Former Assistant Testifies Against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Claims Rape and Psychological Manipulation

Sean “Diddy” Combs looks on as defense attorney Nicole Westmoreland cross examines Dawn Richard during Combs’ sex trafficking and racketeering trial in Manhattan federal court, Monday, May 19, 2025, in New York

A former personal assistant to Sean “Diddy” Combs testified in federal court Monday that she was “brainwashed” into sending affectionate messages to the music mogul for years, despite accusing him of rape and abuse. The woman, testifying under the pseudonym “Mia,” took the stand for a third consecutive day in Combs’ high-profile sex trafficking and racketeering trial in Manhattan.

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. While his defense team acknowledges he could be violent, they deny allegations that he used threats or his influence in the music industry to commit sexual abuse.

Defense attorney Brian Steel, center, cross examines Kid Cudi, far right, as Sean “Diddy” Combs, far left, looks on during Combs’ sex trafficking and racketeering trial in Manhattan federal court, Thursday, May 22, 2025, in New York

Mia pushed back against defense lawyer Brian Steel’s insinuation that her allegations were part of a fabricated "#MeToo money grab." During cross-examination, Steel read aloud several messages Mia had sent Combs over the years, including one from 2019 in which she described a dream where Combs rescued her from a nightmare involving convicted sex trafficker R. Kelly.

Steel questioned the plausibility of such a dream, asking whether she truly envisioned being saved by the man she accuses of traumatizing her. Prosecutors objected, and the judge sustained the objection. The tense exchange was one of several moments during a combative cross-examination that saw frequent interruptions from the judge, who repeatedly instructed Steel to rephrase confusing or confrontational questions.

In an August 2020 message to Combs, Mia reminisced about glamorous moments from her eight-year tenure as his assistant, such as drinking champagne beneath the Eiffel Tower and turning down an advance from Mick Jagger. She mentioned remembering only "the good times" and noted once feeling "bamboozled" by a woman. When Steel pressed why she didn’t say Combs had similarly misled her, Mia responded, “Because I was still brainwashed.”

She elaborated by describing an emotionally volatile work environment where extreme highs and lows left her confused and unable to trust her instincts. Mia firmly rejected any suggestion that she fabricated her story: “I have never lied in this courtroom and I never will lie in this courtroom. Everything I said is true.” She said she came forward out of a moral obligation after hearing other women speak up and described her ongoing effort to process the trauma through therapy.

Mia accuses Combs of forcibly kissing and molesting her at his 40th birthday party and later raping her in a guest room at his Los Angeles home. She described the assaults as “random, sporadic, so oddly spaced out” that she initially didn’t believe they would recur. For years, she kept the experiences private—even after Cassie, Combs’ former longtime girlfriend, filed a sexual abuse lawsuit in November 2023 that was swiftly settled for $20 million.

Mia is the second of three main prosecution witnesses. The third, identified as “Jane,” is expected to testify later this week. Mia said she did not initially tell Cassie or even prosecutors about her abuse, waiting six months after her first meeting with authorities in January 2024 to disclose the assaults. “Just because you find out something doesn’t mean you immediately snap out of it. I was still deeply ashamed and I wanted to die with this,” she testified.

Steel suggested Mia came forward only after hiring legal counsel and hinted at a potential financial motive. He attempted to question her about her lawyer’s history of winning large judgments in sex abuse cases, including against former President Donald Trump. Judge Arun Subramanian halted the line of questioning.

Prosecutors later criticized Steel’s aggressive tactics, arguing that his approach could discourage future victims from testifying. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey accused him of harassing the witness by focusing excessively on her social media activity. While the judge noted he had not observed any yelling or sarcasm, he warned Steel against delving further into Mia’s social media content.

The trial, now in its fourth week, continues as federal prosecutors pursue serious charges against one of the most powerful figures in hip-hop.