Sean Combs: The last personal assistant and an interview with Joe Tacopina.

Summary

Dateline: True Crime Weekly – Episode Summary Episode: Sean Combs: The Last Personal Assistant and an Interview with Joe Tacopina
Release Date: June 21, 2025
Host/Author: Andrea Canning, NBC News

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Introduction and Overview

In this gripping episode of Dateline: True Crime Weekly, host Andrea Canning delves into the high-profile racketeering trial of Sean Combs, also known as Diddy. Having pleaded not guilty to all charges, Combs faces intense scrutiny as the prosecution builds its case against him. This episode provides an in-depth analysis of recent court proceedings, key testimonies, and strategic insights from renowned defense attorney Joe Tacopina.

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Prosecution's Case: Brendan Paul's Testimony

Brendan Paul, one of Sean Combs' personal assistants, emerged as a pivotal figure in the prosecution's case. Arrested during federal raids in Miami and Los Angeles last spring, Brendan's testimony shed light on the inner workings of Combs' personal and professional life.

• Discovery of Contraband: Brendan revealed that he found cocaine in Combs' hotel room, which he subsequently placed in his own bag. When federal agents searched, Brendan stated, "This all is mine" (02:46).

• Evidence from Devices: The seizure of Brendan's phones and other devices provided the prosecution with valuable evidence, including texts and voicemails that detailed the operations behind Combs' activities. Notably, Brendan shared a photo from early 2023 showing Ecstasy and tusi (a ketamine derivative) on Combs' desk (04:17).

• The Infamous Gucci Pouch: Central to the charges is the Gucci pouch, alleged to contain various drugs and cash. Brendan clarified under cross-examination that he was not a drug mule, purchasing small amounts of drugs for personal use, not kilograms for trafficking (04:37).

• Personal Dynamics: Brendan testified about his close working relationship with Combs and chief of staff KK, emphasizing that he never resented his role, even during long hours and demanding tasks like setting up hotel rooms for Combs' personal use (08:37).

Notable Quote:

"I did other things for Combs as well, besides getting drugs for him." – Brendan Paul (05:54)

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Defense's Perspective: Insights from Joe Tacopina

The episode features an exclusive interview with Joe Tacopina, a legendary defense attorney known for representing high-profile clients like Michael Jackson and A$AP Rocky. Tacopina provided his expert analysis on the prosecution's strategy and potential defense approaches.

• Decision Against Joining the Defense Team: Tacopina explained his decision to decline involvement with Combs' defense, citing timing and the case's magnitude. "I just came off a six-week trial in Los Angeles with the ASAP Rocky case, and it just wasn't, you know, for me, a case of this magnitude," he stated (11:29).

• Assessment of Combs' Demeanor: From their private conversations, Tacopina observed that Combs seemed neither arrogant nor overtly scared but was engulfed in the complexities of his situation. Combs expressed regret over his past behavior, particularly regarding drug use and abusive tendencies (12:17).

• Prosecution's Federal Charges: Tacopina critiqued the federal charges, particularly the violation of the Mann Act, likening it to historical cases like Al Capone's tax evasion charges. He suggested that these charges might be difficult to defend, noting, "There really is no defense" regarding the Mann Act violation (14:19).

• Defense Strategy and Reasonable Doubt: Emphasizing the concept of "reasonable doubt," Tacopina discussed how the defense might focus on highlighting inconsistencies and undermining the prosecution's evidence. He also touched on the delicate balance of jury persuasion without overstepping legal boundaries (16:39).

Notable Quotes:

"He is someone who regrets his past conduct." – Joe Tacopina (12:52)
"The prosecution has maintained that Combs was running a criminal enterprise..." – Andrea Canning summarizing the defense's view (06:29)
"You have to sort of say it's something like that." – Joe Tacopina on potential defense arguments (15:32)

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Key Evidence and Discussion

The prosecution's case leverages several pieces of critical evidence to build their narrative of a criminal enterprise:

• Photographic Evidence: Photos taken by Brendan Paul showed various drugs in Combs' office, including Ecstasy and ketamine derivatives. These images were crucial in establishing the presence of illicit substances in Combs' personal spaces (04:29).

