In a high-profile federal trial in Manhattan, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces serious allegations, including rape and sexual assault, from his former personal assistant, who testified under the pseudonym ‘Mia.’
Mia characterized her years of communication with Combs following her departure in 2017 as a product of being ‘brainwashed,’ pushing back against claims made by defense attorney Brian Steel that her allegations were fabricated for financial gain.
During her testimony, which spanned three days, Mia recounted her experiences working with Combs and described troubling encounters that have led to her current claims.
Throughout her time on the stand, she faced intense scrutiny from Steel, who sought to undermine her credibility by presenting text messages she had sent to Combs, some expressing affection.
At one point, Steel read a text where Mia described a dream in which Combs rescued her from a nightmare involving R. Kelly, the R&B artist convicted of sex trafficking.
“’And the person who sexually assaulted you came to your rescue?’” Steel questioned incredulously, to which the judge sustained an objection from prosecutors, highlighting the combative nature of the cross-examination.
Mia’s emotional testimony contrasted sharply with the defense’s attempt to portray her narrative as inconsistent.
In a message dated August 29, 2020, Mia recalled joyful moments from her eight years working with Combs, mentioning activities like celebrating at the Eiffel Tower and resisting advances from Mick Jagger.
Despite these happy recollections, she acknowledged feeling ‘bamboozled’ by other women but refrained from attributing the same sentiment to Combs, stating plainly, ‘Because I was still brainwashed.’
She further explained that the tumultuous nature of their working relationship created ‘huge confusion in trusting my instincts.’
Mia took a firm stance when Steel suggested she invented her narrative.
“I have never lied in this courtroom and I never will lie in this courtroom. Everything I said is true,” she asserted.
Driven by a moral obligation to speak out following revelations by other women against Combs, Mia explained, “It’s been a long process. I’m untangling things. I’m in therapy.”
The former assistant’s allegations include claims of being forcibly kissed and molested at Combs’ 40th birthday party and raped in a guest room at his Los Angeles residence months later.
She testified that the assaults were sporadic, leading her to initially believe they would not happen again.
Mia disclosed that for a significant period, she remained silent about the abuses, even after a close friend, Cassie—Combs’ former longtime girlfriend—filed a lawsuit against him in November 2023 that alleged sexual abuse.
Cassie’s lawsuit resulted in a $20 million settlement within hours and was instrumental in initiating the criminal investigation into Combs.
When asked why she didn’t confide in Cassie about her own victimization, Mia expressed discomfort, adding she didn’t disclose her experiences to prosecutors in her initial meetings in January 2024, waiting nearly six months to come forward.
“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.
The defense suggested that Mia’s decision to finally speak with prosecutors was influenced by her hiring of legal counsel and accused her of building a case for a potential lawsuit against Combs.
In response, Judge Arun Subramanian intervened to limit Steel’s line of questioning, particularly attempting to connect Mia’s choice of attorney to unrelated cases involving other prominent figures.
Prosecutors expressed concern that the aggressive cross-examination style could potentially discourage other victims from coming forward in future cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey criticized Steel’s treatment of Mia, noting that it veered into prejudicial territory and could be viewed as harassment.
In closing arguments, the ongoing trial remains closely watched, with the next witness, referred to as ‘Jane,’ set to testify later this week, as the courtroom waits for the developments that will unfold in the continuing case against the music mogul.
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