Santa Monica Doctors Come Under Scrutiny in Sean "Diddy" Combs Federal Trial in NYC
A Santa Monica based concierge clinic Lifespan has come under scrutiny in the ongoing federal trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs after federal agents recovered prescription drugs in the name of "Frank Black" with the doctors' 2811 Wilshire Avenue address listed under the bogus patient's name after his arrest.The prescription drug were found in room 2115 at the tony Park Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan on Sept. 16, 2024 after Combs' arrest earlier that day, Department of Homeland Security Special Agent Yasin Binda testified at Combs' ongoing federal trial on human trafficking and other racketeering conspiracy charges in a Manhattan federal courtroom. Combs has been held without bail at a Brooklyn federal lockup since his 2024 arrest. The pill bottle was recovered inside a Louis Vuitton bag on the nightstand along with apparent 'mood lighting,' Binda told the court. She also described finding bags with Astroglide lubricant and baby oil inside the entryway closet of the room. It's not the first time prescription drugs written by Los Angeles area doctors havebecome scrutinized in federal prosecutions. Two doctors, including one from Santa Monica, were federally charged in connection with providing illegal drugs to "Friends" actor Matthew Perry before his deadly overdose. Santa Monica physician, Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 42, a.k.a. 'Dr. P,' is awaiting trial in the case.
He colluded, federal prosecutors say, with another doctor Mark Chavez, 54, of San Diego. Chavez pleaded guilty to federal charges and is now cooperating with investigators in the case. "These celebrities always have a pharmacist in the pocket. They are not doing street drugs, they are taking advantage of dirty doctors," Tom Pasquarello, a longtime Drug Enforcement Agency Special Agent in Charge who has run field offices all over the world before his retirement, told Los Angeles. "We have seen this over and over again. Michael Jackson, Matthew Perry. Everybody has a doctor on the sideline who can write scripts for painkillers, anxiety disorders, whatever, for the right price." When reached at Lifespan, there was no one available for comment, a clerk told Los Angeles. Combs' trial finished its seventh day of testimony on Tuesday. Jurors will have to decide if his actions against Cassie Ventura, his longtime girlfriend, and another woman expected to testify amounted to sex trafficking. 'You may know of his love of baby oil,' Teny Geragos, Combs' attorney, said in her opening statement last week. 'Is that a federal crime? No.' [Mark Geragos, Teny's father, is a co-owner of Engine Vision Media, the parent company of Los Angeles magazine.]Prosecutors have worked to establish that Combs used his power and physical abuse to control Ventura, who stayed because she was afraid he would use videos of "freak offs" to destroy her career. Throughout their 11-year relationship, Combs allegedly 'physically abused' and 'sexually exploited' Ventura, forcing her to take drugs and have sex with male escorts as Combs masturbated and videotaped, said Assistant United States Attorney Emily Johnson in her opening statements. 'He had the power to ruin her life," Johnson told the jury.
