Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs reportedly trying to ‘influence’ witnesses and potential jurors in sex trafficking case

Sean 'Diddy' Combs is reportedly trying to manipulate witnesses or potential jurors in his upcoming trial. Photo / Getty Images

Sean “Diddy” Combs is attempting to “corruptly influence” witnesses and potential jurors from jail as he awaits trial, it’s been reported.

Recorded phone calls from prison show the rapper is trying to manipulate those involved in his upcoming sex trafficking trial, according to The Sun.

Prosecutors in the case made a filing in a Manhattan federal court opposing his latest bid for bail, saying he asked members of his family to campaign on social media around his birthday to “influence the potential jury in this criminal proceeding” and help create positive “narratives” for the public.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been accused of trying to campaign for positive public opinion from jail. Photo / Getty Images

According to the Guardian, Combs urged his children to share videos on social media from his 55th birthday celebration and then observed the posts’ engagement to see if “the video had his desired effect on potential jury members in this case”.

Earlier this month, his children Quincy, Justin, Chance, Christian “King”, Love Sean, D’Lila and Jessie shared a video of themselves singing to their father over the phone and sharing a cake on his birthday.

Sean Combs has reportedly asked his family members including his children to help him influence potential witnesses and jurors in his sex trafficking case. Photo / Getty Images

The prosecution wrote in their filing, “The defendant has shown repeatedly – even while in custody – that he will flagrantly and repeatedly flout rules in order to improperly impact the outcome of his case. The defendant has shown, in other words, that he cannot be trusted to abide by rules or conditions”.

They also claimed Combs’ prison phone calls show he’s asked his family members to contact potential witnesses and victims in his case to “blackmail [them] either into silence or providing testimony helpful to his defence”.

The rapper’s lawyers did not respond to a request for comment from the Guardian.

The 55-year-old was arrested in September and is asking for bail for a third time, with a hearing set to take place in New York this week according to the outlet.

He has denied the allegations that he abused and manipulated several women for a number of years and used violence and arson to keep them silent. His trial is set to start on May 5 next year.