Former inmates describe paid staff and smuggled contraband for Sean Combs in Fort Dix

Life inside Fort Dix

Music executive Sean Combs, designated as inmate number 37452-054, is serving a 50-month sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix in southern New Jersey. Accounts provided by four former inmates who shared a living unit with the 56-year-old indicate that he maintains a lifestyle distinct from standard prison conditions. Fort Dix is located approximately 100 kilometers outside New York City and houses around 4,000 incarcerated men. The former unit members reported that Combs spends thousands of dollars each month to retain an entourage of fellow prisoners for personal maintenance. These paid individuals take care of daily domestic responsibilities, which include making his bed, washing his laundry, and providing Chinese-style massages inside the compound.

Paid inmate service network

The internal service network handles various aspects of daily sanitation and food preparation for Combs. Selected prisoners are assigned to clean toilets and shower stalls specifically before he uses them. Other inmates secretly cook customized dishes, such as pizza, empanadas, and chicken curry, preparing the food with makeshift heating elements submerged in water. The financial compensation for these services is coordinated from outside the prison walls, where third parties transfer money directly into the commissary accounts of the serving inmates. One of the former inmates explained that money represents power behind bars, noting that the arrangement is something seen only with wealthy prisoners. Another witness remarked that while the routine seems unusual for a correctional facility, it reflects Combs' established habits.

Smuggled electronics, alcohol, and medication

Beyond domestic services, the former unit members described regular access to prohibited items that violate federal correctional rules. Combs allegedly uses smuggled mobile telephones to browse social media platforms, including Instagram, and to receive sexually explicit photos and videos sent by an ex-girlfriend. NBC News reviewed video recordings and photographs taken from inside Fort Dix that show Combs using a contraband cellular device. During weekend evenings, Combs also draws from a stash of fine liquor, including Hennessy cognac, which sources stated had been smuggled into the facility by prison guards and shared among a small group of inmates. In addition, Combs regularly purchased Remeron, an antidepressant referred to among prisoners as rem-roms and sought after for its mood-enhancing effects.

Conviction and facility background

Combs arrived at Fort Dix last October after a Manhattan federal court convicted him on two counts of transporting individuals across state lines for sexual encounters. The sentencing judge handed down a 50-month prison term for the offenses related to the promotion of prostitution. During legal proceedings, defense attorneys for Combs actively lobbied for his placement at Fort Dix, a low-security institution previously known for lax internal security protocols and contraband smuggling. Both the possession of cellular devices and the consumption of alcoholic beverages remain prohibited under United States federal law.