Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs is currently behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York after he was indicted for sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution earlier last month.
Combs, 54 – who was denied bail by a judge and pleaded not guilty to all charges -was arrested on September 16 and is now awaiting trial.
The American hip-hop mogul is known for his lavish lifestyle, but what is life really like for one of the world’s biggest stars in prison?
Former Married at First Sight star Timothy Smith, who previously served time in a U.S. federal prison, says Diddy’s current jail conditions are grim.
Smith said that despite Diddy’s wealth and status, prison life offers no ‘special treatment.’
‘His money and wealth won’t get him any benefits,’ he told Daily Mail Australia, drawing from his own experiences with inmates of high social status.
‘In the federal system, it’s so limited, you don’t get extra privileges because you’re rich. You’re allowed a few basics like a tracksuit and sneakers from the commissary, but that’s about it. They do raids and if you try to stockpile, they take everything.’
Smith painted a stark picture of life inside the facility, explaining that guards often use isolation as a tool to break inmates.
‘He’s in the management unit, so no, he doesn’t have access to other inmates,’ he said.
‘People think there are TVs and radios, but where he’s at there’s nothing, not even a radio. You get a Bible and one book per week. That’s all,’ he said.
Smith added that the star will also have very limited access to communication with the outside world.
‘You only get 300 minutes a month on the phone,’ he said.
‘So if you’re on the phone for 30 minutes a day, after 10 days, you get no more phone for the next 20 days.
‘Sometimes you run out of minutes within the first week, and then you’re just left talking to yourself.’
Smith added that Diddy won’t have a chance at negotiating special treatment while incarcerated.
‘Even if he was in general population, there’s not one cell, one TV. There’ll be a hundred people in that pod, and there are generally only a few TVs, segregated by race,’ he explained.
‘His wealth won’t help him in here, nothing at all.’
According to Smith, Diddy’s future looks bleak.
‘He’s not watching TV. And the next time he’s on a plane, it’ll be with 200 prisoners on ConAir. He’s not getting out of this one easily.’
Diddy’s case is a high-profile one, and if convicted he could be facing a lengthy sentence.
‘Once the feds have indicted you, they’ve made their case. The best advice I could give him? Accept where you are. There’s no negotiating your way out of federal charges,’ Smith explained.
‘If you think you’re going to beat them, they will break you down.
‘In my experience, three guys took their cases to trial thinking they could win, and they ended up with sentences far worse than they would have received if they had accepted a plea deal.’
In 2006, Smith was arrested for drug trafficking after flying marijuana across the Canada-US border, using his skills as a pilot.
Despite earning a lucrative sum for his crimes, Smith’s operation came to an end when he was caught by U.S. customs officials, leading to a year-long prison sentence, which extended due to immigration complications.
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