Hip-hop mogul Diddy has appealed a judge’s decision to deny his release, offering to submit to weekly drug tests and restricting female visitors to only family members amid his s3x trafficking and racketeering case.
The 54-year-old was escorted out of court on Tuesday after New York Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky sided with prosecutors who argued that Diddy posed a significant flight risk and a threat to the community following his Monday night arrest.
In a letter to the judge released on Tuesday, prosecutors stated that prior to his arrest, Diddy had reached out to both victims and witnesses in the case, seeking their “friendship and support,” while sometimes “gaslighting” them into believing “false narratives.”
Diddy’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, proposed a substantial bail package, including a $50 million bond secured by Diddy’s $48 million Miami mansion, the equity in his mother’s Florida condo, and the surrender of his passport and those of his four daughters.
Agnifilo urged the court to “trust” Diddy, highlighting steps he had taken before his arrest to show he wasn’t a flight risk. However, Judge Tarnofsky cited the seriousness of the charges and Diddy’s “anger issues” in denying bail. “Your lawyer asked us to trust you – [I don’t think] you can trust yourself,” she said. “Your lawyer can’t control you.”
Agnifilo filed an appeal on Wednesday, set to be heard by Judge Andrew Carter. Alongside the original bail proposal, he introduced new restrictions to address concerns about Diddy being a danger to the community and contacting victims and witnesses.
Diddy agreed to weekly drug testing following claims by prosecutors that a pink powdery substance, resembling drugs confiscated in a March raid on his Miami mansion, was found in his hotel room after his arrest. However, the substance had not been confirmed at the time.
If released on house arrest, Diddy’s Miami residence would have restricted visitors, limited to “family, property caretakers, and friends who are not co-conspirators.” Agnifilo’s letter to the judge stated that no women, aside from family members and the mothers of his children, would be allowed to visit. Additionally, all visitors would be required to sign a log, which would be submitted to the court each night.
Speaking after Diddy was taken into custody, Agnifilo vowed to fight the ruling. “Mr. Combs is a fighter. He’s going to fight this until the end. He is innocent,” the lawyer said. “We’re going to fight this case with everything we have.”
