Live

Sean Combs trial updates: Prosecution witness known as 'Mia' expected to testify next

The hip-hop mogul is charged with sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.

WPVI logo
Last updated: Wednesday, May 28, 2025 11:30PM GMT
'Diddy' Trial Recap: Cassie's former stylist testifies
Eyewitness News, and ABC News legal analyst Channa Lloyd breaks down testimony from Cassie Ventura's former stylist, plus what comes next in the trial on Thursday.

NEW YORK -- The third week of testimony in the sex trafficking trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs got underway Tuesday.

Prosecutors allege that Combs, a three-time Grammy winner, used his fame and fortune to create a deviant empire of exploitation, coercing women into abusive sex parties while silencing victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and beatings.

Combs' lawyers argue that all the sexual acts were consensual, and although he could be violent, he never veered into sex trafficking and racketeering.

This story may contain accounts and descriptions of actual or alleged events that some readers may find disturbing.

"Bad Rap: The Case Against Diddy," a new podcast from "20/20" and ABC Audio, traces how the whispers of abuse came to light and led to the downfall of Sean "Diddy" Combs, who was once among the most influential entertainers and entrepreneurs in hip hop. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more.

(ABC News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

ABCNews logo
May 27, 2025, 5:08 PM GMT

Defense questions Clark about working relationship with Combs: 'I had the biggest crush on you'

During a cross-examination that hopped from time period to time period, Capricorn Clark testified that she didn't know the connection between Sean Combs and the large man she told the court earlier today repeatedly administered lie detector tests to her on suspicion that she stole jewelry loaned to Combs.

"You don't know what relationship he has to Mr. Combs?" defense attorney Marc Agnifilo asked. Clark responded that she did not know.

Clark broke down again on the witness stand while she testified about a working relationship with Combs that she compared to business school for someone like her who did not finish college.

"Separate from all this stuff, I did learn a lot from Puff," Clark testified, her voice quaking. "I worked for him in varying roles over a long period of time."

Agnifilo asked, "He let you know you were talented, hardworking and effective?"

"True," Clark responded.

Agnifilo introduced a text message that Clark sent to Combs in June 2021 in which she told him "I had the biggest crush on you." Clark testified that she had no memory of sending the message but conceded that she liked Combs "as a friend."

"You also respected him?" Agnifilo asked.

"Yeah," Clark replied.

A month after federal agents raided Combs' two homes as part of their criminal investigation, Clark floated the idea of returning to work as Combs' chief of staff, the defense stated.

"You wanted to come back and work with Mr. Combs as his chief of staff?" Agnifilo asked.

"We discussed it, yes," Clark replied.

"What you said was, 'You were always able to take care of him,'" Agnifilo said.

The court is now in a lunch break, after which cross-examination will continue.

ABCNews logo
May 27, 2025, 4:26 PM GMT

Clark tells court Combs allegedly kicked Cassie upon discovering her relationship with Kid Cudi

Former Sean Combs assistant Capricorn Clark testified that while she was on the phone with Cassie Ventura, which was while Sean Combs had allegedly broken into Scott Mescudi's house, she heard Mescudi in the background say, "He's in my house?"

Clark testified that she told Ventura, "Cassie, stop him. He's going to get himself killed," referring to Mescudi.

Clark told the court that Combs ordered her to fetch Ventura. "He told me to tell Cassie that he has me and he's not going to let me go until I come get her," Clark testified.

A photo of Capricorn Clark is in evidence as Government Exhibit 2A-406.
A photo of Capricorn Clark is in evidence as Government Exhibit 2A-406.

Clark further testified that she and Ruben, one of Combs' bodyguards, were sent to pick up Ventura to allegedly get her to convince Mescudi not to tell police that Combs was involved in the alleged break-in at his house.

"If you don't convince him, I'm going to kill all you m------------," Clark testified Combs told her.

Clark testified that she returned to Combs' house with Ventura. "Puff (was) standing there in a robe and his underwear and he immediately began kicking Cassie," she told the court.

Clark told the court that Combs allegedly kicked Ventura repeatedly, and that with "each kick she would crouch into more and more a fetal position" until Ventura was all the way to the street. "Every time she got kicked, she moved back" and remained in a "full fetal position," Clark testified.

Asked why she didn't intervene, Clark responded that Combs allegedly told her that "If I jump in, he was going to f--- me up, too."

Clark took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes with a tissue as she testified, her voice breaking with emotion, about calling Regina Ventura, Cassie Ventura's mother, and telling her that Combs was allegedly "beating the s--- out of your daughter. Please help her. I can't call the police, but you can."

The next day, Dec. 23, 2011, is when Ventura previously testified that she sent Clark and her mother the email about Combs threatening to release two sex tapes that the jury was previously shown.

Clark testified that she was fired by Combs in August 2012, and that she returned in 2016 to work as Cassie Ventura's creative director. She told the court that everything from "soup to nuts" required approval from Combs. She also testified that she noticed an increase in Ventura's drug use.

