Inside Diddy’s Life in Prison, Where He Partakes in an Intensive Drug Program and Catered Thanksgiving

Once one of the most powerful figures in music and entertainment, Sean "Diddy" Combs now lives under strict confinement at Fort Dix Federal Correctional Facility, a low security federal prison in New Jersey that houses about 4,000 people, where he’s been since his transfer from Brooklyn, N.Y., in October 2025.

Photos released in November showed Combs in the prison courtyard, wearing a gray knit cap and smiling. In those photos, Combs was seen speaking with former NBA player Sebastian Telfair, another Brooklyn native and longtime acquaintance. Telfair, along with 17 other former NBA players, was charged in 2021 with attempting to defraud the league’s health and welfare benefit plan.

Telfair was released about a month after the photos came out and told TMZ he “met some good people—shout out Diddy. My boy Diddy is in the spot too. I couldn’t imagine how Diddy felt, but Diddy’s holding it down, he’s doing what he’s got to do. Where he’s at, they’re going to help him.” 

Combs, the 56-year-old who founded Bad Boy Records, was accused of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution and was found guilty on two counts of transportation for prostitution. He was sentenced in October 2025 to 50 months in prison.

The music mogul now works in the prison chapel in a coveted position as a chaplain’s assistant and is enrolled in an intensive drug program, according to prison documents obtained by CBS News. The Residential Drug Abuse Treatment Program (RDAP) unit, which is difficult to get into, could reduce his sentence by up to one year. Those who are in the program also live in a unit away from the general population and spend part of their day in therapy. As part of his sentence, Combs was required to join mental health and substance abuse programs.

His publicist, Juda Engelmayer, told NBC News that "he works in the chapel library, where he describes the environment as warm, respectful, and rewarding."

However, in his short stint at Fort Dix, Combs has already found himself in trouble for an unauthorized phone call, CBS News reported. Engelmayer told Us Weekly that the call was initiated by his lawyers and was protected. He did not lose any privileges over the call, she said.

TMZ claimed that Combs had also been caught making and consuming alcohol; the rapper’s family denied those allegations on his X account.

Combs is in a minimum security federal prison, which typically houses people in a dormitory-style setting and provides inmates access to a library, email and recreation areas. Combs shares a dorm with nine other men.

Only low-risk detainees and nonviolent offenders are sentenced to minimum security prisons because there are usually no or minimal fences or perimeter guards. These facilities are considered work and program-oriented. 

Former Brooklyn MDC Warden DeWayne Hendrix, who is familiar with Fort Dix, told LA Magazine that “public persona means nothing behind the fence” at the country’s largest low-security federal prison  can be challenging. “It operates like a small city—inmates live in open, dorm-style housing rather than cells, work in institutional jobs and follow structured daily schedules,” he said “It’s not a violent environment, but it’s far from easy.”

Fort Dix has had issues with containing contraband cell phones, and illegal drugs that are brought in by drones, he said. “For someone like Sean Combs, it means staying focused, compliant and steering clear of any activity that could jeopardize his sobriety or program eligibility.”

Combs remains focused in relaunching an education program that he started at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn before he was transferred to New Jersey, according to Us.

Combs taught a class called “Free Game With Diddy” on entrepreneurship. The course aimed to help fellow inmates plan for their futures, according to documents obtained by NBC4 Investigates in Los Angeles.

“Free Game With Diddy” was a six-week adult continuing education class that included lectures, discussion and handouts.

"The purpose of Free Game With Diddy is to empower inspiring entrepreneurs and professionals by providing foundational knowledge in business management, entrepreneurship and personal development," according to the document released by NBC4 Investigates.

Sections of the course include lessons called “Successful People Do What Unsuccessful People Won’t Do,” “Time Waits for No Man” and a bonus class called “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop”—a nod to the hit 1998 song he was featured on.

Visitation is also more relaxed at minimum security prisons, but Combs's visitation hours depend on where he’s housed within the facility. At Fort Dix specifically, visitation at the prison camp runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends, Mondays and federal holidays. The East and West campuses include the same visitation hours except it is open on Friday instead of Monday. Both allow visitation on federal holidays.

A point system for those in the East and West compounds determines the number of visits inmates are allowed per month. At the beginning of each month, inmates receive eight points that they can use as they wish—either by using one for a Monday visit or two for a weekend. This does not include legal visits.

On the first day of each month, those being held on the East and West compounds are credited eight points. They are charged two points for visits on the weekend and one point for visits during the weekday. No points will be deducted for legal visits and federal holidays. Points restart at the beginning of every month.

Former Real Housewives of New Jersey star Joe Giudice, who spent 41 months at FCI Fort Dix after being convicted on federal fraud charges in 2014, told Us Weekly that Combs’s life there “depends on how he carries himself.”

“As long as he keeps a low profile and doesn’t try to act like a big shot, he’ll be fine,” the reality star added. “I’ve seen people get stabbed over an onion. You ain’t in there with the most stable people.”

But it seems like the Grammy winner has made some friends behind bars. It was reported that some of his fellow inmates baked him a cake with ingredients bought at the prison commissary for his birthday on November 4. Combs also spoke with his children and mother on his birthday, his publicist said. Later that month, Combs helped finance a Thanksgiving meal that served 1,000 other men being housed in the jail. It was prepared by inmates and hand-delivered to inmates in multiple buildings, Us Weekly reported.

Giudice believes there are some positives to being held at Fort Dix. 

“You can get your clothes tailored and chefs making food for you,” he said.

Combs is scheduled to be released on May 8, 2028, but could be released earlier if he completes certain programs or for good behavior.