The team of six female federal prosecutors facing off against Sean “Diddy” Combs and his high-profile defense team laid out some of their case for the forced labor and racketeering charges the fallen rap mogul is fighting in court during the testimony of a former assistant, who on Thursday told the court of working for the defendant for days with no sleep, prolonged exposure to his emotional and physical abuse and multiple instanced of sexual assault

Combs’ former personal assistant is testifying under the pseudonym “Mia” at his sex trafficking and racketeering trial at the federal court in the Southern District of New York. “Mia” spent most of the day on the stand giving her testimony, some of which mirrored that of celebrity stylist Devonte Nash, who wrapped up his cross-examination in the morning. Both witnesses are close friends of Cassie Ventura Fine, whom they met while working for Combs and when the singer was signed to his label and subjected to a decade of alleged coercion along with physical, emotional and sexual abuse while dating the mogul. 

Hyperventilating and sobbing from the witness stand at times, “Mia” told the jury some harrowing details of her time working for Combs from 2009 to 2017, which is a large part of the time Combs and Ventura Fine were together. She described several occasions in which Combs became brutally violent with Ventura Fine, as well as his volatile attitude toward “Mia” over the years, which would sharply turn from a supportive, mentor-like demeanor to outright cruelty, violent and sexual abuse. 

“[Combs could treat her] like I was a worthless piece of crap,” she told the court. “He would humiliate me, curse at me, go on a rant about how incompetent and stupid I was.”

Testifying at the jury trial, “Mia” said that Combs sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions, the first instance occurring as the mogul was celebrating his 40th birthday; he poured her three vodka shots before he attacked her, putting his hand up her dress, she said. In another instance, she woke up in a bunk bed with Combs on top of her, she said, explaining that when she was asked if she wanted to have sex with him, she said no and that “it was over quickly.” 

As his personal assistant, “Mia” had her own room in Combs’ home but he refused to allow her to lock her door. “Puff said, ‘This is my house and no one locks the doors,’” she testified. Male security guards were not refused this privacy and had bedroom doors that locked, she said. 

At one point, the witness described having to work for five days straight with no sleep. 

“I had a physical breakdown, my hearing went, it felt like I was underwater, my equilibrium was off, blurred vision, out of nowhere I was hysterical and could not stop crying, at that point Puff said she could go to sleep,” she told the court on Thursday. While she was promised a $55,000 annual salary, she testified she was only ever paid $50,000. 

Much of the type of violent abuse that Ventura Fine and others testified the singer suffered at Combs’ hands was confirmed by “Mia.” Combs seems to have flown into rages when Ventura Fine didn’t pick up Combs’ calls; in these moments, calls and texts would come into Ventura Fine’s phone and Combs’ security would often turn up.

Over the years, “Mia” and Ventura Fine became like sisters and best friends, she told the court. But Combs’ dark behavior and fits of violence toward his girlfriend were a consistent threat. This was described in detail in court, starting with the instance Nash had testified about on Wednesday, when Combs caused Ventura Fine’s head to gush blood after they both said he smashed her into a bed frame.

“It was so fast, but I felt like I was in slow motion,” she said. “I saw him grab Cass, and I couldn’t get there fast enough. The bed platform was the sharpest I had ever seen, and he threw her, and she hit her head on the corner of the bed. … She had a pretty big scar on her forehead, which was split open and blood was coming out.”

When Combs was upset, “the punishment was unpredictable and terrifying,” she told the court. “Mia” described his wrath after she and Ventura Fine snuck out to a party at Prince’s Beverly Hills house, which led to an attack in public on Ventura Fine that had to be broken up by Prince’s security team, and her being suspended without pay from her job by the then-high-powered rap mogul. 

“I saw his bucket hat coming through the entrance,” she recalled of that night. “We locked eyes and crap, Cass and I started running through the house to get out across the yard, trying to run and hide there. Puff caught Cass, he caught up to her and had her and threw her to the ground and started to attack her.”

“Mia” was testifying under subpoena and did not want to discuss her time with Combs in court, she told the prosecutor questioning her on Thursday. “It’s the most traumatizing, worst thing that’s ever happened to me,” she told the court. She was then asked why she ultimately agreed to relive those days of her life publicly at Combs’ trial.

“Because I have to tell the truth, the whole truth,” she said. 

Following the testimony, discussions among the attorneys for the prosecution and defense and Judge Subramanian indicated that while the prosecution may end its case earlier than planned, the defense may shift some of its strategy and need more time. A prior request for more out-of-court time with Combs, who is sent back to a Brooklyn detention center each night, is being worked out by the judge, he said. Defense attorneys said they’d like to be able to sit with Combs to discuss the case until 10 p.m. each night.