Federal investigators from two agencies reportedly launched an “interagency operation” on Monday, Oct. 28, at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Both Sean “Diddy” Combs and former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried are housed in the facility.
The agencies involved include the U.S. Department of Justice and the Bureau of Prisons, both revealing little about the reasons for the operation. They say that it is to ensure safety for both employees and inmates at the facility.
Federal authorities say the exact nature of the operation will not be revealed until it is complete, citing security interests. The agencies maintained that the actions were preplanned and there is “no active threat.”
The probe comes as the jail faces criticism for reportedly abhorrent conditions, widespread violence and multiple deaths. The DOJ and Bureau of Prisons previously vowed to fix the problems at the jail and enhance accountability.
Federal prosecutors charged nine inmates last month in connection with a series of attacks from April to August, including two inmates who were stabbed to death and another pierced through the spine with a makeshift icepick. Separately, a correctional officer is accused of shooting at a car during a high-speed chase that was unauthorized.
Prisoners have reportedly long complained over the conditions at the jail and claim they are barred from leaving their cells for showers, exercise, visits and calls. The facility is also reportedly plagued by rampant drug and contraband smuggling, sometimes organized by employees.
