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Sky News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Diddy trial day 13 as it happened: Alleged victim gave him note that said 'I love you forever'
What you need to know after day 13 of Diddy's trial - scroll down to catch up That's all for our live coverage today. Earlier, Sean "Diddy" Combs's former assistant continued testifying under the pseudonym "Mia" before his defence started cross-examination. If you're just checking in, here's a recap of what we heard today: Mia said she was "put in the middle" after Cassie found out that Diddy was "cheating" on her when she saw a video showing Combs with another woman; Jurors were shown text messages between Mia and Diddy's former chief of staff, with Mia explaining her "night terrors" about the rapper and saying he threatened to kill her; In a WhatsApp exchange between Diddy and Mia, he threatened to "tell everything" and said "let's go to war" if Mia didn't respond to his messages; Mia recalled a trip to the Caribbean island St Barts on New Year's Eve in 2010, describing a moment when she was told to count the money in Diddy's safe on a yacht. She said he became "really angry" and accused her of counting too slowly; Diddy's former assistant also told jurors she hasn't been able to return to work because she suffers from "severe, complex PTSD"; As cross-examination began, Diddy's defence attorney quizzed Mia on a range of social media posts which featured the rapper and often included glowing captions; Mia defended the posts by describing the situation as "very confusing" and saying "I didn't want my family and friends to know the misery I was in"; Diddy's defence attorney asked Mia to read the captions to some of her posts out loud to jurors, which included phrases like "we f****** love you" and one that described him as a "legend"; Mia was also presented in court with a scrapbook she made for Combs's 45th birthday, containing a note which said "I love you forever". Mia told jurors she was afraid Combs would kill her and said that making the scrapbook was "a lot more complicated on all levels". The trial will resume on Monday as Mia's cross-examination continues. We'll see you back here then. Court finishes for the day The jury has now been dismissed, bringing day 13 of the trial to a close. Cross-examination of Sean "Diddy" Combs's former assistant, who is testifying under the pseudonym "Mia", will continue on Monday. Stay with us as we'll bring you a summary of today's proceedings. 'I am so heartbroken': Jurors shown texts of when Mia found out she was being cut from Diddy's company Jurors are now shown text messages from December 2016 between Mia and Diddy's former chief of staff Kristina Khorram. The messages were sent after Mia found out she was being made redundant from Sean Combs's company. Mia starts the conversation by saying that her "life is over" and that she was "going to kill" herself. "I am so heartbroken I cannot breathe," she wrote. "Can't wait to see the light at the end of the tunnel... I don't know what to do... it hurts so f****** bad." Mia is asked about the messages, and says: "I did not want to leave the company where I finally saw my dreams coming to fruition". "It was not just a job, it was around 24 hours a day, this was all I knew and I worked so hard and went through so much." 'I have not lied to anyone at all', Mia says In the most direct moment of the cross-examination so far, Sean Combs's defence attorney Brian Steel asks Mia whether she is wrong, and that his client never had non-consensual sex with her. "What I said is true," Combs's former assistant says, adding: "I have not lied to anyone at all". When asked whether she overestimated the number of times Combs may have inappropriately touched her, Mia says: "everything I said in this courtroom is true". 'Nobody around us even flinched at Diddy's behaviour' Sean Combs's defence attorney Brian Steel is quizzing Mia over why she would make the scrapbook for Diddy if he ruined her life as she claims. "At the time, he made me feel the opposite as well, I am not a professional to explain that," she says. Mia goes on to say "nobody around us" would say that the things that were happening were wrong. "There was nobody around us that even flinched at his behaviour... I was always in trouble and always finding a way not to be in trouble," she says. Mia tells jurors that she was afraid Combs would kill her, and says that making a scrapbook for him was "a lot more complicated on all levels". 