Week 4 of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal trial featured emotional testimony from a former assistant, a longtime friend of Cassie Ventura, a hotel security guard, and a former girlfriend testifying under the pseudonym Jane. While their stories varied in detail, each described a pattern of abuse, coercion, and control that mirrored the allegations laid out by Ventura during
Week 1
.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors are using witness testimony to build their case that Combs operated a criminal enterprise with the help of close associates.
Former Assistant “Mia” Alleges Years of Abuse, Control, and Coercion
A woman identified by the pseudonym “Mia,” who worked as Combs’ personal assistant from 2009 to 2017, concluded three days of testimony on June 2, to kick off the fourth week of trial. Unlike
previous assistants
who have testified—such as David James, Capricorn Clark, and George Kaplan—Mia is the first to accuse Combs of sexual assault.
Mia
testified
that she was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Combs, including one incident where she said he climbed into her bunk bed at night and raped her while she lay frozen in fear. She described a work environment marked by intimidation, sleep deprivation, and physical abuse—including Combs allegedly throwing a computer at her head and attacking Ventura in front of her multiple times.
In one chilling moment, she recalled watching Combs throw Ventura to the ground. She said she and stylist Deonte Nash tried to intervene, but Combs overpowered them, and she feared for all their lives.
“His eyes turned black, and there was like no getting through,” she said. Another time, she and Ventura tried to escape by paddleboards in Turks and Caicos—only to return, fearing Combs more than the open ocean.
Mia’s testimony adds to the prosecution’s effort to prove a pattern of coercion and psychological control—key elements of the federal sex trafficking charge.
“Mia” Also Faced Tough Cross-Examination
On
cross
, Combs’ legal team questioned why Mia stayed employed for almost a decade despite the abuse. She told the jury: “In an abusive relationship there’s a cycle of violence. I was young and manipulated and eager to survive.” The defense also pointed to friendly social media posts Mia had made about Combs, which she said were part of her job—and failing to post them would get her in trouble.
When asked why she never reported the abuse, Mia said she feared retaliation and being painted as “a crazy person making everything up.” She said Human Resources had punished her in the past and wouldn’t have believed her.
Hotel Security Guard Says He Was Paid $100K for 2016 Assault Tape
Eddy Garcia, a former InterContinental Hotel security guard, testified about the now-infamous 2016
surveillance footage
showing Combs assaulting Cassiue Ventura. Garcia said Combs paid him $100,000 for the original copy, on the condition that no duplicates existed.
Garcia also signed an NDA through one of Combs’ companies—something prosecutors argue shows “awareness of guilt.”
CNN
legal analysts
say the move could help tie Combs’ businesses to efforts to conceal an alleged crime—the coerced “
Freak Off
” Ventura was engaged in with a prostitute—supporting the prosecution’s claim that his empire operated as a racketeering enterprise.
$20K Wire Transfer From Cassie’s Family Tied to Alleged Extortion
Derek Ferguson, Combs’ former head of finance,
testified
about a $20,000 transaction from Cassie Ventura’s father that prosecutors say aligns with testimony from
Cassie’s mother
—who said Combs demanded money in exchange for not leaking explicit footage. The financial paper trail strengthens the case that Combs used his businesses to further illegal acts.
Other Ferguson testimony was largely uneventful—he denied seeing crimes, said taxes were handled properly, and described Combs as a hard worker. His defense-friendly points are unlikely to impact the prosecution’s narrative unless supported by additional evidence.
Cassie’s Friend From Balcony Incident Takes the Stand
Bryana Bongolan, a longtime friend of Cassie Ventura, testified under an immunity order as the second witness on June 4. During cross-examination, she admitted to regularly using drugs like marijuana and cocaine with Ventura and Combs—sometimes weekly.
Bongolan testified that during a 2016 beach photo shoot, Combs leaned in close and told her,
“I’m the devil
and I could kill you.” She said she was terrified and unsure what prompted the threat. When asked why she stayed around Combs afterward, she responded, “Honestly, I don’t know.”
Later that year, she alleged a violent incident where Combs held her over a 17-story balcony and then threw her onto balcony furniture, leaving her with bruising and neck pain. She said the trauma from that encounter still causes paranoia and night terrors.
Bongolan also recounted other moments of alleged abuse: Combs banging on Ventura’s door late at night, and an incident where he threw a knife in Ventura’s direction. She said she never went to the police out of fear.
Cross-Examination Raises Doubts About Balcony Incident
During cross-examination, Bongolan maintained that she was truthful in her account of a 2016 incident where she says Combs held her over a balcony and threw her onto balcony furniture—a claim she originally made in a November 2024 civil lawsuit.
