Trigger Warning: This article contains themes of sexual abuse that some readers may find distressing.
Music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was arrested on September 16 on serious charges of sex trafficking , racketeering, and transportation for prostitution. He is being held in the exclusive 4 North unit Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Centre which is not exactly your typical jail. It features dorm-style rooms that come with a range of unexpected perks, from air hockey tables and healthy meals to access to music and a level of freedom unheard of in standard prison life. Reserved for high-profile inmates, the unit has also been rumored to have holes in the walls that allow the prisoners to spy on the women.
Gene Borrello, a former mob enforcer who spent time in the unit, made the revelation. As reported by The Mirror , he alleges, “There are grates in one of the rooms of 4 North. They have little holes. If you lay down, you can look through the holes and talk to the women one floor down and see them.” Jeff Nadu, host of the crime-history podcast The Sitdown with Jeff Nadu , suggested that while Combs might find the 4 North unit at the MDC a little boring, he is likely to be protected from the violence occurring in other sections of the facility. He said, “Go into the regular units and it’s nonstop cutting and stabbing and fighting. So it’s kind of better to avoid all that.”
Last month, Combs’ attorney Marc Agnifilo raised concern about the safety of his high-profile client. He warned that someone like Combs could easily become a target and that they must take steps to prevent that. One inmate who spent three months in Metropolitan Detention Centre back in 2019, called the facility a “terrible and horrible” place. Prison consultant Sam Mangel also described parts of the MDC as ‘pure hell’. He deemed it possibly the worst federal detention facility in the country, as reported by Us Weekly .
Inside, inmates are monitored 24/7 under fluorescent lights and CCTV cameras. Visiting hours are also limited, and all visitors undergo background checks. However, sources claim that Combs is allowed to make phone calls and has some access to email. If convicted, he could face a jail term of 15 years to life.
Recent courtroom sketches showed 54-year-old Combs clad in a baggy prison shirt. Last month, his lawyer, Agnifilo, also spoke about how the rapper is coping with life in jail. As reported by E! News , the lawyer mentioned that the food that the rapper is getting is likely the most difficult part of prison life for him. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons handbook, the facility provides heart-healthy, no-meat meal options for inmates, with the added privilege of being able to buy food from the commissary.
If you are being subjected to sexual assault, or know of anyone who is, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673)