Rapper and music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is reportedly set to appear in Manhattan Federal Court on Thursday, October 10, 2024, for a hearing related to sex trafficking and racketeering charges, USA Today is reporting.
The hearing marks his first appearance before United States District Judge Arun Subramanian, who was recently assigned to preside over the high-profile case.
Mr Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, was arrested on September 16, 2024, and has been held without bail since, following allegations of sexually abusing over 120 individuals, including a nine-year-old boy.
He has pleaded not guilty to all charges, which are outlined in a 14-page federal indictment.
US Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky previously ordered that Mr Combs remain in custody while awaiting trial, citing concerns that the rapper posed a danger to the community and could potentially tamper with witnesses or obstruct the ongoing investigation.
Two separate judges have denied bail requests, including a proposed $50 million bail package with conditions like home detention and electronic monitoring.
The upcoming court session is expected to set deadlines for legal arguments that will shape the trial, which Mr Combs’ legal team hopes to begin in April or May of next year.
Prosecutors have yet to suggest a preferred trial date.
Judge Subramanian was assigned to the case after another colleague recused himself due to prior associations with some of the lawyers involved.
This procedural shift signals a new phase in the legal battle, which has garnered widespread media attention.
Meanwhile, the rapper’s mother, Janice Combs, has publicly defended her son, calling him “not the monster people have painted him to be.”
The trial will likely unfold over the coming months, with the outcome potentially impacting one of the entertainment industry’s biggest figures.