Sean `Puffy' Combs, bodyguard indicted on bribery charge

NEW YORK (AP) -- Rap artist Sean "Puffy" Combs was indicted Wednesday along with his bodyguard on charges of bribing a witness.<br><br>Combs and Anthony "Wolf" Jones are accused of offering Combs'

Wednesday, February 23rd 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) -- Rap artist Sean "Puffy" Combs was indicted Wednesday along with his bodyguard on charges of bribing a witness.

Combs and Anthony "Wolf" Jones are accused of offering Combs' driver, Wardel Fenderson, $50,000 and a diamond ring to say he owned a gun police found as Combs drove away from a New York nightclub where a shooting had occurred.

Combs, 30, already faces gun possession charges in connection with the Dec. 27 shooting.

"I am outraged by this new charge," Combs, who was attending the Grammy Awards, said in a statement. "I am not guilty. From the
outset I have firmly believed that the Manhattan district attorney's office has unfairly targeted me for baseless charges."

Combs, Jones and Fenderson were arrested after one of Combs' rap proteges allegedly shot and wounded three people inside the club. The suspect, Jamal "Shyne" Barrow, 19, was arrested separately.

Authorities said the shooting stemmed from an argument in which an unidentified man threw money in Combs' face. Both Combs and
Barrow are accused of pulling guns.

The weapon Combs allegedly wanted Fenderson to claim was a loaded 9 mm automatic that police found on the floor of the
vehicle. Fenderson was driving; Combs, Jones and actress-singer Jennifer Lopez were passengers.

Combs was arraigned on weapons charges earlier this month. The bribery charge carries a penalty of seven years in prison.