Sources say Sean “Diddy” Combs is “trying to stay positive” as he gears up for his first Christmas in federal lockup, having been behind bars at Brooklyn MDC since mid-September.
The fallen hip-hop mogul, 55, will also miss out on the 18th birthday of twin daughters D’Lila and Jessie, who will celebrate the milestone on Saturday, Us Weekly reports.
“The holidays will be especially hard for the family without their father,” a source told the outlet.
Though the infamous MDC permits holiday visitors, those interactions generally last just 30-60 minutes, with phone calls limited to 15 minutes.
“When their family leaves, inmates become very solemn,” federal prison consultant Sam Mangel told Us Weekly. “It becomes very depressing.”
Around the holidays, Mangel said inmates can generally partake in playing sports and board games, watching televised sporting events and attending religious services, which can offer prisoners a “sense of camaraderie.” In the days leading up to and following Christmas, the prison commissary also often carries special items such as pepperoni and provolone cheese.
What exactly Diddy will eat for his Christmas Day meal is not known, though Mangel predicted he’ll probably be joined by fellow famous inmate Sam Bankman-Fried, the convicted crypto fraudster who’s housed in the same unit.
“I think they’ll probably eat together and discuss what part of the world they were in last year with their families,” Mangel said. “They can reminisce [about] what island they were on last year.”
Diddy’s seven kids, who range in age from 1 to 33, are also “trying to speak to him as much as they can” during this time, said the insider.
“The family will be honoring [Diddy] on Christmas,” the source added. “This is the toughest time of Diddy’s life, but he’s not giving up on himself.”
Combs is awaiting his May 2025 trial on federal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. He was arrested in mid-September and has since been denied bail three times.
Among the mounting sexual assault lawsuits, filed in a steady stream since November 2023, is a recently refiled suit that accuses Combs of raping a 13-year-old girl with fellow rapper Jay-Z after the MTV Video Music Awards in 2000. He has denied all the allegations against him.