Diddy trial recap: Ex-assistant ‘Mia’ reveals she has ‘complex PTSD’ while testifying about harrowing sexual abuse
Ex-Combs assistant faced aggressive questioning from mogul’s lawyers on Friday in Manhattan federal court
Sean “Diddy” Combs’s former assistant “Mia” told jurors that she suffered from “complex PTSD” as she returned to the stand Friday, closing out the third week of testimony in the music mogul’s sex trafficking trial.
Direct examination of Mia, a pseudonym given to protect her identity, began again after proceedings resumed inside Manhattan federal court, but she was later aggressively cross-examined by Combs’ lawyers who sought to discredit her claims using her own social media posts.
Mia, who worked for Combs for eight years, previously alleged that she was was forced to perform a sex act on Combs and, in another incident, was allegedly raped in the spare room of his Los Angeles home.
Combs is facing sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution, and racketeering conspiracy charges. Combs was arrested in September 2024 as federal authorities alleged he threatened, abused, and coerced victims “to fulfill his sexual desires” between 2004 and 2024. Combs has denied any accusations of wrongdoing.
The high-profile trial in New York has been ongoing for three weeks and attracted significant attention, including from President Donald Trump, who did not dismiss a potential pardon for Combs, should he be convicted, when asked by reporters at a press conference on Friday.
Celebrities are reportedly hiring lawyers to avoid testifying at Diddy’s trial
Diddy’s ex-assistant testifies about her arm getting slammed in a door and how she hoped each assault would be the last
Ex-assistant testifies Sean 'Diddy' Combs sexually assaulted her and used violence to get his way
Diddy’s former stylist makes unprompted claim he set Cassie up with Hollywood star Michael B Jordan
Who is 'Mia'?
“Mia” is Sean “Diddy” Combs’s former personal assistant and a close friend of Cassie Ventura.
Mia is testifying under a pseudonym to protect her identity. She’s expected to testify through Friday.
Mia says she 'couldn't' say no to Diddy
Sean “Diddy” Combs’s former assistant Mia said she never wanted to have sex with him, but that she couldn’t say no to him because she was afraid of him.
“I couldn’t tell him no, like, about a sandwich. I couldn’t tell him no about anything. There’s no way I could tell him no,” Mia said.
“He would fire me and ruin my future and somehow twist the story into making me look like a threat,” she added.
Mia has testified that Combs sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions.
Mia says fellow assistant fired after raising alarm about Diddy hurting Cassie
Mia says a fellow assistant told Sean “Diddy” Combs’s chief of staff that he was hitting Cassie Ventura.
Afterward, high-level employees held a phone call and the assistant was fired, Mia said.
Jury dismissed
Judge Arun Subramanian has dismissed the jury for today.
‘Mia’ will continue testifying tomorrow morning.
More from inside...
Cross examination is a bit rough to watch.
Brian Steel, a defense attorney who previously represented Yung Thug, is very aggressive. He is trying to back Mia into a corner and constantly questions her motive in posting a photo of Diddy if he was her abuser.
In one particularly bad moment he asked Mia why she would post a photo of her “rapist” pretending to deliver her baby (it was a still she posted as part of a comedy skit she participated in). The wording of the question caught her so off guard she stared at him for a second and shook her head back and forth. “That wording..” she said
People in the overflow room let out a little gasp when Steel asked that.
Mia to return to stand this morning
Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Sean “Diddy” Combs’s sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial, as testimony enters its 13th day.
Combs’s former assistant “Mia” is set to return to the stand Friday morning. Direct examination of the witness, who is testifying under a pseudonym, will continue after testimony resumes at about 9 a.m. inside Manhattan federal court.
Day 12 recap: Mia testifies on alleged rape and violent outbursts
“Mia,” a former employee of Sean “Diddy” Combs, testified Thursday after ex-stylist Deonte Nash in the music mogul’s sex trafficking trial.
The woman, who is testifying under a pseudonym, says Combs sexually abused her and attacked her on multiple occasions.
Mia testified that she was “terrified” to report Combs because she “didn’t want to die or get hurt.”
The witness told the jury that she was forced to perform a sex act on Combs and, in one alleged incident while staying in the spare room at his Los Angeles home in either 2009 or 2010, she said he entered the room, climbed on top of her and penetrated.
Mia testified she never wanted to have sex with him, but was afraid to tell him no.
“I couldn’t tell him no, like, about a sandwich,” Mia testified. “I couldn’t tell him no about anything. There’s no way I could tell him no.”
“He would fire me and ruin my future and somehow twist the story into making me look like a threat,” she added.
Mia also described alleged instances in which he threw a bowl of spaghetti and a computer at her. Both missed, she said.
Stylist says he set Cassie up with Hollywood star
Sean “Diddy” Combs’s former stylist was keen for the court to know that he allegedly played matchmaker for Cassie Ventura and Hollywood A-lister Michael B Jordan.
Deonte Nash did not wait for the defense attorney to finish their question on Thursday before offering up the information unprompted to the court.
The celebrity stylist, who worked for both Combs and Ventura, was being cross-examined about events in 2015, when Ventura was in South Africa shooting a film.
Mike Bedigan has more:
Diddy’s former stylist makes unprompted claim he set Cassie up with Michael B Jordan
In sketches: Day 12 of testimony in Diddy's New York trial
Celebrities 'hiring lawyers' to avoid testifying at Diddy’s trial
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ high-profile sex-trafficking trial has some celebrities so nervous they could be called to testify that they’ve hired lawyers, according to a report.
In the nearly four weeks since the mogul’s federal trial began in New York, several notable names have been called before the jury, including musician Cassie Ventura, rapper Kid Cudi, and singer Dawn Richard. Other celebrities have been name-dropped as well, such as record executive Suge Knight, musician Usher, and more.
With the potential for others to be named, or even called to give evidence, Harvey Levin, the founder of TMZ, claims that some have already lawyered up.
“I have heard that there are some celebrities worried about being called to testify and have even lawyered up trying to fight that,” Levin told Fox News Digital.
Ariana Baio has the details:
