter recalls late brother as strong guardian of their father’s legacy
Nitrogen hypoxia: Why Alabama's execution of Kenneth Smith stirs ethical controversy.