'I love you forever': Mia presented with scrapbook she made for Diddy and reads note aloud Mia is now presented with a scrapbook she made for Sean "Diddy" Combs, which she gave to him as a gift for his 45th birthday. "I have put together this scrapbook from 1991-1999 that I hope will stir up nostalgic feelings of when you started and how you felt and what was a dream to you that's now an everyday reality," a note in it says. Mia, reading the note aloud, continues: "I hope it reminds you of when this world made your eyes light up. "Happy happy birthday, I love you forever." Asked whether she meant those words, Mia says "at the time... I was reflecting a conversation I had". Combs's defence asks Mia to read her social media captions about Diddy to jurors After showing Mia's social media post on Sean Combs's birthday (see previous post), his defence asked Mia to read her caption aloud. She was full of praise for Diddy in the caption on her social media post, describing him as a "legend". After calling up another post from his birthday, Combs's defence asks Mia to read another caption out loud. She reads the caption to the court, which ends with "we f****** love you". Despite Steel attempting to show a disconnect between what Mia claimed her life was like and the glowing posts about Combs, Mia is confidently claiming ownership of the posts. Combs's defence attorney continues to focus on Mia's posts praising Diddy Sean Combs's defence attorney Brian Steel continues his questioning over Mia's social media posts featuring Diddy, just like he did before the lunch break. He points to one post in particular, in which Mia thanks Diddy for an "incredible experience". Once again, she is asked whether this is the same Combs she said has altered her life for the worse forever. "Yes," she replies. She is also asked about another post six years after Combs allegedly sexually assaulted her. "How is that not a significant date in your life?" Steel asks. "It was Puff's birthday... I tried to protect that night and shut it down and not think about it again," she says. Court back in session Jurors are back in the courtroom and Mia has returned to the stand. Sean Combs's former assistant, who is testifying under the pseudonym, will continue to be cross-examined. She's facing questions from Combs's defence attorney Brian Steel. Trial expected to resume shortly The judge is back in the courtroom and is discussing some legal arguments with Diddy's defence attorneys and the prosecution. We'll bring you the latest as soon as things get back under way shortly.
Sky News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Diddy trial latest: 'Threatening' texts sent to assistant 'Mia' read out at trial
The sex-trafficking trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs is continuing to hear evidence from the second of his alleged victims, a former assistant who is using the pseudonym 'Mia' to protect her privacy. Follow the latest from the trial, and catch up on what's happened so far, below. 15:33:39 Mia says Diddy became angry at her for counting his money too slowly Mia, Sean Combs's former assistant, is now asked about a trip to the Caribbean island St Barts on New Year's Eve in 2010. She says she was staying on a chartered yacht with Diddy and other members of his staff. Mia describes a moment when she was called into the rapper's room and was told to count the money in his safe, something she says was not her job. Despite doing as he asked, Mia says Combs became "really angry" and accused her of counting too slowly. "He chased me out of the room," she says, telling the jury that she ran to the third floor to hide. "I just wanted to get away from him and leave the country," she adds, but says she went back on the boat "because I felt that I had to". 15:18:56 'He is currently firing me at the moment': Email shows moment Diddy's former assistant was suspended Attention now turns to how Sean Combs's former assistant was suspended. Mia explains that she was suspended for oversleeping, adding that she accidentally overslept after being awake for several days. The jury is shown an email chain between Mia and another employee of Sean Combs in March 2011. In the email, Mia is asked about the handling of tickets for an event, and responded by saying "I'd totally help but he is currently firing me at the moment". She says that came after she bought the wrong workout gear for Diddy, leading to her being suspended without pay. Mia explains that she continued working for Combs until 2017, adding "I tried to run away before and it didn't work". When asked if she could get other jobs, Mia says Diddy would have destroyed her reputation. "I was scared of him," she says. 15:02:57 'Let's go to war': Diddy threatens to 'tell everything' in messages shown to jury The jury is shown another WhatsApp exchange, this time between Sean Combs and Mia on 31 October 2025, while she was still in South Africa. "If you don't call me now f*** it all. And imma tell everything. And dont ever speak me again. You have 2 min. F*** her. Call my [house] now or never speak to me again. F*** abc and all lawyers. Let's go to war," Diddy wrote in one message shared with the court. Mia explains that US TV network ABC had bought the rights to a comedy show she had written, but it never aired. When asked what she thought Diddy's message meant, Mia says he was threatening to tell Cassie about the times he had sexually assaulted her but "framed differently... that I had a part in it". Prosecutor Madison Smyser asks Mia what would happen if she didn't follow Diddy's instructions, to which she says she would have been in big trouble, losing her job and being emotionally or physically abused. 