The courtroom was electric with tension on Day 12 of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ high-stakes sex-trafficking and racketeering trial, as witnesses delivered jaw-dropping accounts that painted a chilling picture of alleged abuse and control. Held on May 29, 2025, in a New York federal court, the proceedings saw gripping testimonies from celebrity stylist Deonte Nash and former assistant Mia, testifying as “Victim 4,” with mentions of former NFL player Andre Branch and actor Mike Myers adding layers to an already explosive narrative.
With the prosecution nearing the end of its case, these revelations could prove pivotal in a trial in which the music mogul faces a potential life sentence.
Deonte Nash, a close friend and former stylist for Cassie Ventura, took the stand to wrap up his cross-examination, bringing both intensity and moments of levity to the courtroom. Described as “sassy” by observers, Nash didn’t hold back, detailing alleged violent incidents involving Combs and Ventura. He recounted seeing Ventura with a black eye, both in person and via FaceTime, and described a harrowing moment where he and Mia jumped on Combs’ back to stop him from attacking Ventura, whose eye was gashed and bleeding.
Defense attorney Xavier Donaldson pressed Nash on inconsistencies, pointing out that Nash hadn’t mentioned Combs continuing to beat Ventura after the injury in prior government meetings. Nash’s response? He only answered what he was asked, admitting he wasn’t thrilled to be testifying. His candid demeanor even drew smiles from the judge, though tensions rose as Donaldson grilled him on unreported details, like Combs pointing a finger in Ventura’s face at her 29th birthday party, saying,
“I do so much for you, you can’t do this one thing for me.”
Nash dropped a bombshell when he revealed he introduced Ventura to Michael B. Jordan in 2015, during a time when Combs was reportedly at a music festival with another woman, Gina Huynh. A text message mistakenly sent to Ventura or Nash, showing Combs with Gina, sparked embarrassment for Ventura, prompting Nash to facilitate her connection with Jordan.
He also confirmed Ventura’s relationship with former NFL player Andre Branch, describing him as “the cute football player.” This revelation, tied to Combs’ alleged jealousy when he discovered the affair and took Ventura’s phone, underscored the prosecution’s narrative of control and retaliation.
Mia, testifying under a pseudonym as “Victim 4,” delivered a gut-wrenching account of her time as Combs’ assistant from 2009 to 2017. Before working for Combs, she was an assistant to actor Mike Myers, where her hours were a standard 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with occasional weekend calls to walk his dog. The transition to working for Combs at Bad Boy Entertainment was a shock.
On her first day, she was sent to Combs’ Alpine, New Jersey home for inventory, worked until 10 p.m. in Manhattan, and then spent from 10 p.m. to 1 p.m. the next day at his studio without sleep. Mia described a grueling schedule, once going five days without rest, relying on time-released Adderall until her body broke down with blurred vision, hearing loss, and uncontrollable crying. She called the work environment “chaotic, toxic,” with unpredictable highs and lows.
Mia’s testimony turned darker as she alleged multiple sexual assaults by Combs and physical abuse, including being thrown into a pool, shoved against walls, and hit on the head. She corroborated Nash’s account of the eye-gash incident, describing how Combs threw Ventura, causing a severe injury. Mia also recounted a 2012 incident at a party hosted by Prince, where she and Ventura, tasked with staying at a hotel, sneaked out to attend.
When Combs arrived, spotting them with a bucket hat on, they fled, but he caught and tackled Ventura, only stopped by security. Mia faced suspension without pay for “insubordination” the next day. She emphasized her close, sister-like bond with Ventura, noting Combs’ rules, like not allowing her to lock her bedroom door at his properties, heightened her fear. Combs visibly reacted, shaking his head during her claims of assault and the eye-gash story, a rare display in court.
The trial also highlighted strategic defense moves. Donaldson pointed out instances where Combs’ security helped Ventura escape, like through a hotel side entrance, to question the prosecution’s racketeering narrative of Combs controlling a criminal enterprise. Meanwhile, Combs’ family, including his mother Janice and sons, attended, with Combs blowing a kiss to his mother, mouthing,
“How you doing, mommy?”
Amid the intense testimony, privacy concerns for Mia led to a prosecution request to block video feeds in overflow rooms, which Judge Arun Subramanian denied, though sketches were prohibited.
With the prosecution potentially wrapping up soon, the trial, which may extend into June, continues to unravel a complex web of allegations. Nash and Mia’s testimonies, alongside mentions of Andre Branch’s role in Ventura’s life and Mia’s past with Mike Myers, have intensified scrutiny on Combs’ actions, keeping the public and courtroom on edge.
Courtesy: Lauren Conlin