A federal judge on Monday ruled that Sean “Diddy” Combs must remain in custody while awaiting sentencing for his recent conviction on prostitution-related charges, rejecting a $50 million bond request submitted by his legal team.
Judge Arun Subramanian determined that the 55-year-old music producer and entrepreneur did not meet the legal standard for release following his conviction, citing concerns about flight risk and public safety.
Subramanian stated Combs’s attorneys’ request “might have traction in a case that didn’t involve evidence of violence, coercion or subjugation in connection with the acts of prostitution at issue, but the record here contains evidence of all three,” rejecting the argument that Combs’s circumstances warranted an exception to mandatory post-conviction detention.
Combs was arrested in September 2024 and has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since then. Last month, he was acquitted of federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges but was found guilty of two counts related to procuring prostitution. He faces up to 10 years in prison.
Federal sentencing guidelines allow judges significant discretion, and both sides disagree on how the sentencing range applies in this case. Combs is scheduled to be sentenced in October.
Prosecutors alleged that Combs manipulated two former girlfriends into participating in multi-day, drug-fueled sex acts with male escorts while he watched and recorded the encounters. During the trial, several women testified that Combs physically assaulted or sexually abused them.
One piece of video evidence showed Combs attacking his former girlfriend and R&B singer Cassie Ventura, throwing her to the floor, kicking her repeatedly, and dragging her through a hotel hallway.
Combs’s defense team acknowledged his history of outbursts but argued that the relationships in question were consensual and that his conduct did not rise to the level of criminality.
The defense’s latest motion proposed a comprehensive release proposal including house arrest at Combs’s Miami residence, electronic monitoring, private security, mental health treatment, and substance abuse treatment. However, the court found that these measures were insufficient given the nature of the conviction and the evidence presented during the trial.
Subramanian acknowledged that conditions at the Brooklyn detention facility were a serious factor to consider, but concluded that Combs did not demonstrate the kind of health or safety concerns that would override legal requirements for post-conviction detention.
Prosecutors, who have consistently opposed Combs’s release, argue that his history of violence and attempts to downplay recent incidents underscore the continued threat he poses.