14:50:48 Mia recalls 'night terrors' about Diddy and says he threatened to kill her The jury is shown a WhatsApp exchange between Sean Combs's chief of staff Kristina Khorram and Mia in October 2015. Khorram initiates the conversation and tells Mia that Diddy wants to talk to her. Mia responds by saying Diddy didn't sound right in his mind, adding that he was slurring his words, threatening her job and threatened to kill her. When asked by prosecutor Madison Smyser about how those threats made her feel, Mia says she was "desperate to make it right, terrified and sad". When Khorram asked Mia how things were going, she said she was sore, had anxiety and suffered "night terrors" about Diddy. 14:36:11 'I was put in the middle': Mia on moment Cassie found out Diddy was 'cheating' on her Prosecutor Madison Smyser starts by asking Mia about the relationship between Sean "Diddy" Combs and Cassie Ventura. Mia explains that Combs told her to go to South Africa with Cassie in October 2015, and while they were there Cassie found out Combs was allegedly cheating on her. "She was devastated," Mia says, after Cassie found a video online showing Combs with another woman. Mia testifies that Cassie stopped answering his calls at one point, with Combs's chief of staff Kristina Khorram trying to reach out. "I was put in the middle," she adds. 14:16:37 'Mia' returns to the stand Sean "Diddy" Combs's former personal assistant, who is testifying under the pseudonym "Mia", has now returned to the stand and will continue giving evidence. Mia testified for most of the day yesterday and started by answering questions calmly, but became emotional as she described Diddy's relationship with Cassie Ventura and alleged sexual assaults. She cried as she recalled feeling "terrified and trapped", recounting Combs allegedly forcing himself on her. 14:11:26 Judge and attorneys discuss logistics as former personal assistant to resume evidence The judge and attorneys are continuing to discuss logistics after Diddy's attorney Marc Agnifilo highlighted communication issues with Sean Combs (see previous post). A reminder, we're expecting Combs's former personal assistant, who is testifying under the pseudonym "Mia", to return to the stand and continue giving evidence today. 13:48:05 Diddy case pushing boundaries of what court security is available to do, judge says Before we hear from Mia again, Judge Arun Subramanian is in conversation with one of Diddy's attorneys about his ability to speak to Sean Combs outside courtroom hours. Subramanian tells the court that the Diddy case is pushing the boundaries of what court security and the marshals are available to do. He suggests getting Combs to the court building at 7am (12pm UK time) would give his attorneys substantial time to confer with him. Marc Agnifilo, one of Diddy's attorneys, says thank you for the marshals service but says they don't allow documents to be shown. "We are restrained if we want to show him exhibits, we can't do it in the facility we have," he says. However, the judge tells Agnifilo that the access he and Combs have had is much greater than defendants in many cases, adding that this is a unique case. 13:34:12 Day 13 of trial under way Today's session is now under way. A reminder, Sean Combs's former personal assistant, who is testifying under the pseudonym "Mia", will continue giving evidence. Take a look back at a summary of the testimony she gave yesterday in our previous post. We'll bring you the latest updates from her evidence. 13:23:01 A recap of what happened in court yesterday It's day 13 of Sean "Diddy" Combs's trial and proceedings are about to start again in a few minutes. Before that, here is a look at what happened yesterday: Combs's former personal assistant, who testified under the pseudonym "Mia", said that the hip-hop mogul sexually assaulted her, threw her into a swimming pool, dumped a bucket of ice on her head and slammed her arm into a door during her eight-year tenure; She said Combs berated her for mistakes, even ones made by other employees, and loaded her up with so many tasks she did not sleep for days; Mia told the court she once woke to find Combs on top of her and that he forced her to have sex against her will. Another time, he forced her to perform oral sex, she alleged; She also said Combs's employees were always on edge because his mood could "change in a split second", causing everything to go from "happy to chaotic"; Mia said she saw Diddy being violent or threatening towards Cassie on several occasions, including at the Cannes Film Festival in 2012, during a party at Prince's house, and on a trip to a private island in Turks and Caicos; She claimed Combs once pressured her into taking ketamine, and described incidents when he allegedly slammed a door on her arm and threw spaghetti at her; The court heard she had never told anyone of the alleged attacks until the government's investigation in this case, and that it was a secret she had expected to take to the grave; Mia's testimony echoed that of prior prosecution witnesses, including several of Combs's other former employees, as well as his former partner Cassie.
