Sean “Diddy” Combs lost a bid to prevent government officials from leaking information to the media as he remains behind bars on sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
On Friday, New York Judge Arun Subramanian denied a gag order request filed by the disgraced rapper’s legal team, according to court documents obtained by Page Six.
Subramanian insisted that federal agents, investigators and Combs’ team must follow the laws forbidding them from leaking grand jury proceedings that can meddle with a fair trial.
Sean “Diddy” Combs, seen here in 2018, lost a legal bid to prevent federal agents from leaking information to the press amid his sex trafficking charges. AFP via Getty Images
According to documents obtained by Page Six, New York Judge Arun Subramanian denied a gag order request filed by the Bad Boy Records founder’s legal team. GC Images
“To be clear, this order isn’t based on a finding that there has been any wrongdoing thus far, as the Court has made no findings at this juncture relating to defendant’s allegations that information related to the case has been leaked,” he wrote on Friday.
“The point of this order is to help ensure that nothing happens from now on that would interfere with a fair trial.”
Reps for Combs weren’t immediately available to Page Six for comment.
On Friday, Subramanian instead urged that all parties involved in Combs’ cases must abide by the laws forbidding them from leaking grand jury information. (Seen here: Combs in a courtroom sketch on Oct. 10.) REUTERS
Earlier this month, the disgraced rapper’s team filed a gag order request. Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP
The ruling comes after the “I’ll Be Missing You” rapper’s attorneys accused the feds of leaking security footage of him abusing ex-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura to the press earlier.
Documents obtained by Page Six revealed Combs’ team alleged earlier this month that government agents gave the video to CNN in May in a bid to “mortally wound the reputation and the prospect of Sean Combs successfully defending himself against these allegations.”
“Rather than using the videotape as trial evidence, alongside other evidence that gives it context and
meaning, the agents misused it in the most prejudicial and damaging way possible,” the docs read.
They alleged the feds leaked a 2016 security clip of Combs abusing his ex Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, seen here in 2018. Getty Images
His team claimed that agents handed the video to CNN to “mortally wound the reputation and the prospect of Sean Combs successfully defending himself against these allegations.” Getty Images for BET
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The gruesome video showed the Bad Boy Records founder kicking, pulling and dragging Ventura, whom he dated on and off from 2007 to 2018, at the InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Calif., in 2016.
The feds, however, denied leaking the clip, telling the judge via a letter, “The Government was not in possession of the video before its publication by CNN.
“There is thus no colorable factual basis for the defendant’s claim that the Government leaked the video to CNN, let alone that it was leaked ‘in violation of grand jury secrecy,’” the letter continued.
The video was not related to Combs’ arrest last month. Getty Images
The dad of seven is currently awaiting trial on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. WireImage
Combs previously apologized about the disturbing video, which isn’t related to his current charges, via social media, describing his behavior as “f–ked up.”
The “Last Night” crooner was arrested on Sept. 16 and charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.
He is currently awaiting trial at a Brooklyn, NY, detention center.