Judge denies Diddy’s $50m bail bid, orders him jailed until sentencing

Sean “Diddy” Combs fails in latest bail bid as judge rules he must remain behind bars

Sean “Diddy” Combs has lost yet another attempt to secure release from custody ahead of his sentencing in October, after a federal judge rejected arguments from his legal team that his case was “exceptional” and warranted bail.

On Monday, 4 August 2025, Judge Arun Subramanian ruled that the disgraced music mogul, 55, would remain incarcerated at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center until his sentencing on 3 October. The decision follows a series of failed bail requests since his September 2024 arrest.

In a strongly worded order, Judge Subramanian wrote:
“Combs fails to meet his burden by clear and convincing evidence for the reasons set forth on the record at the July 2 hearing. Increasing the bond amount or imposing new conditions does not change the calculus given the circumstances and heavy burden of proof he bears. On this basis alone, Combs’s application is denied.”

The ruling also addressed concerns raised by Combs’s lawyers about prison conditions, including threats from other inmates. The judge noted that staff at the facility had thus far kept him safe and met his needs, even during incidents of potential violence.

This latest rejection came despite a surprise letter of support from Virginia “Gina” Huynh, one of Combs’s former girlfriends and a woman identified as “Victim-3” during the trial. In her statement, filed on 3 August, Huynh said she did not consider Combs a threat.
“I do not view Mr. Combs as a danger to me or the community,” she wrote. “This is his first criminal case. He has been cooperative and respectful throughout proceedings. Granting him bond would allow him to continue caring for his family.”

Prosecutors, however, strongly opposed any release. In their written submission to the court on 31 July, they argued:
“The defendant’s detention pending sentencing is mandatory. There are no exceptional circumstances justifying his release, and he cannot demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that he is not a danger to the community.”

Combs’s legal team had earlier offered a $50 million bond secured against his Miami home, with strict conditions including home detention, electronic monitoring, mental health treatment, and private security at his own expense. They argued his conduct did not resemble traditional cases prosecuted under the Mann Act, which bars transporting individuals across state lines for prostitution.

“There has never been a case like this one,” his attorneys wrote, describing the charges as rooted in consensual adult arrangements tied to what they called a “swingers lifestyle”. They insisted Combs should not be jailed under such circumstances.

But the jury’s verdict on 2 July delivered a blow to the defence. After a six-week trial, Combs was convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He was acquitted on charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking.

Key testimony came from Combs’s ex-partner Cassie Ventura, who told the court she suffered years of abuse during their relationship. Her lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, urged the court in July to keep Combs detained, warning he posed a danger to victims and to the wider community.

Judge Subramanian agreed, citing both the seriousness of the offences and Combs’s failure to demonstrate the “exceptional reasons” required for bail between conviction and sentencing.

Combs has remained behind bars at MDC Brooklyn since his arrest nearly a year ago. Unless an appeal succeeds, he will stay there until his sentencing in October, where he faces a possible 20-year prison term.