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Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, leaves federal court during the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs in New York, Friday, June 13, 2025. Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, leaves federal court during the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs in New York, Friday, June 13, 2025. AP Photo/Michael R. Sisak The trial, which is roughly at the halfway point, has featured testimony from celebrities, Combs' ex-girlfriends, former employees, law enforcement and more. When did the Diddy trial begin? Combs' trial began with opening statements on May 12. Charges against Diddy explained Combs is facing federal charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Who has testified at the Diddy trial? Israel Florez The first witness called to the stand was Israel Florez, who worked as a security officer at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles in 2016. Jurors saw surveillance footage of a 2016 incident at the hotel where Combs physically abused his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. Florez said he received a report of a woman in distress. He found Combs and Ventura near the elevators on the sixth floor of the hotel. "The best way I can describe it is like a devilish stare. He was just looking at me," Florez said, referring to Combs. He said Ventura had a "purple eye." Florez said Combs offered him money, which he rejected. "He was pretty much holding like a stack of money," Florez said. "He was pretty much telling me, like, 'Hey, take care of this, don't tell nobody,' pretty much." Daniel Phillip Daniel Phillip is a male escort who said he was paid $6,000 to participate in sexual encounters with Ventura and Combs. He alleged that he saw Combs throw a bottle at Ventura and drag her across the floor. "Mr. Combs came out of the room, and I just saw a bottle fly past her and hit the wall," Phillip said. 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"I got out and Sean followed me into the hallway, and grabbed me, shoved me to the ground, kicked me and dragged me back to the room and took my stuff." Ventura testified about "freak offs," drug-fueled sexual encounters with male prostitutes. She said she would try to get them to move faster by performing the sexual acts as fast as she could. "I felt pretty horrible about myself," Ventura said. "I was disgusted." She alleged that Combs raped her in 2018. She said she cried during the incident, but Combs did not stop. "I can't carry this anymore, the shame, the guilt, what's right is right and what's wrong is wrong," Ventura said. Yasmin Binda Yasmin Binda, a federal agent with Homeland Security Investigations, testified about the search conducted at Combs' hotel room after his September 2024 arrest. Binda said investigators found $9,000 in cash, substances that tested positive for MDMA and ketamine, lubricant and baby oil. Dawn Richard Dawn Richard, a former member of Danity Kane, said she witnessed Combs punch Ventura in the stomach at a restaurant in 2010 while other celebrities were present, including Ne-Yo, Usher and Jimmy Iovine. "She immediately bent over, [Combs] told her to leave," Richard said. "No one intervened." Danity Kane was formed on the reality show Making the Band, which Combs was an executive producer on. Richard said she also saw Combs attack Ventura while she was making eggs at Combs' Los Angeles home. "He came downstairs screaming, belligerent," Richard said. She said Combs grabbed the skillet and tried to hit Ventura with it. Combs then grabbed Ventura's hair and dragged her upstairs, Richard testified. Kerry Morgan Kerry Morgan, Ventura's former best friend, testified on May 19. She said Ventura and Combs were "very much in love," but she recounted several instances of violence between the two. Morgan said that while she was in Jamaica with Combs and Ventura, Combs was "dragging" Ventura by the hair because "she was taking too long" in the bathroom. Morgan alleged that Combs attacked her with a wooden hanger in 2018. "He came up behind me and choked me and left finger marks on my neck and hit me in the head with a wooden hanger," Morgan said. She explained how that incident led to the end of her friendship with Ventura. "The reason I stopped speaking to her was because she was not supportive of me after that incident. I draw my line at physical abuse," Morgan said. David James David James worked as Combs' assistant from 2007 to 2009. James said Ventura told him that Combs controlled her life. "'He controls my career, pays my allowance, and pays my rent,'" she said, according to James' testimony. He also recalled overhearing Combs describing Ventura as "moldable" to a friend. James said he decided to leave the position after a 2008 incident involving record executive Marion Hugh "Suge" Knight Jr. James said a friend of Combs spotted Knight at Mel's Diner in Los Angeles. When the friend informed Combs, Combs grabbed three guns and told James to drive to the diner, James testified. "This was the first time as his assistant that I realized my life was in danger. I told them I want to leave but give six months notice so I could train the next assistant," James said. Regina Ventura Regina Ventura is the mother of Cassie Ventura. Regina said she took out a home equity loan to