• Digital Communications: Text messages and voicemails retrieved from Brendan's devices depicted interactions with drug dealers and other assistants, providing insight into the operational dynamics within Combs' inner circle (03:31).

• Operational Roles: Brendan described his responsibilities extending beyond procurement of drugs, including logistical tasks like packing Combs' suitcase and setting up venues for Combs' personal engagements (05:54).

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Jury and Trial Dynamics

The trial also faced internal challenges concerning jury management:

• Juror Number Seven: An issue arose with juror number seven, initially leading to a court cancellation. However, the judge allowed the juror to remain despite the ongoing concerns, leaving the potential for future complications in the trial's progression (09:14).

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Possible Outcomes

As the prosecution winds down its case, the focus shifts to the upcoming defense strategies and the potential outcomes of the trial:

• Potential for Conviction: Given the substantial evidence presented, including testimonial and physical evidence, Sean Combs faces a genuine risk of conviction, which could result in significant prison time.

• Defense's Hope for Jury Nullification: Tacopina discussed the possibility of the defense appealing to the jury's sense of justice beyond the letter of the law, a strategy known as jury nullification. This approach would encourage jurors to consider the broader implications of the case and possibly render a verdict based on personal judgment rather than strict legal criteria (15:15).

• Public Perception and Bias: The high-profile nature of the case, coupled with Combs' celebrity status, may influence public and jury perceptions, potentially swaying the trial's outcome irrespective of the legal arguments presented.

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Conclusion

This episode of Dateline: True Crime Weekly offers a comprehensive look into the complexities of Sean Combs' racketeering trial. Through detailed testimonies and expert legal insights, listeners gain a profound understanding of the case's intricacies, the strategies employed by both prosecution and defense, and the factors that could ultimately determine the trial's outcome. As the trial progresses, the interplay between legal maneuvering and public perception continues to shape the narrative surrounding one of the most watched cases in recent history.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Brendan Paul: "I did other things for Combs as well, besides getting drugs for him." (05:54)
• Joe Tacopina: "He is someone who regrets his past conduct." (12:52)
• Joe Tacopina: "There really is no defense." regarding Mann Act violation (14:20)
• Joe Tacopina: "You have to sort of say it's something like that." about defense arguments (15:32)

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Produced by: Franny Kelly with assistance from the Dateline True Crime Weekly team.
Senior Producers: Alison Orr and Liz Brown Karloff
Executive Producer: Paul Ryan
Senior Executive Producer: Liz Cole
Original Music: Jesse McGinty

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Transcript

[Andrea Canning]

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[Joe Tacopina]

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[Chloe Melas]

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[Andrea Canning]

This is ON Trial, a special series from DATELINE True Crime Weekly, bringing you daily coverage from the Sean Combs racketeering trial. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him. I'm Andrea Canning and it's Friday, June 20th. Wednesday court was canceled when one of the jurors got sick and yesterday court was dark for the holiday. Today, the prosecution resumed its case, calling Brendan Paul, another Combs assistant. He was arrested last spring when federal agents raided Combs, Miami and LA properties. Brendan is one of the last prosecution witnesses. So we have asked celebrity defense attorney Joe Tacopina to give us his assessment of the prosecution's case, how the defense has responded and what to look out for as the defense takes over next week. That's coming up. But first, NBC News correspondent Chloe Meloss was in the courthouse this morning for Brendan's very revealing testimony about Combs day to day life in the past couple of years. Hey Chloe.

Hey Andrea.

So Chloe, when these raids happened last March, federal agents searched two of Sean Combs Combs homes and they stopped him at a private airport in Miami. What happened there?

So they went to go seize foams and other devices from Combs, his chief of staff, KK and other employees. And that's when they arrested Brendan Paul, who was one of Combs assistants. He had cocaine on him.

So Chloe, he testified that the cocaine belonged to Combs.

