Sean 'Diddy' Combs is reportedly being sent back to solitary confinement at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey after allegations he used contraband phones, drank alcohol and paid fellow inmates for special treatment behind bars.
It was reported on Wednesday, 30 September, that unnamed sources said the 56-year-old music mogul would be moved to the Special Housing Unit, or SHU.
The reported move followed claims that Combs had access to contraband phones, alcohol, specially prepared meals and services from fellow inmates.
Meanwhile, NBC News published an account based on interviews with four men who had spent time in the same prison unit as Combs. The reporting was also supported by photographs and videos taken inside Fort Dix, including footage that appeared to show Combs using a cellphone.
Combs has previously spent time in solitary confinement. He was reportedly placed in the SHU over the summer following a fight with another inmate before later returning to the general prison population.
The Bureau of Prisons has not publicly confirmed that he has been transferred back to the SHU. Combs' representative has disputed the broader portrayal of his prison life.
Sean Combs Prison Life Draws Fresh Scrutiny
The four inmates described an arrangement in which fellow prisoners allegedly carried out everyday tasks for Combs. They claimed inmates cooked for him, cleaned for him, made his bed and handled his laundry. One prisoner was also said to give Combs Chinese-style massages.
'This is not some normal s— you see in jail. This is some rich s—,' one of the men said. 'It looks crazy, but again, it's Diddy.'
Reports also allege that Combs spends thousands of dollars a month maintaining the arrangement. According to the account, people acting on his behalf outside prison deposited money into other inmates' commissary accounts in exchange for services.
The claims extended beyond routine chores. Sources alleged that Combs used contraband cellphones to scroll through Instagram and view nude and sexually explicit photographs sent by a former girlfriend.
Photographs and video from inside the prison were also reviewed as part of the reporting. One clip appeared to show Combs holding or using a cellphone.
Sean Combs Faces Claims Over Alcohol and Contraband
Reports further alleged that Combs had access to premium alcohol inside Fort Dix. One inmate said he had drunk Hennessy with Combs. 'Hell yeah, I drank with him,' the man said.
The report included allegations that prison guards had smuggled liquor into the facility and that Combs shared it with a small group of inmates. The Bureau of Prisons has not publicly confirmed those allegations.
According to the account, Combs is also said to have bought Remeron from other prisoners. The medication is an antidepressant and was described in the source material as being traded among some inmates for its mood-boosting effects.
Food was another part of the alleged arrangement. Photographs showed meals said to have been prepared for Combs, while inmates claimed dishes including curry chicken, pizza and empanadas were made using improvised cooking equipment.
Bureau of Prisons Declines To Discuss Combs' Housing
The Bureau of Prisons declined to comment on Combs' individual circumstances, citing 'privacy, safety and security reasons'.
'Like all correctional agencies, contraband, particularly cell phones, narcotics, and weapons, remains a constant challenge, and we continue to tackle the problem of contraband being introduced into our facilities,' a spokesperson said.
Combs' representative rejected the suggestion that the reports showed he was receiving unusually favourable treatment.
'The continued scrutiny of every mundane detail of Sean Combs's life in prison has reached the point where the media characterizes ordinary prison life as news,' the representative said. 'The only real news is that Sean continues to serve his sentence while awaiting the court's decision on his appeal.'
Combs is serving a 50-month federal sentence after being convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Jurors found him not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering charges. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons website, his current release date is 21 January 2028.
Fort Dix has faced wider problems involving contraband that are unrelated to Combs. Federal prosecutors recently charged five people, including a current and former corrections officer, over an alleged scheme to smuggle prohibited items into the prison.
Combs' reported return to solitary confinement has not been publicly confirmed by the Bureau of Prisons. The move remains based on accounts from unnamed sources, while his representative continues to dispute claims that his conditions amount to preferential treatment.
For now, Combs remains at Fort Dix serving his sentence while awaiting a court decision on his appeal. Whether the reported SHU transfer has taken place, or will take place, remains officially unconfirmed.
