Hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was placed in federal custody on Tuesday, September 17, after a judge denied him bail in his s*x abuse case.
Combs, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of s*x trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution, will be held in pretrial detention at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn.
The MDC, which houses around 1,600 inmates awaiting trial, became New York City’s main federal detention facility in 2021 following the closure of the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan. The former facility was notorious for its poor conditions, notably including the death of Jeffrey Epstein.
In their bail motion, Combs’ attorneys highlighted the dire conditions at the MDC, referencing recent incidents including the murder of Uriel Whyte and the death of Edwin Cordero, both of which they attributed to the jail’s overcrowded, understaffed, and neglected environment. They also reported issues like cockroaches in the food and mold in the showers, describing the conditions as “dreadful” and “inhuman.”
Despite these concerns, Combs’ defense team remains committed to appealing the judge’s decision to deny bail. Attorney Marc Agnifilo declared, “Mr. Combs is a fighter—he will fight this until the end. He is innocent and determined to clear his name.”
If convicted, Combs faces a maximum life sentence for racketeering charges and a mandatory minimum of 15 years for s*x trafficking.
