(GoRealNewsNow.com) – After being charged with leading a criminal sex-trafficking empire that spanned over a decade, rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs was denied bail.
Prosecutors described him as “a serial abuser and a serial obstructor” for forcing women into drugged-up sex shows.
Combs remained expressionless as Manhattan federal Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky ordered him to remain in custody.
During the nearly two-hour hearing, the rapper sat without handcuffs, dressed casually in a black T-shirt and dark gray sweatpants, occasionally sipping from a Fiji water bottle.
Tarnofsky agreed with federal prosecutors, who argued that Combs posed “an extreme danger to the community.”
“Simply put, he is a serial abuser and a serial obstructor,” said prosecutor Emily Johnson.
Johnson went on to describe Combs’ “extensive and exhaustive history of obstructing justice,” referencing claims that he tried to bribe a hotel security officer to cover up a 2016 assault on his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura.
Diddy, arrested this week at a New York hotel, has pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and transportation for prostitution.
If convicted of sex trafficking, he faces a minimum of 15 years in prison, with a possibility of life behind bars.
Moreover, the accusations include forcing women into “Freak Offs” with male prostitutes while Combs masturbated and recorded the sessions, some lasting days.
Prosecutors also claim that Combs has repeatedly tried to obstruct justice by persuading witnesses to lie in order to protect his image.
Johnson pointed out that the artist allegedly attempted to destroy surveillance footage of him assaulting Ventura.
During his arrest, law enforcement found bags of pink powder in Combs’ hotel room. While investigators are still waiting for test results, Johnson stated the bags resembled ecstasy.
Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, requested his client be released on a $50 million bond with home detention and electronic monitoring. Agnifilo argued that Combs had flown from Miami to New York on September 5 with plans to “turn himself in.”
In addition, Agnifilo tried to shift some blame onto “Victim-1,” a reference to Ventura. He stated that Combs and Ventura “were in love” during their ten-year relationship, though both had cheated.
He alleged that their fight, caught on camera, began when Ventura hit Combs after discovering evidence of his infidelity on his phone. Combs pleaded not guilty to the charges and faces up to life in prison if convicted.
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