In wrenching testimony, Diddy's ex-assistant says he sexually assaulted her

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5 days ago

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Today, the jurors in Diddy's trial heard graphic testimony from a woman identified only by the pseudonym 'Mia.' She's one of Diddy's former personal assistants — and one of the four alleged victims at the heart of the U.S. government's indictment against the hip-hop mogul.
In excruciating detail, Mia told jurors that Diddy sexually assaulted her multiple times and described a work atmosphere that was 'chaotic' and 'toxic' but also exhilarating. 'Puff's mood determined the environment,' she said, using one of the defendant's previous stage names. Mia said Diddy sometimes treated her as an equal, other times like 'a worthless piece of crap.'
Diddy isn't accused of sex trafficking Mia. But her allegations of forced labor are part of the government's racketeering conspiracy charge against the rapper, who prosecutors say orchestrated a decade-spanning 'criminal enterprise.' He's pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Here's how today's testimony unfolded:
Mia, who assisted Diddy between 2009 and 2017, recalled she once worked for five days straight without sleeping. The experience took a toll: 'I had a physical breakdown. … It felt like I was underwater, my equilibrium was off, blurred vision.' She wasn't allowed to lock her bedroom door when she traveled with Diddy or stayed at his homes, she said.
Mia said she witnessed Diddy physically attack and injure his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura on multiple occasions. 'I've seen him crack her head open,' Mia said, adding that she couldn't recall Cassie ever fighting back. If either woman did something without Diddy's permission, Mia said, the punishments were 'unpredictable and terrifying.'
Mia, testifying about a vacation in the Turks and Caicos, said she and Cassie barricaded themselves in a room as Diddy banged on the door. 'Puff is going to kill me,' Cassie purportedly said. They ran out a back door and went into the water. The sky turned black. Mia weighed whether it was 'scarier' to 'face Mother Nature or go back to Puff.'
In the final hour of the day's proceedings, Mia detailed her sexual abuse allegations against Diddy. She said he put his hand up her dress without her consent; assaulted her on the bottom of a bunk bed sometime in 2009 or 2010; and forced her to perform oral sex on him. She feared his 'power,' 'control' and capacity for violence, she said.
In the first half of the day, Mia answered questions calmly and quietly. But after the lunch break, Mia grew increasingly emotional.
She appeared to be on the verge of hyperventilating and struggled to catch her breath as she described Diddy's stormy relationship with Cassie. She broke down crying as she recounted Diddy forcing himself on her sexually. She wept on the stand as she explained how 'terrified and trapped' she felt as a victim of his alleged assaults, speaking barely above a whisper.
Mia frequently cast her eyes downward, letting her hair fall across her face. The hours of testimony looked deeply painful for her.
Tomorrow: 'Mia' is expected to return to the witness stand.
PSA: Every night during Diddy's trial, NBC's 'Dateline' will drop special episodes of the 'True Crime Weekly' podcast to get you up to speed. 'Dateline' correspondent Andrea Canning chats with NBC News' Chloe Melas and special guests — right in front of the courthouse. Listen here. 🎧
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com