HOLLYWOOD, USA — NOVEMBER 11, 2001: Sean "P. Diddy" Combs aka Puff Daddy at the premiere of the Lion's Gate film "Monster's Ball" at the Chinese Theater, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California — Photo by S. Bukley / Deposit Photos

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Denied Bail

True Crime By Sep 18, 2024

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs stands accused of serious crimes that expose the abusive power and control that characterizes the dark underbelly of fame. A day after his arrest in New York, federal prosecutors leveled charges against Combs, accusing him of running a criminal enterprise that abused men and women. Due to the serious nature of the charges Combs was denied bail. He now faces accusations of sex trafficking, racketeering, and coercive control, with allegations that his empire was built, in part, through the exploitation of vulnerable individuals—particularly women.

The Allegations: A Network of Exploitation

Sean Diddy Combs Accusers and Alleged Victims.
SOME OF DIDDY’S ALLEGED VICTIMS – FROM TOP LEFT: Joi Dickerson Neal (AI-Generated), Lil Rod (Instagram), Kim Porter (Instagram). Bottom row: Gina Huynh (YouTube) Cassandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura (Deposit Photos) Anonymous (Pexels).

According to The New York Times, at the heart of the indictment are accusations that Sean Combs orchestrated what prosecutors describe as a carefully constructed criminal enterprise designed to traffic men and women for sex and use drugs, violence and coercion to keep them compliant. Prosecutors allege that Combs’ businesses, including his music label and various enterprises in fashion and alcohol, were used as a vehicle to enable and conceal his crimes.

According to the indictment, Combs organized events—referred to in the documents as “freak offs”—in which he coerced women into performing sexual acts, often under the influence of narcotics he supplied. These performances allegedly involved male commercial sex workers, some of whom were trafficked across state lines, deepening the legal ramifications of the case. Prosecutors claim these events were not random, but rather meticulously orchestrated by Combs to keep his victims in a state of submission and isolation.

The allegations paint a chilling picture: Combs alleged victims were drugged with substances such as ketamine, GHB, and ecstasy, to make them more “compliant” and easier to manipulate. These drugs weren’t a party favor—they were tools of control, ensuring that the women could neither consent fully nor refuse. The indictment also describes how these performances often lasted for days, with Combs allegedly using physical, emotional, and verbal abuse to enforce their participation.

Combs’ alleged practice of using drugs to sexually exploit his victims and recording with acts without their consent is in line with the claims by Joi Dickerson Neal’s lawsuit.

Allegations of Abusive Power and Control

FORT HOOD – DECEMBER 11, 2010: Sean 'Diddy' Combs performs in Texas, USA – Photo by Shamsuddin Muhammad. Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
FORT HOOD – DECEMBER 11, 2010: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs performs in Texas, USA – Photo by Shamsuddin Muhammad. Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

Beyond the physical abuse, the most insidious part of the allegations is the psycho-emotional control Combs is accused of wielding over his victims. Prosecutors argue that Combs used more than just drugs and violence to keep his victims trapped; he recorded the acts and threatened to use the non-consensual audio-visual media as revenge porn . The “freak off” recordings allegedly made by Combs was used as blackmail. He allegedly threatening to expose and humiliate his victims if they dared to speak out or resist. The indictment highlights how these recordings became a form of coercive control—Combs effectively weaponized shame to maintain his grip over his alleged victims.

The power imbalance between Combs and his victims is stark. He was not only a famous, wealthy man but also someone with considerable cultural and business influence. The people he allegedly exploited were often far less powerful, isolated, and unable to escape his sphere of control. The case is about systemic abuse, where wealth and fame protect the alleged perpetrator, and the victim-survivors are left to pick up the pieces in silence.

A Pattern of Abuse in Plain Sight

Diddy's Los Angeles and Miami Homes Raided by Federal Law Enforcement on Monday, March 25, 2024. BEVERLY HILLS, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA - JANUARY 25: Christian Casey Combs, Jessie James Combs, Justin Dior Combs, Chance Combs, American rapper, record producer and record executive Diddy (Sean Love Combs, also known by his stage names Puff Daddy or P. Diddy), D'Lila Star Combs and Quincy Taylor Brown arrive at The Recording Academy And Clive Davis' 2020 Pre-GRAMMY Gala held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 25, 2020 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Xavier Collin/Deposit Photos)
BEVERLY HILLS – JANUARY 25, 2020: Christian Casey Combs, Jessie James Combs, Justin Dior Combs, Chance Combs, American rapper, record producer and record executive Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, D’Lila Star Combs and Quincy Taylor Brown arrive at The Recording Academy and Clive Davis’ 2020 Pre-GRAMMY Gala held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, California, United States — Photo by Xavier Collin/Deposit Photos.

