Diddy’s arrest video shows him handcuffed in hotel

Days after Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested on charges of sex trafficking, extortion and transportation for prostitution, footage purporting to show his arrest was released.

In footage released by TMZ on Friday, a man purported to be Combs enters the hotel lobby with a group of people and is immediately escorted out by two men. In another scene, four men lead Combs back out the lobby doors while his hands are behind his back, apparently in handcuffs.

The incident occurred Monday at the Park Hyatt New York hotel, where Combs had been staying for more than a week after a trip to New York where his lawyers said he was supposed to “turn himself in” to authorities.

USA TODAY has reached out to Combs’ attorneys for comment on the video.

The morning after his arrest, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York on Tuesday unsealed a 14-page federal grand jury indictment that revealed a sprawling and ongoing federal investigation into the hip-hop icon. Investigators say the 54-year-old schemed to leverage his finances and entertainment status to “fulfill his sexual desires” in a “repeated and notorious” pattern of abuse.

Combs pleaded not guilty to three criminal charges during a hearing Tuesday. Pending his trial, Combs is being held in solitary confinement in the Special Housing Unit at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, a facility that has made headlines for its poor conditions for inmates.

Amid a wave of civil lawsuits filed against him by alleged victims over allegations of misconduct that span three decades, Combs continues to maintain his innocence.

Why the judges wouldn’t let Diddy post bail

In a letter to U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter on Wednesday, Combs’ attorneys asked that Combs be released from custody on $50 million bail secured by the equity in his and his mother’s Florida homes, on the grounds that Combs had made himself available for government custody. The letter also noted that Combs, his daughters and his mother had surrendered their passports to his attorney.

But two different judges denied Combs’ bail requests this week. The first judge, U.S. District Court Judge Robyn Tarnofsky, sided with U.S. prosecutors that Combs would pose a risk if released to home confinement.

“I don’t believe that an attorney has the ability to control you, given the very serious concerns that I have, particularly with your substance abuse and what appears to be anger issues,” Tarnofsky told Combs and his attorney, according to a court transcript reviewed by USA TODAY.

“I think the danger is pretty serious,” she added of Combs’ release, deciding that the bail package his team had proposed would not “ensure his return to court or the safety of the community or the absence of witness tampering.”

Why the accusations are “very serious”: Legal experts explain the charges Diddy faces

The evidence against Diddy includes recordings of “antics” and testimony from dozens of witnesses

In a Sept. 17 letter to a judge arguing for Combs to be jailed until he stands trial, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams says his office has “the testimony of dozens of witnesses and victims of his serial abuse, and evidence from dozens of his own electronic devices and those of his co-conspirators.”

Investigators seized more than 90 cellphones, laptops, cloud storage accounts, and at least 30 storage devices. They issued more than 300 grand jury subpoenas seeking that evidence from communications providers, technology and social media companies, financial institutions, and Combs’ companies.

“Dozens of victims and witnesses have provided detailed, credible and corroborating information against the defendant. Among these individuals are many who personally experienced and witnessed violence and other crimes committed by the defendant,” Williams wrote. These witnesses have financial, travel and communication records that corroborate their testimony, he said.

Will Fans Mute Diddy? Rapper Currently in Federal Custody

As more details emerge about the accusations against Sean “Diddy” Combs, some are wondering if it’s possible to silence the rapper.

Prosecutors allegedly have “dozens” of videos depicting Combs’ so-called “antics” — sometimes days-long sexual performances between sex workers and people he allegedly coerced into participating through drugging and intimidation — that corroborate witness testimony.

Combs’ indictment said Homeland Security Investigations agents seized drugs and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant that were allegedly used during Combs’ “highs” during raids on his homes on March 25. They also reportedly discovered multiple AR-15 rifles and high-capacity magazines.

Combs’ attorneys said they will appeal the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. His next hearing is Oct. 9.

If you are a victim of sexual assault, Rain offers support through the National Sexual Assault Helpline at 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and RAINN.org/es (in Spanish).