Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial takeaways: Forensic psychologist, federal agent and former executive assistant testify in sex trafficking case

Yahoo

21-05-2025

The trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs continued Wednesday in Manhattan federal court, with more witnesses — including a federal agent who oversaw the raid on the mogul's Miami home, a forensic psychologist and Comb's former executive assistant — testifying in the sex trafficking case.
Federal prosecutors say that for decades, Combs abused, threatened and coerced women to participate in marathon sexual encounters called "freak offs," and used his business empire, along with guns, kidnapping and arson, to conceal his crimes. The 55-year-old hip-hop mogul has been charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution.
Combs has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could face life in prison.
Here are some key takeaways from Wednesday's testimony culled from various reporters and news organizations in the courtroom, including CNN, NBC News and the Washington Post.
Gerard Gannon, a federal agent who oversaw the 2024 raid on Combs's Miami home, resumed his testimony on Wednesday.
Under direct questioning by the prosecution, Gannon said that between 80 and 90 law enforcement agents participated in the search of the 20,000 square foot residence on Star Island, which is only accessible by a single bridge or boat.
Among the items agents seized:
A bin containing 25 bottles of baby oil, 31 bottles of Astroglide lubricant and a rubber duck
A crystal rock-like substance inside a wooden box marked "Puffy"
A plastic bag of pills that tested positive for the main ingredient of hallucinogenic mushrooms
Three cellphones stuffed inside a Balenciaga boot
A Gucci bag containing white residue that tested positive for cocaine and ketamine
Multicolored pills — some stamped with a Tesla symbol — that tested positive for MDMA and Xanax
Parts of AR-15 rifles with their serial numbers scratched off
A .45 caliber handgun found inside a red suitcase at the entrance to the guard shack outside
Under cross examination by the defense, Gannon acknowledged that many of the guns seized in the raid were wrapped up in tape and not loaded.
Big picture: By having the special agent testify about what was found in the raid, prosecutors sought to highlight in detail the 'freak off' supplies — including illicit drugs — stockpiled by Combs, as well as the firearms he kept at his home.
The defense attempted to downplay the number of weapons that were found.
Dawn Hughes, a board-certified clinical and forensic psychologist specializing in trauma, took the stand next.
Hughes has testified in other high-profile cases in recent years, including in the 2021 federal trial of R. Kelly and the 2022 Amber Heard and Johnny Depp defamation trial. She told the court she was testifying for the prosecution here as a paid expert on domestic violence and traumatic stress, but had not personally evaluated any of the victims or the witnesses in this case.
She said that victims of domestic violence often stay with their abusers because they feel trapped and believe that leaving the relationship would be too complicated, and often 'numb' themselves with alcohol or drugs to cope. Hughes testified that it's common for victims to wait months or even years to disclose their abuse, and often minimize it when they do.
'It's too painful to admit the fact that somebody who loved me did this to me,' Hughes said. 'They're still in self-blame.'
During cross examination by the defense, Hughes reiterated that she did not have intimate knowledge of nor had spoken with witnesses in this case. She also confirmed that she's never testified in the defense of a man accused of a sex crime. 'I don't evaluate offenders,' she said.
Big picture: Prosecutors are hoping Hughes's expert testimony will back up the testimony from Combs's ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, who told the court that she felt controlled by him during their tumultuous decade-long relationship, took drugs to disassociate herself from the physical and psychological pain she experienced during the 'freak offs,' and didn't disclose the full scope of the alleged abuse for years.
The government also appears to be using the expert testimony to combat the defense's argument that Ventura was a willing 'freak off' participant who could have left anytime. The defense tried to undercut her testimony by pointing out that she could not speak to the specific facts of this case — and is being paid $600 per hour by prosecutors for her work.
George Kaplan, a former executive assistant to Combs, took the stand on Wednesday afternoon. Kaplan was granted immunity by prosecutors for his testimony.
Under direct questioning, Kaplan said that he typically worked between 80 and 100 hours per week for Combs, earning a salary of $125,000. He told the court that he fielded requests from Combs via calls, texts and emails multiple times a day. Combs's requests would range from 'clothing or potentially food from somewhere or drugs or liquor or an iPad or a speaker.'
Combs had a temper and would often threaten his job, Kaplan said. He recalled an instance in which Combs asked him to get a one-gallon BPA-free water bottle at Whole Foods, but the store didn't have it, so he brought back two half-gallon bottles. Combs became angry that he did not bring back what Kaplan had asked for. 'He was very close to my face,' Kaplan said.
Kaplan testified that he also set up hotel rooms reserved for Combs under the alias Frank White with supplies, including candles, liquor, baby oil and lubricant. He said he would often purchase the supplies with his corporate credit card.
He would also have to clean up the hotel rooms after Combs left. Typically there'd be Gatorade bottles, liquor bottles and baby oil strewn around the hotel room after Combs left, Kaplan said. On one occasion, Kaplan said he saw 'brown crystallized powder' on a countertop. He said he didn't know what it was but cleaned it up just to be safe.
Big picture: Earlier this week, David James, another one of Combs's assistants, also testified that he would stock hotel rooms with items for Combs before his arrival, including a Louis Vuitton bag containing 25 to 30 pill bottles, drugs such as ecstasy and Percocet, baby oil, lubricant, condoms and $10,000 in cash. Prosecutors appear to be using the assistant to contend that Combs used his Bad Boy Entertainment to set up the 'freak offs' in which he coerced women to participate.
Scott Mescudi, the 41-year-old Grammy-winning rapper who performs as Kid Cudi, is expected to testify this week.
Last week, Combs's former girlfriend Cassie Ventura testified that when he discovered she was seeing Kid Cudi, he lunged at her with a wine bottle opener, and threatened to release 'freak off' videos of her. Combs also threatened to 'hurt' both of them.
According to Ventura, Combs told her that when she and Cudi were out of the country, he was going to blow up Cudi's car.