Evidence at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal trial shows a text message sent from his former assistant to the rap mogul on his birthday.
SDNY Federal Court
The sex trafficking and racketeering trial of fallen rap-world mega-player Sean “Diddy” Combs entered its fifth week and second month in downtown Manhattan federal court on Monday, as one of the ex-mogul’s defense attorneys hammered Combs’ former assistant about their working and personal relationship, suggesting her actions don’t fit with the allegations of horrific abuse she has made against him from the witness stand.
The former assistant, who is using the pseudonym “Mia” while she testifies at Combs’ trial, spent the last of her three days on the stand on Monday, with her cross-examination taking up the majority of her time in court as star defense attorney Brian Steel repeatedly questioned her actions and words, particularly in social media posts that praised or were positive toward Combs in the years during and after “Mia” says she was being abused, manipulated, threatened and sexually assaulted by him while employed by his company.
Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to an indictment alleging he abused “Mia”; Cassie Ventura, his longtime girlfriend; and others. If convicted, he could face 15 years to life in prison.
Steel’s tough questioning of “Mia” grew intense enough on Monday for prosecutor Maureen Comey to interject. The U.S. attorney told Judge Arun Subramanian that she believed Steel was looking to humiliate “Mia” while she told her version of events on the witness stand. Steel’s sarcastic remarks and suggestions that the former assistant is lying to the court bordered on harassment, Comey argued; Subramanian disagreed with this suggestion but did concede that Steel’s questions had become argumentative and cumulative. He allowed Steel to proceed, assuring Comey that he’d be on the lookout for abusive conduct.
Steel repeatedly questioned Mia’s recollections of abuse and sexual assaults she says she suffered at Combs’ hands, asking her why there was so much public praise of her former boss and positive private text messages, and not one written item or note to a friend indicating the torturous abuse that she claimed while under oath over the past few days. Steel even flat-out asked her if she was lying in court, at one point.
“I would not lie in this courtroom,” Mia replied. “I never lied in this courtroom; everything I have said is true.”
Steel also questioned her actions during the years of abuse she claims Combs subjected her to, and whether she had a moral obligation to report him at the time the abuse was occurring, which was throughout her time at Combs Global, from 2009-17; she replied that “because I was terrified and brainwashed,” there was no such obligation on her part.
Much of what was discussed on “Mia’s” third day of testimony had been heard while she was questioned by the prosecution or during the cross-examination. She reiterated her feelings of being trapped by Combs; she again discussed his jubilant highs and deep lows and how this would impact her directly; she also discussed how it took time to realize the level of abuse she says she suffered and how her PTSD was unearthed by speaking with a mental health professional.
“It’s been a long process,” she said. “I’m still untangling these things. I’m in therapy. “
The strong friendship “Mia” developed with Ventura, Combs’ longtime former girlfriend and Victim 1 in the federal case against him, came up again on Monday. “Mia” testified that she never revealed the multiple sexual assaults she suffered from Combs to Ventura. So much of her job, she repeatedly told the court under questioning, was keeping Combs’ mood in check and ensuring a world of alleged chaos and abuse was running smoothly; talking to anyone, even Ventura, about the rape and sexual abuse was out of the question. The falsehoods she told to protect Combs also extended to hiding his location from Ventura.
“I remember covering for him and feeling terrible about it,” Mia told the court. “I was still deeply ashamed and wanted to die with this.”
“Mia” also confirmed that Combs had knowledge and gave his consent on all work and projects Ventura worked on in music and film, which included a few features and music collaborations; it did not include the 10 albums that were part of her Bad Boy Records contract, which she signed with Combs at 19 before soon becoming his girlfriend.
Like the dozens of those who have filed lawsuits against Combs in the last 19 months, “Mia” said she was able to find the strength to come forward when others came forward publicly.
Steel questioned “Mia” about the post-employment settlement she sought after being suddenly fired from her job; she told the attorney that the $10 million ask went to mediation as her opening position and that it was settled for $400,000; the attorneys took half of this, she said.
Following her exit from working alongside Combs for a decade, “Mia” spent eight months working with pop icon Madonna — a gig she landed independently and with zero assistance from Combs. In discussing her exit from Combs’ orbit, she told the court that the mogul walked out of a promise to assist her in launching a TV show she’d developed.
“My entire world was ripped away from me, immediately,” she said. “And even if, in hindsight, that world was awful, I didn’t know it at the time. That’s why it felt like everything was ending.”