A private jet is a major status symbol—an asset ready at a moment’s notice to take you anywhere in the world. But for a judge deciding whether to grant bail, such an asset can be a red flag. In this case, we’re examining Sean Combs’ use of his multi-million dollar jet and how it might be used as evidence as he faces racketeering and sex trafficking charges.

Sean “Diddy” Combs was once considered one of the richest music artists in the world. In 2022, Forbes estimated his worth to be nearly $1 billion, with Jay-Z being the only hip-hop artist to reach that milestone before him. Combs has always flaunted his wealth, starting back in the 1990s with Bad Boy Records. By 2002, he was listed as one of America’s richest “40 Under 40” by Fortune.

However, Combs’ net worth is believed to have declined significantly due to several high-profile lawsuits, bad press, and his eventual arrest on federal criminal charges, including racketeering, conspiracy, and sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. These charges also involve the transportation of individuals for prostitution. Over the years, Combs has shown off his mansions, cars, wardrobe, and, of course, his private jets. Today, we’re focusing on his private jet—a Gulfstream G550, registered by Love Air LLC in 2020 or 2021.

The big question is whether this plane could provide prosecutors with evidence. Could flight manifests reveal who was on the plane? Were high-profile individuals, potential sex workers, or accusers among the passengers? In cases of sex trafficking, transporting individuals across state or international lines is key, so the use of the jet could play a critical role in the investigation.

There are websites where you can track both public and private aircraft, but according to FlightAware, you can’t track Combs’ jet due to a request from the owner. TMZ reports that the inability to track his all-black jet is a recent development.

It’s not uncommon for celebrities to want their jets untrackable. For instance, imagine if Taylor Swift flew into Westchester Airport and fans could track her arrival—chaos would ensue. However, despite a lack of public tracking, operators are required by federal regulations to maintain a flight log. This log keeps records of where the plane took off from and its destination, though much of this information may no longer exist. The only record legally required to be kept indefinitely is the flight log itself.

Prosecutors might still ask for flight manifests to track potential victims or witnesses. Speaking of which, during Combs’ arraignment in the Southern District of New York, his defense team addressed the jet, claiming in a letter that Combs had been trying to sell it since April 2024. They emphasized that he’s not using it and doesn’t pose a flight risk.

Selling a private plane isn’t simple. It takes a lot of due diligence and inspections, but the defense is trying to reassure the court that Combs is no flight risk. However, owning a private jet still makes it easier for someone to leave the country quickly, which was likely a concern for prosecutors.

Right, and while it’s possible to escape by private jet, it’s not as easy as in the movies. Law enforcement could easily track someone down at an airport if they got wind of an escape attempt. But here’s something curious—if the jet is a key piece of evidence, would the government even allow Combs to sell it?

If the plane was a crime scene or held evidence, it’s possible the FBI would investigate it further. They’d be looking for any evidence related to the alleged crimes, possibly even forensic traces, like those found on Jeffrey Epstein’s infamous plane.

According to the defense, the plane was recently chartered for a flight from Los Angeles to New Jersey. Combs didn’t request this charter and didn’t know it was happening. What do you make of that?

It sounds like the plane is still being used for charters under a Part 135 certificate, which allows private jets to be rented out. Even though Combs still owns the plane, he doesn’t control its operations day-to-day. However, Teterboro Airport, where the plane was chartered to, is only an hour away from where Combs is, so it’s still a concern.

And speaking of concerns, TMZ reported that after the raids on Combs’ homes in March, investigators were looking to subpoena charter companies for records. Oddly, the indictment doesn’t mention these subpoenas. Does that mean the plane’s not a crucial part of the case?

It’s hard to say. The charter companies should have kept all relevant records, including itineraries, flight logs, and, ideally, passenger manifests. If those records are intact, investigators can follow up with passengers, pilots, and flight attendants. It might not be a major part of the case yet, but it could still be a significant piece of the puzzle, especially if they find something suspicious in those documents.

Over the years, several celebrities have posted about flying on Combs’ jet. His recent girlfriend, Young Miami, and an associate named Brendan Paul have been accused of transporting drugs for Combs on the jet. Paul was even arrested for drug possession at an airport in Florida. Is it easier to smuggle drugs on a private flight?

On a private flight, there’s far less scrutiny than at a commercial airport. There are no drug-sniffing dogs or security checks. Essentially, you can load anything you want onto a private jet, and nobody would know.

One last thing—how reliable are passenger manifests? Who is responsible for writing them, and how accurate are they?

The operator of the plane is responsible for keeping the manifest. Typically, the flight attendant or pilot takes down the names of everyone on board. However, it’s possible, especially with influential individuals, for names to be omitted. That would be a serious violation, though, as pilots risk losing their license, and operators could lose their certification. Investigators can still interview pilots, flight attendants, and other witnesses to cross-check the manifests, so even if something’s missing, they might be able to piece things together.