Sean 'Diddy' Combs, the 56-year-old rapper, is facing renewed scrutiny after video footage emerged, appearing to show him using a mobile phone inside Fort Dix federal prison in southern New Jersey. The footage, secured by NBC News, has raised concerns about Combs' adherence to prison rules. Federal law prohibits inmates from possessing phones, making the clip a potential headache for the disgraced music mogul. Combs has been held at FCI Fort Dix since October 2025, serving a 50-month sentence.
Combs was found guilty in 2025 on two federal counts under the Mann Act and has been serving his sentence since then. The jury cleared him of racketeering and another serious federal charge, both of which carried a potential life sentence. According to NBC News, four former unitmates of Combs claimed he paid fellow inmates several thousand dollars monthly to handle his meals, cleaning, laundry, and other chores behind bars. These allegations suggest that Combs may have been enjoying a more comfortable routine in prison than is typically allowed.
The payments to Combs' fellow inmates are said to come from contacts on the outside, who deposit funds into the prison accounts of the inmates doing his bidding. Duties reportedly range from preparing his food and tidying his bunk to handling his laundry, scrubbing the bathroom, and giving him massages. Sources further claimed that Combs went on Instagram using smuggled phones, shared liquor with a small circle on weekend nights, and obtained Remeron, an antidepressant traded on the prison's black market.
Two of the men alleged that Combs streamed 50 Cent's Netflix series, Sean Combs: The Reckoning, on a modified tablet. A Bureau of Prisons spokesperson would not discuss any individual inmate but described smuggled items such as phones as an ongoing problem for correctional facilities. The spokesperson's comments highlight the challenges faced by prisons in maintaining security and enforcing rules.
Juda Engelmayer, a spokesperson for Combs, accused the media of turning routine details of his incarceration into headlines, noting that the rapper awaits a decision on his appeal. The Instagram video of NBC News, which appears to show Combs using a phone in prison, has sparked widespread attention. 50 Cent, a longtime rival of Combs, quickly reacted to the report, mocking him on Instagram.
50 Cent, who has been feuding with Combs for over two decades, posted a comment on Instagram, tagging the Street Fighter movie page, and writing: "lol this {expletive} is not gonna listen to nobody." He also compared Combs to late New York mob boss John Gotti. The two rappers have clashed publicly for years, and 50 Cent executive produced the Netflix docuseries on Combs that premiered in December 2025.
Combs has faced previous disciplinary action during his incarceration. According to an earlier report, he spent time in solitary confinement in July 2026 following a physical altercation with another inmate at Fort Dix. His projected release date has since shifted several times, with Bureau of Prisons records now listing January 21, 2028. The developments highlight the ongoing challenges and controversies surrounding Combs' incarceration.
Key points
- - Video footage appears to show Sean 'Diddy' Combs using a contraband phone in prison. - Combs allegedly paid fellow inmates to handle his meals, cleaning, laundry, and other chores behind bars. - 50 Cent mocked Combs on Instagram, reigniting their long-standing feud.