When asked by Combs’ defense if she was scared to be around him afterward, Bongolan admitted she “
kept her distance,”
but also acknowledged a text sent to Ventura where she offered to get Combs a hoodie, saying, “We were trying to be cool.” The defense attempted to discredit her timeline, pointing out Combs’ alleged presence in New Jersey at the time.
In response, Bongolan referenced photo metadata showing a picture of her bruised leg taken the same morning she claims the incident occurred.
On redirect, Bongolan admitted she couldn’t recall the exact date of the incident but was adamant: “I will never forget him holding me on that balcony.” When asked if she filed the lawsuit to become a millionaire, she said her motive was justice—not money.
According to trial attorney Misty Marris, Bongolan’s testimony
“came off as
a problem for prosecutors, and the jury may look at these other prosecution witnesses and say, ‘Can I really believe what they said, as well?’ So, that was a win for the defense.”
Jane Doe Testifies About Coercion, “Freak Offs,” and Financial Control
Jane Doe, one of Combs’ accusers, testifying under a pseudonym, was the next witness to take the stand. Her testimony detailed a relationship marked by emotional manipulation, financial control, drug use, and coerced sex—allegations that prosecutors say directly support the federal sex trafficking charge.
Financial Dependence and Lifestyle Pressure
Jane testified that Combs paid her rent (up to $10K/month) and gave her allowances ranging from $5,000 to $20,000, fostering financial dependence. She said the relationship impacted her influencer career, as she prioritized Combs over work and brand deals. Promoting his events and maintaining a curated social media presence became part of the job.
Drug Use and Control
Jane testified that during a nine-day trip to the Bahamas, she and Combs took ecstasy nearly daily. Combs allegedly supplied the drugs and wired her $10,000 to cover lost influencer income. Jane said drug use was frequent during “hotel nights” organized by Combs, where she was expected to perform sexually while under the influence.
Sexual Coercion and “Freak Off” Parallels
Jane described a disturbing pattern of coerced sex with male “entertainers,” which prosecutors say mirrored the “Freak Offs” Cassie Ventura described. What began in 2021 with Combs hiring a male escort allegedly escalated into routine encounters with other men that Jane said made up “90% of the time” they had sex.
Though initially “exhilarated,” Jane said she quickly felt trapped, saying that the encounter opened a door that was “unable to shut for the remainder of our relationship.”
She testified she went along with it out of fear of losing Combs, who often dismissed her discomfort.
The hotel nights, according to Jane, often lasted between 2o to 30 hours, were recorded, and left her with health issues such as urinary tract and yeast infections, and back pain from staying in certain positions for many hours because “that’s what my partner wanted to see.”
One regular, known as “Sly,” joined them in L.A., Miami, and New York. Combs always paid for travel and gave the men $2,000 to $4,000 in cash per encounter.
Emotional and Psychological Manipulation
Despite moments of intimacy after these encounters—cooking for Combs, massaging him, watching TV, which made her happy, Jane said
she often fought to block out “how sad I felt after.”
Combs allegedly directed her to FaceTime the men, engage in sexual talk, and request explicit photos outside of the hotel encounters. Though she played along, Jane said, “When I’m in my sober mind receiving these messages, it’s kind of not something that I like to see.”
Jane testified that she told Combs multiple times (mostly via text) that she no longer wanted to participate in “hotel nights,” as far back as 2021, but said he often responded in person with a
“defensive,
belittling and dismissive” tone.
Text and Audio Evidence
Jurors heard
texts and audio
from 2021–2023 in which Jane expressed feeling “mistreated” and “cheap.” After Combs allegedly arranged a three-man “hotel night” on her birthday, she wrote, “I didn’t want to do those things with you on my birthday,” expressing her frustration that he took another woman on vacation right after. In one audio clip, Combs warned her of a “rude awakening” if she kept challenging him.
Hearing the audio messages, according to Court TV anchor and former prosecutor
Julie Grant
, could potentially be very impactful.
“If the jury
believes her, if they are feeling that she was, in fact, in the situation where she was coerced to have sex with these men who were procured by Sean “Diddy” Combs … to take drugs to get through them, if she felt like she did not have a choice and was made to do those things, then she largely substantiates the government’s case,” Grant said.
On the opposite hand though, Grant noted that if jurors doubt the sincerity of Jane’s emotions on the stand—especially considering the large sums of money she received from Combs—they may question the credibility of her testimony.
