Diddy Allegedly Attacked Cassie on Prince's Front Lawn, Security Had to Step In
A former personal assistant to Sean "Diddy" Combs took the witness stand Thursday and told jurors the Bad Boy Records founder, known to his staff as Puff, worked her around the clock and sexually assaulted her multiple times during her employment from 2009 to 2017.
The former employee, testifying under the pseudonym Mia — previously identified as Victim-4 in the Southern District of New York's criminal indictment — recounted an incident at a 2010 party hosted by Prince after the Emmy Awards, where the music legend's security had to intervene when Combs attacked Casandra "Cassie" Ventura.
Mia said her tenure overlapped with Combs' relationship with singer Ventura, one of the women Combs is accused of sex-trafficking at his federal trial. Mia told jurors Combs kept tight control of Ventura's whereabouts, appearance and music career, and that part of her job was to 'keep tabs' on Ventura.
When she and Ventura, who she says became like her 'sister," did something without Combs' permission, the 'punishment' could be 'unpredictable and terrifying,' she testified.
Related: Diddy's Former Assistant Mia Says He Sexually Assaulted Her 'Several Times,' Made Her Crack His Knuckles
That night, Mia recounted that Combs told her to stay with Ventura at a hotel to keep her company as the music mogul had told Ventura he would be with his kids. Then, Mia claimed, a friend called and told her and Ventura about the party at Prince's house.
'Cass and I debated like little kids if we should sneak out of the house for probably what felt like forever,' Mia testified. Ventura, who took the stand at Combs' sex trafficking trial on Wednesday, May 14, said she was having dinner with friends and wanted to go to Prince's house.
Related: Cassie Says She Fled 'Once in a Lifetime' Experience at Prince's House After Learning Diddy Was There Too
'It was a once in a lifetime experience,' Ventura testified. She said she did not want to tell Combs about the experience because she thought "he would say no."
Ventura and Mia ultimately went to Prince's party and were having fun dancing and watching him perform, Mia said, but then Combs arrived. Mia recalled seeing his bucket hat and the two locking eyes. Ventura testified earlier she saw BET executives and suddenly heard Combs was there.
'I caught a glimpse of him, left the party and ran out as fast as I could,' Ventura testified. 'I knew he was angry at me.' She said she could see it in his facial expressions 'and then he came after me.'
Related: Cassie Says She Fled 'Once in a Lifetime' Experience at Prince's House After Learning Diddy Was There Too
Mia claimed they both took off running out of Prince's estate, but 'Puff caught Cass,' the former assistant said. Two weeks ago, Ventura told the jury that she started running before falling into the bushes in Prince's front yard.
'It's a little fuzzy, but the most distinct memory I have is running and falling into the bushes in the front yard,' Ventura added. 'I don't know if at that point he was over me. I have no idea. I just remember falling in the bushes and then getting up quickly and getting in the car to get back to the hotel.'
'He caught up to her and had her on the ground,' Mia said. 'He started attacking her, but Prince's security swiftly intervened.' Mia left and spent the night at a different hotel, she testified.
The ex-employee said that the next day, the head of human resources told her Combs was suspending her without pay for attending Prince's party with Ventura. 'Puff said I was being insubordinate,' Mia claimed. She said the HR employee did not mention anything about Combs' behavior the night before.
Back at Ventura's Beverly Hills hotel, Combs barged inside the room and allegedly beat Ventura, leaving her with a black eye, knots in her head, and a busted lisp, Ventura and her friend, celebrity makeup artist Mylah Morales, testified last week.
Related: Makeup Artist Says Her Nap Was Interrupted by Diddy's Shouting — and What She Saw Next Was Disturbing
Ventura, who dated Combs for 11 years, is the key witness for the prosecution at his trial. The artist, 38, welcomed her third baby, a boy, with husband Alex Fine, a source confirmed to PEOPLE on May 28.
"We went into the bedroom and he beat me up,' Ventura alleged. 'He threw luggage at me, calling me all kinds of names."
Related: Cassie Welcomes Baby No. 3 with Husband Alex Fine Almost 2 Weeks After Testifying in Diddy's Criminal Trial
The prosecution has already established that several of Combs' employees and people on his payroll saw the mogul physically abusing Ventura over the course of their relationship. Former assistants George Kaplan and Capricorn Clark, Danity Kane's Dawn Richard, former stylist Deonte Nash and Morales, all testified they had been present when Combs brutally attacked Ventura.
The Bad Boy Records founder is currently facing charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution, which he has adamantly denied.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
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