The charges against Sean Combs come after three decades of whispers, rumors, and accusations. His arrest and indictment may feel sudden, but for those who have followed his career, the allegations are part of a larger, disturbing pattern in the entertainment industry. For too long, men in positions of power have been allowed to inflict harm on others with impunity, protected by the very systems that profit from their success. The allegations against Combs echo those made against other powerful men in entertainment, from R. Kelly to Harvey Weinstein. These men, like Combs, were at the pinnacle of wealth and fame in a culture that enabled their behavior.

The allegations against Combs are part of a broader culture of exploitation, where women—especially Black women and other marginalized groups—are often treated as disposable objects in the pursuit of power. The indictment against him underscores how celebrity and wealth can create a protective bubble, insulating men from the consequences of their actions while leaving their victims without support or justice. The fact that it took more than 30 years for Combs to face serious legal consequences speaks to the deep-seated misogyny and misogynoir within the industry.

Breaking the Silence

Cassie Ventura, Sean 'Diddy' Combs attends Los Angeles Premiere of CANT STOP WONT STOP: A BAD BOY STORY in WGA on June 21st 2017, Beverly Hills, CA. — Photo by Eugene / Deposit Photos
BEVERLY HILLS – JUNE 21, 2017: Cassandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs attend the Los Angeles Premiere of ‘CANT STOP WONT STOP: A BAD BOY STORY’ in WGA in Los Angeles, California — Photo by Eugene / Deposit Photos-

For the women involved in this case, the road to justice has been long and fraught with risk. Many of the women coerced by Combs were reportedly terrified of the repercussions, fearing that speaking out would lead to personal or professional ruin. The recordings that Combs allegedly kept as collateral added another layer of control, threatening their reputations and lives if they ever resisted or exposed his actions. This kind of coercion—using power, shame, and violence to silence survivors—is a hallmark of abusive men in positions of authority.

However, after Cassie Ventura filed a lawsuit against Combs in November 2023 that was successfully settled within 24-hours, other victims found the courage to come forward and share their stories.

The denial of bail for Combs signals that the courts recognize the seriousness of the charges, as well as the danger he poses to the people involved. This is not a case of simple wrongdoing but a systemic abuse of power that needs to be addressed with the full weight of the law. For many victim-survivors, this case represents more than just justice for those harmed by Combs—it is a step toward dismantling the structures that confers patriarchal immunity on violent men.

The Long Road Ahead

Diddy's Los Angeles and Miami Homes Raided by Federal Law Enforcement on Monday, March 25, 2024. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, USA — Photo by imagepressagency / Deposit Photos
LAS VEGAS – MAY 15, 2022: American rapper Diddy (Sean Combs) arrives at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Nevada, United States — Photo by Image Press Agency / Deposit Photos

As Sean Combs’ legal team mounts a defense, the victim-survivors at the center of this case will likely face a great deal of scrutiny and backlash. This is common in high-profile cases of abuse, especially when they concern gender-based violence. But the cultural tide is turning. The #MeToo movement in tandem with years of organizing by feminist activists, has shifted the public’s understanding of abuse power and control. Victim-survivors are finding their voices and rising above the culture of silence, and women who have long been marginalized in these discussions are finally being heard.

While Combs’ fate remains in the hands of the courts, the significance of this case goes far beyond his personal culpability. It pulls back the curtain on the deeply entrenched misogyny within the entertainment industry—an industry that, for too long, has allowed powerful men to act with impunity while the women they exploit are left without justice. The outcome of this trial could be a critical moment in the fight to hold men in power accountable and to ensure that the systems that protect them are dismantled.

Photos by Deposit Photos.

Author

Manya Wakefield is a recovery coach specializing in cognitive behavioral therapy and coercive trauma. Her expertise has been featured in publications such as Newsweek, Elle, Cosmopolitan, and Huffington Post. In 2019, she launched the social impact platform Narcissistic Abuse Rehab, building a global audience through human rights advocacy. The same year, she published the book ‘Are You In An Emotionally Abusive Relationship,’ which is used in domestic violence recovery groups around the world. In 2020, Manya developed The Coercive Control Legislation Global Database. She is also the host of The Narcissistic Abuse Rehab Podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon.