Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs denied bail after pleading not guilty to sex trafficking and racketeering charges

Sean “Diddy” Combs was denied bail and ordered to jail on Tuesday as he faces charges of sex trafficking and racketeering that were included in a federal indictment unsealed on the same day, alleging that he also engaged in kidnapping, forced labor, bribery and other crimes.

Image: The Shade Room [ Instagram]

Combs, 54, appeared in court in New York and pleaded not guilty, after he was arrested in connection with the charges late on Monday in Manhattan. His apprehension came roughly six months after federal authorities conducting a sex-trafficking investigation raided his homes in Los Angeles and Miami.

This was despite his lawyers offering a $50m bond with the condition of home detention with electronic monitoring if he was released on bail. They said they would appeal against the decision to deny bail.

The indictment detailed allegations dating to 2008 and accused Combs of abusing, threatening and coercing women for years “to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct”.

Combs, formerly known as Puff Daddy and P Diddy, was recognised as one of the most influential figures in hip-hop until November, when former girlfriend, the R&B singer Cassie, filed a lawsuit saying he had beaten and raped her for years.

Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, accused Combs of coercing her, and others, into unwanted sex in drug-fuelled settings.