Video Shows Sean Combs Using Cell Phone in Federal Prison

Footage obtained by NBC News shows Sean "Diddy" Combs using a cell phone inside a federal prison, a device federal law prohibits inmates from possessing. The report, from NBC Nightly News correspondent Chloe Melas, aired Sept. 29, 2026, and marks the first time video of Combs' daily life behind bars has surfaced publicly, according to NBC News.

What does the newly obtained video show?

The footage, described by NBC News as exclusively obtained, shows Combs with a cell phone while incarcerated. Federal Bureau of Prisons rules bar inmates from having unauthorized phones, and violations can carry disciplinary consequences inside the prison system. NBC News did not specify in its report which facility the footage came from or the exact date it was recorded.

Who told NBC News about life behind bars with Combs?

NBC News said it interviewed four men who spent time incarcerated with Combs. Their accounts, combined with the video, form the basis of the network's reporting on what daily life looks like for Combs since he entered federal custody. NBC News did not name the four men in the portion of the report made available.

How much is Combs reportedly paying other inmates?

Multiple sources told NBC News that Combs pays other inmates thousands of dollars a month to carry out tasks for him while he is incarcerated. The report did not detail the specific tasks involved or how the payments are arranged, and NBC News did not publish underlying financial records to corroborate the dollar figures cited by sources.

What federal rules are at stake?

Possession of a cell phone by a federal inmate is barred under Bureau of Prisons policy, which treats unauthorized communication devices as contraband. Inmates found with phones can face disciplinary sanctions that range from loss of privileges to additional time added to a sentence, depending on the severity of the violation and an inmate's disciplinary history. NBC News' report does not say whether prison officials have opened any disciplinary review tied to the footage it obtained.

The report also does not specify whether the payments described by sources to other inmates violate a specific prison regulation on their own, separate from the cell phone issue, or whether officials have been made aware of the arrangement.

What happens next?

NBC News has not indicated whether it plans additional reporting on Combs' custody status or whether prison officials have responded to the footage. Readers following the case should watch for:

• Any statement from the Bureau of Prisons addressing the cell phone footage or the alleged payments to other inmates
• Whether disciplinary action, if any, is taken against Combs as a result of the reported violation
• Additional reporting from NBC News or other outlets naming the four men interviewed or providing further detail on the payment arrangement
• Any change in Combs' facility assignment or custody classification tied to the report

The full segment, including on-camera interview material, is available through NBC Nightly News.

NBC News' account relies on the video it says it obtained and on the statements of the four men it interviewed. The network's published segment does not include a response from Combs, his legal team, or the Bureau of Prisons, and it does not identify the facility by name. Readers seeking the original video and any updates should consult NBC News directly, as the network controls the footage and has not made the underlying interviews public in full.

Who reported the story for NBC News?

The segment was reported by NBC News correspondent Chloe Melas and aired as part of the Sept. 29, 2026, broadcast of NBC Nightly News, according to NBC News. The network describes the footage as "exclusively obtained," meaning NBC News says it holds the video and that it had not previously aired elsewhere before the broadcast. The segment ran two minutes and 12 seconds, according to the network's published listing, and appeared in the same broadcast as unrelated stories, including coverage of a deadly storm on the East Coast and a suspected terror attack thwarted near a U.S.-operated air base in the United Kingdom.

NBC News did not publish a separate written transcript alongside the video. The network's online description of the segment repeats the same three elements featured in the broadcast itself: the cell phone footage, the interviews with the four men who served time with Combs, and the reported payments to other inmates. No additional documentation, court filing, or Bureau of Prisons record accompanies the posted video.