Diddy Organises 1,000-Inmate Thanksgiving, Saying Holidays Leave Prisoners 'Depressed'

Sean 'Diddy' Combs brought Thanksgiving to low-security FCI Fort Dix prison in New Jersey by organising a meal for 1,000 fellow inmates, after a recent picture of the rapper smiling widely behind bars surfaced online.

The 56-year-old hip hop mogul, who is currently serving a sentence of four years and two months after getting fined £440,000 ($500,000) for transporting people across state lines for sex, has teamed up with the group Bankroll Bosses to finance extra food from the prison commissary.

Sources say Diddy intends to lift spirits during the holidays, with the rapper stating that 'everybody misses their family' and inmates often feel depressed during this time.

How Diddy Organised Prison Thanksgiving

According to NY Post, Diddy's effort was hands-on, with inmates preparing the meals over two days. Lacking traditional kitchen tools, prisoners used improvised utensils and even ID cards to chop ingredients, which were then boiled. A former gang leader, who goes by B.I., explained that the meals were made with care, 'like grandma cooked it', emphasising that for many inmates, this was the only good food they would enjoy that week.

B.I. described the logistics, saying meals were delivered to hundreds of inmates across multiple buildings. Without microwaves or stoves, prisoners used creative methods to prepare food, making it appear like a 'community' effort to celebrate Thanksgiving. B.I. added that the project offered a sense of purpose, giving inmates the opportunity to 'give back' despite their confinement.

The thanksgiving meal reportedly included turkey roast, vegetables, stufffings and desserts. Diddy may have been involved too in other physical activities to entertain inmates while in 'dreary' Fort Dix.

Is Diddy's Gesture a PR Stunt?

By financing and coordinating this effort, social media users say Diddy sought to show a different side of him, while others believe it's him 'sucking up' to inmates to gain their trust. Besides, the Thanksgiving celebration is far different from what the rapper frequently did back when he was outside of prison. Hosting A-list events, which prosecutors claimed 'freak off' sexual parties, Diddy tasted and shared luxury.

Now incarcerated, Diddy appears to be attempting a public display of goodwill. 'Thanksgiving, to me, is about making sure other people eat... everybody misses their family. People get depressed during the holidays', he told sources through his publicist, shutting it down as a publicity stunt before social media users beat him to it.

What's Waiting for Diddy Outside Prison?

While Diddy has been showing a different image behind bars, legal challenges persist. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department recently opened an investigation into allegations of sexual assault, including a claim that he sexually abused music producer Jonathan Hay in 2020 and 2021. According to Hay, the incident happened twice: one during a photoshoot and while the two were working on a remix.

Over fear of Diddy's influence, Hay maintained that he has been wanting to report since March 2023. He eventually filed a police report in September 2025 after the rapper faced a federal conviction. The music producer revealed that Cassie Ventura's lawsuit encouraged him to speak up.

However, Diddy's lawyer, Jonathan Davis, stated, 'He denies as false and defamatory any claims that he sexually abused anyone' and insisted that all matters should be decided in court, not the media.