So yes, what we learned today during Brendan Paul's testimony is that he had found some white powder in Combs hotel room. And so he put it in his bag, and then he went to the airport and he forgot. He says that he had it on him and that when the feds showed up and they went through his bag, he testified that his stomach dropped when they found the drugs. But he did not throw Combs under the bus in that moment. He said, this all is mine.

Chloe, the seizure of the phones and devices you talked about, it's really important because it's a big reason we've seen so many text messages and voicemails and emails in this case. What was on Brendan Paul's phone that the prosecution particularly wanted to focus on?

It really gives us, Andrea, an inside look at everything that was going on behind the scenes of Combs life and how it all worked between the assistants and kk. So there is a photo that we saw today while Brendan Paul was on the stand. It had Ecstasy and something called tusi, which is ketamine in it. This is a photo taken in early 2023 inside Combst's office at his Mapleton home in California. And he took this picture because it was left on the desk. And he said that he sent the photo to other assistants to ask, where should I put this? And you're also seeing text messages between Brendan Paul and drug dealers as well as other assistants. We also saw a photo that he had taken baby oil and Astroglide in some sort of like a cabinet in Combs home because he was actually sending it to somebody else on the team, showing them. This is how you organize all of.

All comes back to the baby oil in the end, though, doesn't it?

It does. And the Gucci pouch, what was in the Gucci pouch?

Right, so the infamous Gucci pouch came up again.

Yeah. So the Gucci pouch, according to different testimony, in it were different types of drugs and cash, and that it was either Combs who would be holding this and taking it with him in cars and to these freak, or also on private planes. But also it was the job of the assistants to make sure that he always had it. But Brendan testified under cross examination that he was not a drug mule, that he only bought drugs five to 10 times for combs, that this was not something that he was doing all the time. And these were not kilos and kilos of drugs. These were small amounts for personal use. And you really saw Brian Steele trying to hammer home the point that Combs would get more creative while he was working on music, while on drugs. I mean, I kept thinking back to, like, the 1960s and the 70s, Andrea, of all different types of musicians that were very proudly on all different types of drugs while they were making some of their greatest hits. And I'm not justifying drug use or buying drugs or any of that. But Steele also, on cross examination of Brennan Paul said, you really learned a lot right, from Combs. You enjoyed being around him. And Brennan Paul said, yes, he learned a lot. This was a job he really wanted.

And Brendan testified that he did other things for Combs as well, besides getting drugs for him.

Yeah, I mean, everything from packing and unpacking Combs suitcase. Remember, he was a personal assistant. He would go places before Combs got there and set it up. And he also talked about working on the Love album that dropped while he was working for Combs. But he also did talk about setting up those hotel rooms for. For freak offs.

Brendan testified that he would do all of this in close coordination with Christina kk, who was the chief of staff, and with other assistants. So because of that, there were a lot of group chats that came out of this. Why were those important?

The point of showing these group chats, Andrea, is because the prosecution has maintained that Combs was running a criminal enterprise in using different employees to carry out illegal activity. And so you saw that KK had oversight into really so much of Combs life that she was the intermediary between a lot of these assistants and even some of the women that he was dating. And the big question is, where is KK and will we see her on the defense next week? I've heard no.

Yeah, I'm so curious about that, Chloe. Did Brendan have anything to do with the hotel nights?

He did. He would get the baby oil, and he testified, the Astroglide and, you know, even buy soup. It seems like Combs wanted soup in these hotel rooms. And he would sometimes bring professional lighting and he would also clean up afterwards. But Brendan testified that these were nights that were personal for Combs.

The defense asked if he thought these hotel nights, King nights, were criminal, and he said, no.

That's right. And on direct examination, you had the prosecution saying, okay, so you brought Combs cash on one of these nights. And he said, yes, $5,000. But you don't have Brendan Paul being able to say what was the cash used for? Right. I mean, Combs is a wealthy man. Wanting $5,000 brought to him is not illegal.

