Diddy’s Former Assistant Testifies in Federal Sex-Crimes Trial, Claims Years of Abuse Amid Intense Cross-Examination
- Victor Nwoko
- Jun 4
- 4 min read
As Sean "Diddy" Combs’ federal sex-crimes trial continues, his legal team is aggressively challenging the credibility of a former assistant who has accused the music mogul of years of physical and sexual abuse. The woman, known by the pseudonym “Mia,” testified in a Manhattan courtroom on June 2, detailing her time working for Combs from 2009 to 2017 and alleging repeated assaults.
Under intense cross-examination, Combs’ attorneys presented a series of affectionate text messages and social media posts Mia had sent to and about Combs in the years following her employment, including messages as recent as 2020. When asked about these exchanges, Mia explained, “I was still brainwashed,” stating she was constantly seeking Combs’ approval despite the trauma she now alleges.
Mia claimed that Combs sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions, beginning at the Plaza Hotel in New York City in 2009 during his 40th birthday celebration. She recounted further alleged assaults at his Los Angeles home, on a private jet, and during various work trips, including a confrontation she witnessed at the Cannes Film Festival in 2012, where she said Combs gritted his teeth and dug his nails into his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura Fine’s arm.
The former assistant broke down emotionally as she testified that speaking about the assaults in open court was the most difficult experience of her life. She stated that she hadn’t previously disclosed the alleged assaults to Ventura Fine or the U.S. Attorney’s Office out of deep shame and fear. “I was still deeply ashamed and wanted to die,” Mia said, explaining her silence.
Combs, 55, was arrested in September 2024 and has been charged with sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty.
Defense attorney Brian Steel questioned Mia’s motives, suggesting she was motivated by the #MeToo movement and a potential financial settlement, similar to Ventura Fine’s 2023 lawsuit against Combs, which ended in a reported payout. “You joined the MeToo money grab against Mr. Combs, is that true?” Steel asked. Mia denied the claim: “No, that is not my intention.”
Steel repeatedly referenced text messages Mia sent Combs after her employment ended, including one from 2019 where she described a dream in which Combs rescued her from an elevator with R. Kelly. “Puff used to be my protector,” Mia said, adding that she felt sympathy for Combs following the 2018 death of his longtime partner Kim Porter.
The defense also highlighted a 2020 exchange where Mia told Combs, “Love you too, and the only things to remember are the good times.” When asked why she never mentioned the alleged assaults in response to his messages, Mia replied, “I would never respond that way.” Steel accused her of lying about the abuse, but she responded firmly: “I have never lied in this courtroom, and I will never lie in this courtroom.”
Mia testified that Combs maintained an environment of control and surveillance, alleging he installed tracking devices on Ventura Fine’s vehicle and stole both her and Ventura Fine’s phones. She stated she had to be in constant communication with him and never felt free, even when physically apart.
Steel questioned Mia about multiple social media posts praising Combs, including a 45th birthday tribute in which she called him “the good kind of crazy” and said she loved him with all her heart. “When the highs were high and the goods were good, you tried so hard to stay in that,” Mia explained, attempting to reconcile her public praise with the private trauma she now describes.
Mia also recalled sending Combs supportive texts related to mutual acquaintances and shared memories, including a poker game with Leonardo DiCaprio, an encounter with Mick Jagger in Paris, and Combs’ aspirations to portray James Brown in a biopic.
As the trial progresses, new witnesses are expected to take the stand, including Enrique Santos, Frank Piazza, and two employees from the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles, where surveillance footage reportedly shows Combs assaulting Ventura Fine. Hotel security supervisor Eddie Garcia will testify under immunity, and custodian Sylvia Okun is also scheduled to appear.
The case has become a high-profile chapter in the broader scrutiny of Combs’ conduct within the music industry, as federal prosecutors continue building their case against him based on testimony from former associates, alleged victims, and digital evidence.
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