Sean “Diddy” Combs is reportedly back in restrictive housing at FCI Fort Dix as questions swirl around allegations that the music mogul had access to contraband and an unusually comfortable setup inside the New Jersey federal prison.
Combs was moved from his dormitory-style housing into the prison’s Special Housing Unit following reports about his life behind bars, according to a source familiar with the situation. The unit, commonly known as the SHU or solitary confinement, imposes significantly tighter restrictions on inmates.
The transfer comes after an investigation detailed accounts from four men who had spent time in the same prison unit as Combs. They alleged that the Bad Boy Records founder paid fellow inmates to perform a variety of personal tasks, including preparing meals, doing laundry, making his bed and cleaning bathroom facilities before he used them.
The accounts also included allegations that Combs obtained prohibited items, including a cellphone and premium liquor. Photos and video from inside the facility reportedly provided additional evidence related to some of the claims, including footage appearing to show Combs using a phone.
The allegations have not been established as disciplinary findings, and Combs’ placement in the SHU does not necessarily mean prison officials have concluded that he violated regulations. Restrictive housing can be used while prison authorities investigate allegations involving an inmate.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons has declined to publicly confirm Combs’ housing status, citing policies concerning inmate privacy, safety and security.
It is not Combs’ first reported stay in the Special Housing Unit. He was sent to restrictive housing during the summer following an altercation with another inmate.
Combs is serving a 50-month federal prison sentence after a jury convicted him on two counts involving transportation to engage in prostitution. The same jury acquitted him of racketeering conspiracy and sex-trafficking charges.
The hip-hop entrepreneur is appealing his conviction and sentence as he continues serving his time at Fort Dix.
For an artist and executive who spent decades surrounded by the trappings of celebrity, the latest development puts the focus squarely on a very different environment: federal prison rules, an internal investigation and another stint under some of the institution’s tightest restrictions.
