Diddy rep pushes back on report claiming rapper receives special treatment in prison

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ representative disputes a report alleging cellphone and alcohol use in prison, saying the rapper is serving his sentence within the rules.

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ representative has pushed back against a report alleging that the music mogul has access to prohibited items and receives special treatment while serving his federal prison sentence.

The response came after NBC News reported Sept. 29 that Combs was allegedly using a cellphone and tablet obtained inside the prison and paying other inmates to handle tasks including cooking, cleaning and laundry. The report cited interviews with four anonymous inmates as well as photos and videos said to have been taken inside the facility.

USA TODAY reported that Combs’ representative, Juda Engelmayer, provided the same statement issued to NBC News, rejecting the characterization of the rapper’s life behind bars.

“The only real news is that Sean continues to serve his sentence within the rules and he patiently awaits the court’s decision on his appeal,” Engelmayer said.

The allegations have not been independently established by the Bureau of Prisons. The agency has previously said it does not comment on internal inmate matters, leaving the claims about Combs’ alleged access to a cellphone, tablet and alcohol disputed.

Combs is serving his sentence at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey. The Bureau of Prisons identifies Fort Dix as a federal correctional institution that houses sentenced inmates.

The controversy comes as Combs remains involved in an appeal of his federal conviction. He was sentenced to 50 months in prison after being convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, while being acquitted on the more serious sex-trafficking and racketeering charges brought at trial.

His incarceration has previously generated disputes over conditions inside the facility. Reports in 2025 claimed he had made and consumed alcohol while imprisoned, an allegation his representative denied at the time.

The latest report also comes as attention remains focused on Combs’ release timeline. USA TODAY reported that federal inmate records reviewed Sept. 29 showed his projected release date as Jan. 21, 2028. The Bureau of Prisons cautions that release dates listed through its inmate system can change as sentences are reviewed and recalculated.

The competing accounts leave the central allegations unresolved publicly, NBC News reported claims from people familiar with Combs’ incarceration, while his representative maintains that he is following prison rules. Neither side’s account, as presented in the available reporting, independently establishes all of the disputed details.