Sky News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Diddy trial latest: Abusive and 'threatening' texts to assistant read out at trial
The sex-trafficking trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs is continuing to hear evidence from the second of his alleged victims, a former assistant called 'Mia'. Follow the latest from the trial, and catch up on what's happened so far, below. 15:33:39 Mia says Diddy 'chased me out the room' on New Year's Eve yacht trip as she 'ran to hide' Mia is now asked about a trip to St Barts on New Year's Eve in 2010. She explains that she was staying on a chartered yacht with Diddy and other members of his staff. She describes a moment when she was called into Diddy's room and was told to count the money in the safe, something she says was not her job. Despite counting out the money, Mia says Coombs became "really angry" and said she was counting too slowly. "He chased me out of the room," she says, telling the jury that she ran to the third floor to hide. "I just wanted to get away from him and leave the country," she adds, but says she went back on the boat "because I felt that I had to". 15:18:56 'He is currently firing me at the moment': Email shows moment Diddy's former assistant was suspended Attention now turns to how Sean Combs's former assistant was suspended. Mia explains that she was suspended for oversleeping, adding that she accidentally overslept after being awake for several days. The jury is shown an email chain between Mia and another employee of Sean Combs in March 2011. In the email, Mia is asked about the handling of tickets for an event, and responded by saying "I'd totally help but he is currently firing me at the moment". She says that came after she bought the wrong workout gear for Diddy, leading to her being suspended without pay. Mia explains that she continued working for Combs until 2017, adding "I tried to run away before and it didn't work". When asked if she could get other jobs, Mia says Diddy would have destroyed her reputation. "I was scared of him," she says. 15:02:57 'Let's go to war': Diddy threatens to 'tell everything' in messages shown to jury The jury is shown another WhatsApp exchange, this time between Sean Combs and Mia on 31 October 2025, while she was still in South Africa. "If you don't call me now f*** it all. And imma tell everything. And dont ever speak me again. You have 2 min. F*** her. Call my [house] now or never speak to me again. F*** abc and all lawyers. Let's go to war," Diddy wrote in one message shared with the court. Mia explains that US TV network ABC had bought the right to a comedy show she had written, but it never aired. When asked what she thought Diddy's message meant, Mia says he was threatening to tell Cassie about the times he had sexually assaulted her but "framed differently... that I had a part in it". Prosecutor Madison Smyser asks Mia what would happen if she didn't follow Diddy's instructions, to which she says she would have been in big trouble, losing her job and being emotionally or physically abused. 14:50:48 Mia recalls 'night terrors' about Diddy and says he threatened to kill her The jury is shown a WhatsApp exchange between Sean Combs's chief of staff Kristina Khorram and Mia in October 2015. Khorram initiates the conversation and tells Mia that Diddy wants to talk to her. Mia responds by saying Diddy didn't sound right in his mind, adding that he was slurring his words, threatening her job and threatened to kill her. When asked by prosecutor Madison Smyser about how those threats made her feel, Mia says she was "desperate to make it right, terrified and sad". When Khorram asked Mia how things were going, she said she was sore, had anxiety and suffered "night terrors" about Diddy. 14:36:11 'I was put in the middle': Mia on moment Cassie found out Diddy was 'cheating' on her Prosecutor Madison Smyser starts by asking Mia about the relationship between Sean "Diddy" Combs and Cassie Ventura. Mia explains that Combs told her to go to South Africa with Cassie in October 2015, and while they were there Cassie found out Combs was allegedly cheating on her. "She was devastated," Mia says, after Cassie found a video online showing Combs with another woman. Mia testifies that Cassie stopped answering his calls at one point, with Combs's chief of staff Kristina Khorram trying to reach out. "I was put in the middle," she adds. 14:16:37 'Mia' returns to the stand Sean "Diddy" Combs's former personal assistant, who is testifying under the pseudonym "Mia", has now returned to the stand and will continue giving evidence. Mia testified for most of the day yesterday and started by answering questions calmly, but became emotional as she described Diddy's relationship with Cassie Ventura and alleged sexual assaults. She cried as she recalled feeling "terrified and trapped", recounting Combs allegedly forcing himself on her. 14:11:26 Judge and attorneys discuss logistics as former personal assistant to resume evidence The judge and attorneys are continuing to discuss logistics after Diddy's attorney Marc Agnifilo highlighted communication issues with Sean Combs (see previous post). A reminder, we're expecting Combs's former personal assistant, who is testifying under the pseudonym "Mia", to return to the stand and continue giving evidence today. 