A former college basketball player has claimed that Sean “Diddy” Combs got “extremely creative” when he was on drugs.
The former player, who worked as a personal assistant, gave evidence at the music mogul’s sex trafficking trial on Friday.
Brendan Paul, 26, was arrested last year at a Miami airport with cocaine he says belonged to Combs, and he gave evidence with immunity about what it was like working for the hip-hop entrepreneur for a year and a half.
Mr Paul was arrested in March 2024 — the same day federal agents conducted multiple searches related to the Combs investigation.
Prosecutors are winding down their case after six weeks of evidence from an array of witnesses ranging from ex-girlfriends and former employees to male sex workers and the rapper Kid Cudi.
Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, even made a surprise appearance at the courthouse.
The prosecution seeks to convince the jury that Combs oversaw a sprawling racketeering enterprise for two decades that relied on obedience by employees willing to do anything for him, including buying drugs when necessary.
Defence lawyers say Combs did not commit federal crimes, although they acknowledge that prosecutors have exposed domestic violence during the trial.
After pleading not guilty following his September arrest at a Manhattan hotel, Combs has been held without bail at a federal prison in Brooklyn.
Prosecutors were expected to rest their case by Monday and the following defence presentation is expected to last from two to five days.
Mr Paul said he bought drugs for Combs between five and 10 times, spending up to 500 dollars (£370) for drugs including cocaine, ketamine, ecstasy and marijuana.
He said he only did drugs with Combs once, when the mogul asked him to try “tusi”, also known as pink cocaine, to see if it was good.
Mr Paul said he did so because he “wanted to prove my loyalty” and said he thought it was good.
“We continued on with our night,” he told assistant US attorney Christy Slavic.
Mr Paul said that prior to his arrest, he had forgotten about the cocaine after collecting it while “sweeping” Combs’s room that morning and had accidentally left it in a bag he carried as he prepared to go on vacation with Combs and other aides.
The charges were dismissed after Mr Paul completed a pre-trial diversion programme.
Under questioning by defence lawyer Brian Steel, Mr Paul said his “heart dropped” when he realised that there was cocaine in a travel bag after telling officers at the airport that everything in the bag belonged to him.
Mr Steel asked Mr Paul if Combs was generally happy and didn’t hurt anyone when he was on drugs.
“He got extremely creative,” Mr Paul responded.
At another point, Mr Steel asked: “You would not work for a criminal, would you?”
“Absolutely not,” Mr Paul responded.
Ms Slavic, though, elicited Mr Paul’s mixed feelings about Combs just before he finished his evidence when the prosecutor asked him: “Sitting here today, how do you feel about Mr Combs?”
“It’s complicated,” he answered.