Brendan Paul, like another personal assistant who testified last week, testified that he never saw or heard Jane express that she didn't want to do these nights.

That's right. Brian Steele said, did she ever seem upset afterwards or sorry? Brendan Paul testified no. He said, did she ever seem like she didn't want to participate in these nights ahead of it? And he testified no. And Brendan Paul said that he saw Jane after almost every single hotel night. And again, remember, he was granted immunity to testify. So you would think that he's telling the truth because he can't be prosecuted for anything he says as long as he is being honest.

Brendan also testified that although he worked a lot of long hours for Combs, he never resented it.

Brendan testified that on one occasion he worked for several nights without sleep, but that was what Combs and other employees were doing, too, because they were putting out the Love album.

And on redirect, the prosecution asked Combs, how do you feel about Sean Combs?

Some of his final words on the stand were that his feelings toward Combs are complicated. And I think that's what you're seeing, Andrea, with several of the witnesses.

Chloe, last time we talked, there was a issue brewing with juror number seven. What has happened with that?

The judge decided that he can stay after all that hullabaloo and back and forth, but who knows what's going to happen in the next week or two.

All right, Chloe. When we come back, we'll hear from defense attorney Joe Tacopina, who has represented Michael Jackson and the rappers meek Mill and A$AP Rocky. We have asked him to join the show today to give us his impression of the job Combs stacked defense team has done so far.

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[Andrea Canning]

Welcome back, everybody. And welcome Joe. Thank you for being here.

[Joe Tacopina]

Thanks, Andrew. Thanks for having me. Thanks, Chloe.

[Andrea Canning]

You're getting both of us.

[Joe Tacopina]

Wow.

[Andrea Canning]

So, Joe, to start out with some transparency, Combs's team approached you to join his defense team, right?

[Joe Tacopina]

Yes. I met with, with Combs few times in the federal prison and I declined, obviously, to get involved because of a host of things. Timing. I just came off a. A six week trial in Los Angeles with the ASAP Rocky case, and it just wasn't, you know, for me, a case of this magnitude, you know, you need a year to prepare this properly, at least. I do. That's how I do it. But there were some other factors as well that I'll keep to myself. But listen, you know, I do think it's a defensible case in some regards, others maybe not so much. But I'm glad I made the decision. I made this for that one.

[Andrea Canning]

Joe, you met with Sean, and I realized they were private conversations. Can you give us any insight into his demeanor? Was he confident, arrogant, desperate, scared? You know, how did he seem?

[Joe Tacopina]

Not arrogant. I wouldn't say confident or scared, but just, you know, in. In this vortex of this maelstrom of stuff coming at him. And he knew he was getting ready for it. He seemed to me, and he actually said to me that he's a different person now. And I could see that the guy that we've heard about and looked at and watched was abusive, but that he also said that he goes, I was different back then. I was someone who I was so jerked up on drugs at all times.

[Andrea Canning]

Yeah, yeah.

He's in prison. Presumably he does not have access to drugs.

[Joe Tacopina]

No, he doesn't. But the bottom line is this. He is someone who regrets his past conduct. So I think, you know, he understands what this looks like. I also think he understands that, you know, the day after he allegedly raped Cassie, she sent him a very nice text message that I saw that I think the jury is now saying, yeah.

[Andrea Canning]

You know, that's hard for a jury.

[Joe Tacopina]

Everyone reacts differently. Andrea, I don't want. I've been sex crimes prosecutors, so I don't Want to say, here's how you have to react. There's no. There's no blueprint for this stuff. Right. When you're a victim. But on the other hand, this is all fair game.

[Andrea Canning]

Why do you think this is something that the Feds pursued versus this being in state court with domestic assault, rape? I mean, there are some things that have been brought up that are not, you know, past the statute of limitations. Jane, who testified, she claims domestic violence in 2023. She claims all sorts of things that are recent. What do you think the Fed saw when they looked at Diddy and they looked at this Diddy?