pay Combs after he threatened to release a sex tape of Cassie. "I was physically sick. I did not understand a lot of it. The sex tapes threw me. I did not know [Combs] but I knew that he was going to try to hurt my daughter," Regina said. Regina said Combs later returned the $20,000 she and her husband sent to him. Sharay Hayes Sharay Hayes, a male escort, testified on May 20. Hayes said he had his first encounter with Combs and Cassie at Trump International Hotel in New York City. Known professionally as "The Punisher," he said he was hired by Combs and Cassie about a dozen times. Hayes said he was paid $1,200 to $2,000 for each encounter. He said that Cassie told him to "create a sexy scene of me and her applying baby oil on each other and create a sexy environment" for Combs to watch. Gerald Gannon Gerald Gannon, a Homeland Security Investigations special agent, testified about the items federal agents found at Combs' residence in Miami. Agents found a wireless sex toy in a primary bedroom closet, Gannon testified. There was also a black Gucci bag filled with drugs, including cocaine and ketamine. In a hallway closet near the primary bedroom, federal agents found 25 bottles of baby oil and 31 bottles of Astroglide lubricant. Gannon showed the jury a .45 caliber handgun and components of an AR-15 to the jury. He testified that agents found firearms with defaced serial numbers. Dawn Hughes Dr. Dawn Hughes, a forensic psychologist, did not interview Combs or the alleged victims in this case, but she testified about some of the reasons why victims stay in abusive relationships. Hughes said that it is common for victims to stay due to psychological bonds and love for their partner. The threat of future violence can make victims "feel trapped." Hughes said the abuse can lead to depression, PTSD and anxiety. George Kaplan George Kaplan worked as Combs' assistant for 15 months. He said he quit the job because he could not continue "fixing" Combs' problems. Kaplan said he once found Cassie crying and bruised in bed. He also alleged that Combs threw apples at another one of his girlfriends. "In my heart of hearts, I knew what was happening, and I felt an element of guilt that I didn't do anything to stop it," Kaplan said. Kid Cudi Scott Mescudi, who utilizes the stage name Kid Cudi, started dating Cassie in 2011. Mescudi testified that he did not realize that Cassie and Combs were still together when they started dating. Mescudi alleged that Combs broke into his house in 2011 after he learned of Cassie and Mescudi's relationship. In 2012, Mescudi's car caught fire in the driveway of his home. Mescudi said he met with Combs after the incident because he "knew he had something to do with it." The defense objected to the statement, and it was stricken from the record. Mescudi said Cassie "played" both Combs and him. "The drama was just getting out of hand," Mescudi said as he spoke about why he broke up with Cassie. Mylah Morales Mylah Morales, a makeup artist, testified about a 2010 incident where Combs allegedly assaulted Cassie in a hotel room. Morales said Combs walked into the room Cassie was in, and she heard "yelling and screaming" before Combs left the room. Morales said the incident left Cassie with a swollen eye, busted lip and "knots on her head." Frédéric Zemmour Frédéric Zemmour, the general manager of L'Ermitage Beverly Hills, said Combs frequently stayed at the hotel. Zemmour read notes the hotel kept on Combs, stating he "always spills candle wax on everything and uses excessive amounts of oil, place rooms out of order upon departure for deep cleaning." Joshua Croft Joshua Croft, a Homeland Security Investigations special agent, testified about the extractions performed on Ventura's electronic devices. Croft said he extracted data from three laptops belonging to Ventura. One included a user profile for Frank Black, an alias frequently used by Combs. Capricorn Clark Capricorn Clark took the stand on May 27. She began working for Combs' record label in 2004 and remained employed by Combs until 2020. Clark alleged that Combs was "furious" when he discovered Mescudi and Cassie's relationship. She said Combs told her to get dressed so they could "go kill" Mescudi. She said Combs had a gun on him. They were unable to find Mescudi at the time, Clark testified. Clark also said that she was subjected to a lie detector test after Combs accused her of stealing jewelry. She said the man administering the test told her she would be thrown into the East River if she failed the test. Chris Ignacio Chris Ignacio, a 16-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, testified about his response to a call about a possible break-in at Mescudi's home in 2011. Ignacio said he saw a Cadillac Escalade in front of the house and memorized the license plate. The jury was shown a DMV report that identified the registered owner of the vehicle as Bad Boy Productions, Inc. Combs is the founder of the record label Bad Boy Records. Ignacio said he went through Mescudi's home and recorded the incident as trespassing. He said he found no apparent stolen property or damage. Lance Jimenez Los Angeles Fire Department arson investigator Lance Jimenez responded to Mescudi's home in 2012. Jimenez said he found a Molotov cocktail in Mescudi's Porsche, but the bottle did not break, which allowed the flame to smolder