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Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested Monday night and indicted on federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges that accuse him of hitting and abusing women for over a decade and presiding over an empire of sexual crimes.
In a federal indictment unsealed Tuesday, Combs was charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. The charges are tied to so-called “freak offs,” coerced sex acts that Combs allegedly orchestrated and recorded.
Standing to speak, after listening to the allegations while showing little reaction, his uncuffed hands folded in his lap, Combs pleaded not guilty.
The judge denied Combs bail and ordered he be sent to jail while awaiting trail.
In deciding to deny Combs bail, Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky said she has “very significant concerns” about Combs’ substance abuse and “what appears to be anger issues.”
Tarnofsky said she considered alternatives but doesn’t think it’s sufficient because so much of what’s alleged happened behind closed doors.
Earlier, Combs offered to post a US$50 million bond to be released from custody and also offered to wear a GPS monitor while limiting travel to New York City and Miami, according to a proposed bail package filed by his defence team.
Detailing allegations dating back to 2009, the indictment accuses him of abusing, threatening and coercing women for years “to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct.”
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, whose office is bringing the case, spoke about the allegations against Combs at a news conference Tuesday morning, mentioning the “freak offs” at least five times in under 20 minutes.
“Combs allegedly planned and controlled the sex performances, which he called ‘freak offs’ and he often electronically recorded them,” Williams told reporters, saying that federal prosecutors claimed they seized more than 1,000 bottles of personal lubricant and baby oil from Combs’ property and that these were used in the sex acts.
“The ‘freak offs’ sometimes lasted days at a time, involved multiple commercial sex workers, and often involved a variety of narcotics such as ketamine, ecstasy and GHB, which Combs distributed to the victims to keep them obedient and compliant,” Williams explained.
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Combs is also accused of hitting, kicking and throwing objects at victims, causing injuries that often took weeks to heal. It’s also alleged that he choked his victims, dragged them by their hair and threw people around.
Standing in front of a display board, Williams also shared images of some of the items authorities say were recovered in the searches, including AR-15s and a drum magazine containing dozens of rounds of ammunition.
Williams said two of the three AR-15s were taken from Combs’ bedroom closet in his Miami home, and had been broken down into parts. He said the serial numbers on the guns had been obscured.
“To carry out this conduct, Sean Combs led and participated in a racketeering conspiracy that used the business empire he controlled to carry out criminal activity, including sex trafficking, forced labour, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and the obstruction of justice,” Williams said in remarks that echoed the three-count indictment.
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The indictment alleges that, unbeknownst to his victims, Combs would sometimes keep videos he filmed of the women engaging in sex acts. Combs used the recordings “as collateral to ensure the continued obedience and silence of the victims,” the indictment said.
As the threat of criminal charges loomed, Combs and his associates also pressured witnesses and victims to stay silent by attempting to bribe them and providing them with a false narrative of events, according to the indictment.
Prosecutors also said that Combs’ employees and associates were witness to the violence and depraved acts, but often worked with the rap star to help cover up his crimes, including preventing victims from leaving, or tracking down those that attempted to flee.
They also allege that Combs’ employees helped their boss pull off the “freak offs” by booking hotel rooms, arranging travel and stocking the rooms with lubricants, linens and lighting, IV fluids and illicit drugs. Prosecutors said employees would clean the rooms when the sex acts, which could last days, were finished.
In one such 2012 incident, held inside a Manhattan hotel, Combs had to pay more than “$46,000 to cover damages to a penthouse room following a freak off,” the prosecution said.
Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, addressed the indictment and arrest of his client earlier Tuesday, telling reporters that Combs would not plead guilty and insisted upon his innocence.
“Obviously, he’s going to fight this with all of his energy and all of his might and the full confidence of his lawyers,” said Agnifilo. “And I expect a long battle with a good result for Mr. Combs.”
Over the past year, Combs has been sued by multiple people who say he subjected them to physical or sexual abuse.
— With files from The Associated Press
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If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse or is involved in an abusive situation, please visit the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime for help. They are also reachable toll-free at 1-877-232-2610.
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