Sean 'Diddy' Combs Appears 'Bloated and Older' in Court as He Pleads Not Guilty to Federal Charges

Sean "Diddy" Combs reportedly looked bloated and older during his court appearance in Manhattan on Friday, March 7.

During the hearing, Combs pleaded not guilty to two superseding indictments in his ongoing federal case for s-- trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution charges.

Kyle Schnitzer, who was present during the hearing, described Combs as looking "bloated and old" with lighter hair, a beard and a puffy figure.

CBS New York's Alice Gainer confirmed Schnitzer's reporting on X, formerly known as Twitter, emphasizing how Combs "walked into courtroom sporting grey hair and a grey beard."

Law&Crime reporter Elizabeth Millner also commented on Combs' physical change, likening it to that of "Santa Claus."

Despite these concerns, sources close to Combs, 55, refuted claims of his rapid aging, emphasizing his "physical fitness, good spirits and unwavering focus on his defense.

A source said after Millner’s initial remarks that the "Last Night" rapper is "fit, healthy and fully focused on his defense."

"He has been very active, remains in good spirits, and, as always, he was happy to see his children," the insider added. They also said at the time that he had been working out regularly.

Combs has been in federal custody since last September, when he was arrested following a months-long federal probe into claims he hosted "Freak-Off" parties, where illegal sexual activity allegedly occurred.

He is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where it has been described as a challenging environment, particularly in terms of food quality.

Combs' lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, acknowledged these difficulties, highlighting the harsh conditions faced by the rapper.

The court session also addressed crucial matters such as jury selection and the handling of evidence.

This included a contentious tape involving Combs beating up his ex-girlfriend Cassandra "Cassie" Ventura, which his legal team claimed may have been tampered with or destroyed.

According to Combs' lawyers, CNN allegedly obtained the only known copy of the surveillance footage, altered it using free editing software and subsequently destroyed the original footage despite being aware of the ongoing federal investigation.

Ventura’s attorney, Douglas Wigdor, released a statement in response to the allegations. "It is not surprising that Combs would make a disingenuous argument to exclude the disturbing video from being shown to the jury in the upcoming trial," he said.

"I am confident that the video fairly and accurately represents what happened, will be admitted into evidence, and that Combs will be held accountable for his depravity," he added.