Clark told the court that left Combs' employ in 2018, which she added was the last time she communicated with Ventura.

The prosecution's direct examination of Clark is over. Court is taking a break before cross-examination.

ABCNews logo
May 27, 2025, 3:36 PM GMT

Combs' ex-assistant testifies Combs threatened 'to kill' Kid Cudi

Former Sean Combs assistant Capricorn Clark testified about a time when she said Sean Combs was in the kitchen of a house he rented in Los Angeles, along with actress Lauren London and Combs' private chef at the time, Jourdan Cha'Taun.

"He was discussing with us why we didn't have a man like him," Clark testified Combs told them. "He said, 'Let me show you something.'"

He then called for Cassie Ventura, Clark told the court.

"He called Cassie over and he asked her to sit down, stand up, turn around, turn the other way, walk over there, grab that, hand me that, walk back, turn around, go back in the other room," Clark testified. "He said, 'Did you see that? You b------ won't do that. That's why you don't have a man.' To which we said, you're m------------ right."

Clark also testified about a time in Combs' Miami Beach home in 2008 when, exasperated after a long night, she told the court that she exclaimed, "I hate it here."

Combs then "charged" at her, Clark testified.

"He ran toward me with his hands open and pushed me, my shoulders, started pushing me back," Clark testified, demonstrating the movement for the jury.

Clark alleged in her testimony that Combs pushed her 25 to 30 yards through the house and outside while allegedly telling her, "If you hate it here get the f--- out of my house."

Combs' then-bodyguard, identified by Clark in earlier testimony as Uncle Paulie, intervened, Clark told the court, saying he "told Puff to stop and he told me to go pack my things,"

Clark told the court that she left her employment with Combs after that because the alleged shoving incident "was crossing my boundary."

Clark further testified that she returned to work for Combs in 2011. At the same time, she told the court, she was creative director for Cassie Ventura, was who was seeing Scott Mescudi, aka rapper Kid Cudi, at the time. Clark testified that she brought Ventura to Best Buy to purchase a burner phone to communicate with Kid Cudi.

Clark told the court that on the morning of December 22, 2011, she "heard a loud banging" at her door sometime between 5:30 and 6 a.m. and saw "a very upset Puff."

Clark testified that she opened the door and saw Combs dressed in a "white button-down shirt, button-down sweater, business slacks, grey slacks and nice shoes." The pants were split "from knee to knee through the crotch so I could see his underwear," Clark told the court.

Combs also had a gun in his hand, Clark testified.

"Did he enter your apartment holding a gun?" prosecutor Mitzi Steiner asked.

"Yes," Clark replied. "He said, 'Why didn't you tell me?' I said, 'I don't know what you're talking about.' He said, 'Who is Scott?' I said, 'I don't know Scott.' He said, 'Kid Cudi,'" Clark testified.

"He said, 'Get dressed we're going to go kill" Mescudi, Clark told the court.

Clark testified that when she protested, Combs allegedly told her, "I don't give a f--- what you want to do, go get dressed."

Clark testified that she was made to get into a Cadillac Escalade with Combs and a bodyguard, whom she said was named Ruben, and the three of them allegedly drove to Kid Cudi's house. Combs and Ruben allegedly went inside the home while Clark waited in the car, according to her testimony.

"They gained access to the main door of the actual property," Clark testified.

"I called Cassie," Clark further testified, adding that she recalled telling Ventura, "Cassie, what the f---?"

ABCNews logo
May 27, 2025, 2:55 PM GMT

Capricorn Clark, former Combs assistant, testifies she was 'petrified'

Former Sean Combs assistant Capricorn Clark testified that work was not yet complete on the then-new corporate headquarters of Bad Boy Entertainment at 1710 Broadway in New York City when she was allegedly taken there in 2004 by a bodyguard nicknamed Uncle Paulie and locked inside.

Clark told the court that she was taken to the "dilapidated" sixth floor, which she said was empty save for a folding table and chairs in the middle of the space.

"There was a heavy-set gentleman who was chain-smoking cigarettes and drinking black coffee," Clark testified. "Very wide, very heavy, the size of two linebackers."

Clark, seated in the witness box with her hair pulled back and wearing glasses, testified that she was "petrified" in that moment. She told the court that the bodyguard told her that she "had been brought to the building to take a lie detector test to figure out what happened" to some jewelry that had gone missing.

If she flunked the test, she testified the man told her, "They're going to throw you in the East River."

Clark testified that Combs had given her "three pieces of very high-end jewelry that were out on loan" before a private plane ride to Miami. At Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, Clark said she realized the jewelry had gone missing.

"Had you stolen the jewelry?" prosecutor Mitzi Steiner asked.

"I did not," Clark responded

Clark told the court that the bodyguard named Uncle Paulie took her to the same location inside 1710 Broadway on five consecutive days, where she allegedly was administered lie detector tests.

"I wanted to prove my innocence. I didn't like the threats," Clark testified.

When she was allowed to return to work, Combs never mentioned the lie detector tests or inquired where she had been, Clark told the court.