What to know about Combs' arrest
- Music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, who was arrested last night at a hotel in New York City, has been charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.
- At a hearing today in Manhattan, Combs pleaded not guilty. He was denied bail and will remain in custody.
- The charges are tied to "freak offs," coerced sex acts that Combs allegedly orchestrated and recorded, according to a federal indictment.
- A bail appeal hearing has been set for tomorrow afternoon.
- Combs has faced a wave of lawsuits — one as recent as last week — accusing him of sexual assault and misconduct in the past year. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Prosecutors accused Combs of witness tampering
Prosecutors accused Combs of witness tampering, saying at a hearing today that the rap mogul’s employees tried to ensure his ex-girlfriend and hotel employees wouldn’t say anything about a beating at a Los Angeles hotel eight years ago.
Video of the assault, which captured Combs kicking and stomping on the singer Cassie at the InterContinental Hotel in 2016, disappeared from the hotel’s server, prosecutors said.
CNN later obtained video of the attack and published it.
Diddy apologized for the incident, which was part of a lawsuit Cassie filed last year, and called his behavior “inexcusable.”
Prosecutors said they have recordings of Combs telling a bandmate of another woman who has accused Combs of sexual assault in a lawsuit that she didn’t have to worry about anything if she was willing to be on his side.
Authorities found bags of pink powder in Combs' hotel room
Bags of pink powder were found in Sean Combs’ hotel room after he flew to New York on the advice of his lawyer two weeks ago to await arrest, prosecutors said.
The powder was not tested, but the prosecutors said it appeared to be narcotics and that similar bags previously seized at Combs' properties tested positive for drugs including ecstasy.
Authorities have interviewed more than 50 witnesses and collected dozens of cellphones, laptops and hard drives, and they are in possession of video that they say shows the coerced sex acts that Combs is accused of orchestrating.
These were 'consenting adults,' Combs' lawyer says
Sean Combs' defense lawyer argued that his client in no way should be mentioned in the same sentence as some of the nation's most notorious sex criminals.
The music mogul's defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said Combs is not disgraced singer R. Kelly, sex cult leader Keith Raniere or accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
"This is different," he told the court. "These were consenting adults."
Combs isn't guilty of sex trafficking — just cheating, lawyer says
Combs' defense attorney rejected government allegations that his client committed sex trafficking — but conceded the music mogul has been "unfaithful" for "dark periods" over a decade.
“This is evidence, not of sex trafficking, but of being caught being unfaithful," defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo told the court in arguing for his client to be granted bail. "He was in a 10-year loving relationship through dark periods.”
A judge denied bail for Combs, but the defense hopes to get a second shot at the issue during a hearing tomorrow.
Courtroom sketches show Combs at first hearing
Defense lawyer still hopes to get bail for Combs
Sean Combs' defense lawyer still hopes he can get bail for his client, who is committed to "fight" for his innocence.
All parties will be back in court at 3:30 tomorrow afternoon to revisit bail, as Combs prepares for trial on three federal charges tied to alleged sex abuse.
"Mr. Combs is a fighter. He’s going to fight this to the end. He’s innocent. He came to New York to establish his innocence," defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo said outside court.
"He’s not afraid. He’s not afraid of the charges," Agnifilo said. "There’s nothing that the government said in their presentation today that changes anyone’s mind about anything.”
Combs wanted to surrender before his arrest, lawyer claims
Sean Combs' defense lawyer said his client was prepared to surrender to authorities before he was taken into custody last night.
"The government didn't want him to turn himself in. He came here to turn himself in," Combs' defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo told reporters outside court, shortly after a judge denied his client bail.
"So they go in there and arrest him," Agnifilo said. "They arrested a guy who came to New York to turn himself in."
Combs shows little emotion during first court appearance
A solemn Sean Combs showed few facial expressions in his first appearance before a judge after his arrest on three federal charges connected to alleged sex abuse.
Combs wore a black T-shirt, sweatpants and Air Jordan sneakers to court, where at least three of his sons and eight other family members came to support him.
The government argued detention is warranted because of the serious charges Combs faces. The prosecution said Combs is an extreme danger to the community and a flight risk because of his wealth.
Combs pleads not guilty, will remain in custody after judge denies bail
A judge denied bail for Sean "Diddy" Combs after the music mogul pleaded not guilty to three federal charges connected to alleged sex abuse.
Assessing the ‘dangerousness’ of Combs and the charges against him
Sean “Diddy” Combs was charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and prostitution transportation. MSNBC legal analyst Lisa Rubin, former prosecutor Kristen Gibbons Feden and former federal prosecutor Kristy Greenberg join Chris Jansing to provide more insight on the charges.