Diddy expected to appear before trial judge in sex trafficking case
NEW YORK - Sean "Diddy" Combs is set to appear in Manhattan federal court Thursday after being held at a Brooklyn jail on federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to the charges filed last month based on allegations dating back to 2008.
Since his arrest on Sept. 16, Combs' legal team has been working tirelessly to secure his release on bail and get him out of what they’ve described as a "hell on earth" jail.
Diddy in court today
The hearing is expected to establish deadlines for both sides' lawyers to submit arguments, setting the framework for Diddy's trial in April or May.
Prosecutors have not indicated a specific trial timeline preference.
The judge was reassigned to the case following recusal by another judge due to prior associations with the involved lawyers.
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New Diddy allegations involve 9-year-old boy, pregnant woman: attorney
"I quit the industry because of what Sean Combs did to me." These allegations against Diddy, which include rape, assault, and drugging minors, were outlined by Lead Counsel Tony Buzbee from The Buzbee Law Firm and Ava Law Group.
Will Diddy be released?
Two judges have concluded that Diddy would be a threat to the community if released.
At a bail hearing three weeks ago, a judge denied a $50 million bail offer, which included home detention and electronic monitoring, after deciding that Combs could interfere with witnesses and obstruct an ongoing investigation.
On Tuesday, Combs' lawyers appealed to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, asking the judges to overturn the bail decisions.
They argued that the proposed bail package would effectively prevent him from being a danger or contacting witnesses. They also urged the court to dismiss the lower court's decision, claiming the judge had accepted the government's exaggerated claims and ordered Combs' detention.
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Diddy's alleged 1,000 bottles of baby oil, 'Freak Off' parties explained
During the search of Diddy's homes, authorities seized narcotics, AR-15s with defaced serial numbers, and over 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant allegedly used for his "Freak Off" parties.
What did Diddy do?'
In a blistering 3-count indictment, Diddy is accused of running an enterprise to fulfill his sexual desires.
From around 2008 and for years, he allegedly assaulted women by striking, punching, dragging, throwing objects, and kicking them.
The indictment claims he operated under "The Combs Enterprise," which includes Bad Boy Entertainment, Combs Enterprises, and Combs Global, involving individuals and activities affecting interstate and foreign commerce.
It also details Diddy's "Freak Off parties," where he and his associates allegedly lured female victims and then coerced them into sex acts with commercial sex workers.
Diddy faces racketeering, sex trafficking by force, and transportation to engage in prostitution charges.
Diddy, 51, also faces potential litigation in a handful of civil suits and one criminal lawsuit.