Report alleges Diddy used cellphone, alcohol while in prison
USA TODAY NETWORK
Sean "Diddy" Combs' representative is pushing back against a new report alleging the music mogul has access to contraband electronics and alcohol while serving a prison sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Fort Dix, New Jersey.
NBC News reported Sept. 29 that Combs is using a cellphone and tablet obtained for him while incarcerated and pays fellow inmates to cook meals, clean his living space and do his laundry. The report cited photos and videos purportedly showing Combs inside the prison and interviews with four anonymous inmates.
Combs' spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, denied wrongdoing and dismissed the report's significance.
"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," Engelmayer said in a statement shared with USA TODAY and NBC News. "The only real news is that Sean continues to serve his sentence within the rules and he patiently awaits the court's decision on his appeal."
Why music mogul's release date is earliest yet
The federal Bureau of Prisons generally does not comment on specific inmate matters.
Report alleges Diddy used cellphone, alcohol while in prison
While he is behind bars at the low-security correctional facility, Combs reportedly has been placed in solitary confinement following a fight with a fellow inmate and previously saw his release date pushed back after allegations that he created and consumed alcohol in prison.
Engelmayer denied those allegations in a November 2025 statement.
NBC News reported that Combs has access to a cellphone and tablet and pays fellow inmates to cook, clean and perform other tasks. His representative maintains that Combs is following prison rules while awaiting a decision in his appeal.
Combs remains incarcerated at Fort Dix in New Jersey
Combs, 56, has been incarcerated since his September 2024 arrest. He is serving a 50-month federal prison sentence at FCI Fort Dix in Burlington County after being convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
The low-security prison complex, one of the largest in the federal system, is located about 50 miles south of New Brunswick and houses thousands of inmates.
NBC News also reported that Combs was recently placed in solitary confinement after an altercation with another inmate and previously had his release date delayed after allegedly making and consuming alcohol in prison.
Engelmayer denied those allegations in a November 2025 statement.
Diddy's projected release date has changed multiple times
Since entering federal custody, Combs' projected release date has changed multiple times.
After he was sentenced in October 2025, federal records showed an expected release date of May 8, 2028. That date was later pushed into June 2028 following disciplinary allegations that his representatives denied.
As of Sept. 29, federal inmate records listed Combs' projected release date as Jan. 21, 2028.
Meanwhile, Combs continues to challenge his conviction through the appeals process.
The rapper, who has denied all allegations of sexual misconduct, is also facing more than 70 civil lawsuits around the country.
This story was produced by editor Joe Martino, [email protected], with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.