out and prevented further damage. He said the Porsche had a cut on the convertible roof and burn patterns on the seat and roof. Deonte Nash Deonte Nash worked as Cassie's stylist from around 2009 to 2018. Nash said Combs would call Ventura names and frequently threatened to release her sex tapes or withhold her music from being released. Nash said he witnessed Combs punch and kick Cassie until her head started bleeding. "Mia" A former personal assistant of Combs testified under the pseudonym "Mia." Mia worked for Combs from 2009 to 2017. She described working for Combs as "chaotic" and "toxic" but also exciting at times. "The highs were really high and the lows really low. Puff's mood determined the environment," she said. "He threw things at me, threw me against the wall, threw me in the pool, he threw something against my head. Sexually assaulted me." Mia is one of Combs' alleged victims whose experiences were first introduced to jurors in opening statements. She is considered to be a key witness for prosecutors. Mia testified that she witnessed Combs attack Cassie on multiple occasions, including one incident at Mia's apartment. "It was so fast, but I felt like I was in slow motion," Mia said in testimony that gripped the packed courtroom. "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." Mia said she attempted to jump on Combs' back to stop the beating, but Combs threw her against the wall. She said she has "complex PTSD" following her employment with Combs, which has made her unable to work. Sylvia Oken Sylvia Oken, a Beverly Hills Hotel employee, testified that guests can change the profile name used to make a reservation at the hotel. She said Combs used the aliases "Phillip Pines" and "Frank Black" to book rooms at the property. Eddy Garcia Eddy Garcia worked as the security supervisor at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles in 2016. Combs said he wanted surveillance footage of him assaulting Cassie taken off a server and a copy of the video because it could "ruin his career" if the footage was made public, Garcia testified. Garcia said he then spoke to his supervisor, who agreed to do it for $50,000. Garcia said he signed an NDA, which would charge him $1 million if the agreement was broken. Combs then returned with a brown paper bag containing $100,000, Garcia testified. Garcia said he kept $30,000, then gave $50,000 to his supervisor and $20,000 to another security officer. Derek Ferguson Derek Ferguson, a former CFO for Combs-founded company Bad Boy Entertainment, said he never saw anyone help Combs commit crimes or acts of violence. "He just worked constantly. His passion for what he did was really high so his work ethic and the number of hours that he put in was something that really pushed the entire team," Ferguson said, referring to Combs. Bryana Bongolan Bryana Bongolan, a close friend of Cassie, alleged that Combs held her over the edge of a 17th-floor balcony at Ventura's Los Angeles apartment on or around September 26, 2016. The defense accused Bongolan of lying and introduced hotel records showing that "Frank Black" was booked at Trump International Hotel in New York City from September 24 to September 29 of 2016. Bongolan said she does not remember every detail, but she has "no doubt" that Combs held her over the balcony. Enrique Santos Enrique Santos, a forensic analyst, testified about extracting data from three iPhones belonging to Cassie. "Jane" A woman who dated Combs from 2021 to 2024 testified under the pseudonym "Jane." Jane was asked by the prosecution if she consented to freak-offs with Combs. "I'm still trying to figure that out," Jane said. She is considered a key witness for prosecutors as they attempt to prove the charges against Combs. Jane said she felt obligated to agree to freak-offs because Combs was paying her rent. "I felt this was something I had to do in return," Jane said. Jane said Combs is still paying her rent. Jane said she arranged sexual encounters with two porn stars. When asked by the prosecution if she wanted to have sex with the entertainers, she said no. "I wanted to impress my lover," Jane said. Jane also recalled reading a lawsuit filed by Cassie against Combs in November 2023. She became emotional as she explained that three specific pages in the complaint were a "harrowing reference to what I was experiencing." Andre LeMon Andre LeMon, a Homeland Security Investigations special agent, testified about the raid at Combs' Los Angeles home last year. He said federal agents found 900 bottles of Astroglide and 200 bottles of baby oil. They also found six envelopes with the letter "K" on them, which tested positive for ketamine. LeMon said Combs also had various types of firearms and ammunition at the home. Jonathan Perez Jonathan Perez worked as a personal assistant for Combs from 2021 to 2024. Perez said he would buy drugs for Combs, including cocaine, Xanax and molly. He said Jane did not appear to be an unwilling participant in freak-offs and helped to coordinate them. "I feel great about him, the same way I did when I was leaving my employment," Perez said, referring to Combs. What's Next Combs' trial is expected to last eight to 10 weeks. He is facing life in prison if convicted. Do you have a story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? 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