HIGHTSTOWN, NJ – Sean “Diddy” Combs’ bid for sobriety reportedly hit a snag this week after prison officials at the Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix caught the music mogul drinking behind bars.
TMZ reports said Combs was found with a batch of homemade alcohol, known among inmates as “pruno,” made from Fanta, sugar, and apples that had been fermenting for about two weeks.
Officials allegedly planned to move Combs to a different housing unit, but the decision was later reversed, allowing him to remain where he was assigned.
Key Points
- Diddy was reportedly caught with homemade alcohol at Fort Dix prison in New Jersey.
- He allegedly made the drink using soda, sugar, and fruit.
- Prison officials considered moving him but later decided against it.
Diddy’s adjustment behind bars
Combs, who began serving a 50-month sentence last week following his conviction on two counts of violating the Mann Act, told the court before sentencing that he had achieved sobriety for the first time in 25 years. In a letter to the judge, he wrote, “The old me died in jail and a new version of me was reborn. Prison will change you or kill you—I choose to live.”
Despite those words, reports indicate the hip-hop icon has struggled to adapt to life at Fort Dix, a low-security federal facility about 40 miles from Philadelphia. Last week, photos surfaced showing him socializing in the prison yard, appearing relaxed and engaged with other inmates.
Family responds to rumors
A spokesperson for the Combs family, Juda Engelmayer, issued a statement calling for restraint amid what he described as “many rumors and exaggerated stories” surrounding Diddy’s first week in custody. “Mr. Combs is focused on adjusting, working on himself, and doing better each day,” Engelmayer said. “We ask that people give him the privacy to focus on his personal growth with grace and purpose.”
The Federal Bureau of Prisons declined to comment on the reported alcohol incident, stating only that they had “no information” on the matter.
A long road ahead
Combs, 55, was transferred to Fort Dix after his October sentencing. The once-celebrated music mogul, who built an empire in entertainment and fashion, faces more than four years behind bars. The reported incident comes just as he began what his team had described as a period of reflection and rehabilitation.
Still, sources say prison staff are keeping a close watch on Combs as he navigates the challenges of confinement in the early weeks of his sentence.