13:48:05 Diddy case pushing boundaries of what court security is available to do, judge says Before we hear from Mia again, Judge Arun Subramanian is in conversation with one of Diddy's attorneys about his ability to speak to Sean Combs outside courtroom hours. Subramanian tells the court that the Diddy case is pushing the boundaries of what court security and the marshals are available to do. He suggests getting Combs to the court building at 7am (12pm UK time) would give his attorneys substantial time to confer with him. Marc Agnifilo, one of Diddy's attorneys, says thank you for the marshals service but says they don't allow documents to be shown. "We are restrained if we want to show him exhibits, we can't do it in the facility we have," he says. However, the judge tells Agnifilo that the access he and Combs have had is much greater than defendants in many cases, adding that this is a unique case. 13:34:12 Day 13 of trial under way Today's session is now under way. A reminder, Sean Combs's former personal assistant, who is testifying under the pseudonym "Mia", will continue giving evidence. Take a look back at a summary of the testimony she gave yesterday in our previous post. We'll bring you the latest updates from her evidence. 13:23:01 A recap of what happened in court yesterday It's day 13 of Sean "Diddy" Combs's trial and proceedings are about to start again in a few minutes. Before that, here is a look at what happened yesterday: Combs's former personal assistant, who testified under the pseudonym "Mia", said that the hip-hop mogul sexually assaulted her, threw her into a swimming pool, dumped a bucket of ice on her head and slammed her arm into a door during her eight-year tenure; She said Combs berated her for mistakes, even ones made by other employees, and loaded her up with so many tasks she did not sleep for days; Mia told the court she once woke to find Combs on top of her and that he forced her to have sex against her will. Another time, he forced her to perform oral sex, she alleged; She also said Combs's employees were always on edge because his mood could "change in a split second", causing everything to go from "happy to chaotic"; Mia said she saw Diddy being violent or threatening towards Cassie on several occasions, including at the Cannes Film Festival in 2012, during a party at Prince's house, and on a trip to a private island in Turks and Caicos; She claimed Combs once pressured her into taking ketamine, and described incidents when he allegedly slammed a door on her arm and threw spaghetti at her; The court heard she had never told anyone of the alleged attacks until the government's investigation in this case, and that it was a secret she had expected to take to the grave; Mia's testimony echoed that of prior prosecution witnesses, including several of Combs's other former employees, as well as his former partner Cassie.
Hospitality Net
12-05-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Adolfo Acampora has been appointed General Manager at Le Toiny in St. Barts
Le Toiny, St. Barts is pleased to announce the appointment of Adolfo Acampora as General Manager A rising talent in international hospitality, Adolfo Acampora brings deep industry experience paired with personal connection to Le Toiny. Having started in hotels at the age of 12 alongside his father, he later attended Glion in Switzerland, earning a Bachelor's in Hospitality Management and a Master's in Luxury Brand Management. His career has spanned prestigious names including Four Seasons, Bulgari Hotels, and Relais & Châteaux, as well as five years in operations and quality management with a Singapore-based consultancy. In December 2022, Adolfo joined Le Toiny as Deputy General Manager. Adolfo is currently pursuing an online master's degree in Hotel Revenue Management from Cornell University, underscoring his commitment to innovation and excellence in the evolving world of luxury hospitality. This leadership transition marks a new chapter for Le Toiny, rooted in legacy and looking boldly to the future.
Hospitality Net
12-05-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Luc Lanza has been appointed Chief Executive Officer at Le Toiny in St. Barts
Le Toiny, St. Barts is pleased to announce a strategic restructuring of its senior management team. After a decade of dedicated leadership as CEO, Charles Walker has decided to retire from the position, whilst remaining on the Board of Directors, where he will continue to support the property through a focus on special projects. Luc Lanza's journey is synonymous with the evolution of St. Barth's luxury hospitality landscape. He arrived on the island 30 years ago at the age of 24, beginning his career in a local Gustavia restaurant before being recruited by Eden Rock. There, he rose to become Food & Beverage Manager, a role he held for 18 years. In 2015, following the acquisition of Le Toiny by Charles and Mandie Vere Nicoll, Luc was tapped to lead the hotel as General Manager. Over the past decade, he has overseen its full restoration, transforming Le Toiny into one of the island's most sought-after and discreetly luxurious escapes. This leadership transition marks a new chapter for Le Toiny, rooted in legacy and looking boldly to the future.
