'Puffy' Combs indicted on bribery charges

Sean "Puffy" Combs

February 23, 2000
Web posted at: 10:10 p.m. EST (0310 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Hip-hop music mogul Sean "Puffy" Combs was indicted Wednesday for allegedly attempting to bribe a witness. Combs friend Anthony Jones was also charged.

The two men had already been charged on two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, stemming from a December 27, 1999 shooting at a Times Square-area nightclub, in which three people were wounded.

The additional charge also relates to the shooting incident.

The indictment claims that Combs and Jones offered Combs' driver, Wardel Fenderson, $50,000 if Fenderson claimed ownership of the gun that police recovered.

Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said Combs and Jones offered money and jewelry over a three-day period to influence Fenderson's testimony.

Fenderson is a witness to the early morning shooting at Club New York.

Two guns recovered after shooting

Combs had fled the club with singer-actress Jennifer Lopez and Jones, a longtime friend, in a Lincoln Navigator and were arrested after an 11-block chase by police.

Two guns were recovered by police. One, a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun, in the car and another that had been tossed out during the chase. Morgenthau said Combs and Jones wanted Fenderson to say that the gun found in the vehicle was his.

Both Combs and Jones were charged in an earlier indictment with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon. Both face up to 15 years in prison on those counts.

A Combs protege, Jamal "Shyne" Barrow, was charged with attempted murder in connection with the shooting. Lopez was not charged in the incident.

No statement from artist

Combs attorney Johnnie Cochran did not immediately return a phone call for comment on the bribery charge. Cochran said he is preparing a statement on his client's behalf.

Bribing a witness is punishable by up to seven years in state prison. Combs is due in court February 29.

Combs is in Los Angeles, where he attended Wednesday evening's Grammy Awards ceremony.

The rap music mogul was nominated for a Grammy for best rap performance by a duo or group for his song, "Satisfy You," featuring R. Kelly. The song "You Got Me," by The Roots featuring Erykah Badu, won the category.

Combs pleads not guilty to gun possession
February 7, 2000
Hip-hop star indicted in gun case
January 13, 2000
Free on bail, Combs denies weapons charges
December 28, 1999

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