The Diddy saga has kicked into high gear this week. The disgraced mogul was arrested on Monday, September 16. He was charged with sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution, in addition to racketeering. Diddy entered a not guilty plea, but was promptly denied bail by the U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky. Both him and U.S. Magistrate Tarnofsky were depicted in a courtroom sketch that has been released online.
The sketch was posted by independent reporter Meghann Cuniff on Twitter. Diddy, real name Sean Combs, can be seen wearing a blue prison shirt. Predictably, the mogul has a dour expression on his face. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams issued a statement requesting that Diddy be denied bail on the grounds that he may try to leave the country. "If released, he remains a serious risk of flight," the U.S. Attorney stated. He also described the Bad Boy founder as being at "a significant risk of obstructing justice."
Diddy's Bail Was Denied Despite Offering $50 Million
U.S. Magistrate Tarnofsky agreed. According to Variety, Tarnofsky considered a number of different alternatives for bail. The judge considered releasing Diddy to house arrest. The mogul even offered a sizable bond amount of $50 million. Ultimately, however, the risk of releasing Diddy was deemed too high. Tarnofsky stated the "presumption in favor of detention has not been rebutted" by the defense. “The defendant’s long history of violent conduct makes clear that even the most stringent bail conditions will not suffice to ensure the safety of the community," she added. The producer's lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, tried to argue against the decision by citing his cooperation up to this point.
The lawyer argued that the mogul has proven himself trustworthy in recent months. He claimed that his client surrendered his passport to authorities. He also claimed that his client has kept the government informed on his domestic travel as an "act of goodwill." None of these acts proved to win over the judge, however. Diddy will be held in custody until his trial gets underway. If convicted, the mogul will face 15 years to life in prison.
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