Sean 'Diddy' Combs pleads not guilty to sex trafficking; judge denies bail

Lawrence Stark, a supporter of music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, gestures as he stands outside the United States Court in Manhattan after Combs was arrested by federal agents in New York City, New York, U.S., September 17, 2024. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Sean "Diddy" Combs used his fame as one of hip-hop's biggest names to coerce women into demeaning sexual acts as part of a long-running scheme of sex trafficking and racketeering, prosecutors said on Tuesday in bringing three criminal charges against him.

Combs, 54, pleaded not guilty in Manhattan federal court hours after the 14-page indictment was unsealed. U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky denied bail for Combs, granting a prosecution request for continued detention before trial following the music mogul's arrest on Monday.