[Joe Tacopina]

I think they saw Diddy. I think they saw a big target, a big prize. Look, here's his. Here's how, you know, that's the case. He's charged with the violation of the Man Act. The count that actually, if you want to be a legal analyst, pure straight down Broadway, he's in trouble on that one because it's simply a federal offense to transport prostitutes over state lines for prostitution. That's it.

[Andrea Canning]

So he can't get out of that one?

[Joe Tacopina]

Well, he can, but it's like an antiquated charge. It's like charging Al Capone with tax evasion. I mean, you know, you had Elliot Spitzer, the New York governor, who was dead to rights on that. He admitted he did that. His phone records, his emails. He was finished. He was dead. The federal prosecutors in Southern District looked at that case. They didn't charge him. The violation of the man act is a very, you know, furious charge. As for that thing, and honestly, factually, there really is no defense. Penny Garagos, in our opening statement, tried to say, well, but he wasn't paying them for sex. He was paying them for their time. It's the best they can do on the defense side. You know, really what they have to hope for here is that the jury is like, you know, this case is about baby oil, about applesauce on cheeseburgers, about the most horrific things I've ever seen. A racketeering enterprise I do not see and I don't think.

[Andrea Canning]

Isn't that called jury nullification?

[Joe Tacopina]

It's what it's called.

[Andrea Canning]

They could go in closings and say, all right, you want to hit him with transportation to engage in prostitution, then throw all professional athletes in prison, Throw a bunch of celebrities in prison. What do you suggest that the defense does in closings?

[Joe Tacopina]

You can't say, well, then every other athlete who's done this, and Elliott Spitzer, with the things I just said, you can't say that to a jury. It's not part of the evidence in this case. There's no evidence that every professional athlete or other sort of stuff. But you can say without saying it. Well, you have to basically say this jury, ladies and gentlemen, I think you know what's going on here. I think you understand the landscape violation of the Man Act. You are the conscience of this community. Yeah, it's Judge whatever his name is, courtroom. It says it right there on his flat. But when it comes to what's right in our community, you are the judge of the facts. When it comes to if what was done here was fair, you are the judge of the facts. Don't let anyone tell you how you have to vote on any count because if you think what was done here was selective, unfair, unjust, then you get the last word. No one can tell you what your vote has to be. You have to sort of say it's something like that. I mean, I just did that. But. But there's a way to do. But without getting shut down by a judge. You don't need a federal judge to tell you you're making inappropriate arguments in front of a jury.

[Andrea Canning]

So, Joe, as we wind down the prosecution and get ready to start the defense, how would you tackle the defense strategy?

[Joe Tacopina]

The defense case is a case of reasonable doubt. Let's. Let's be real. I mean, it sort of was the same with my ASAP rocket trial. And the judge will give an instructor on what a reasonable doubt is. It's a very powerful charge. And I spent a lot of time in my last trial focusing the jury on the term reasonable data, what it really means. Do you have a doubt based on a reason? If you do not kill me, that's what they have to focus on here. I wouldn't get too bogged down and bring on much of the defense case. Their defense was through cross examination, chopping up witnesses, getting inconsistencies brought out, motives brought out, and putting them on the standard. I understand they're not going to now, thank God. That would have been. We, first of all would be covering this case until December. Number one, the cross examination would go on for months. There's just things we can't answer. And it would take away from all deficiencies in the prosecution case, in my opinion.

[Andrea Canning]

When you say reasonable doubt, Karen Reed pops into my head.

[Joe Tacopina]

Sure.

[Andrea Canning]

Given what we've been through this week, your best guess. I know every jury's different, but do you think Diddy could see some prison time?

[Joe Tacopina]

He could and he could not. I Mean, I'm not in there. I'm not looking at the jury. Although I will tell you, having tried 120 jury trials, when I look at a jury, it's not like you get really any insight. You just don't. And sometimes, more often than not, you get misled by a face or something where you think you're reading something. Oh, they like me. Oh, they don't like me. I don't. That's why I specifically have stopped looking at jurors when I try cases. I'm lazy folks on what's ahead of me. I can't control what they're thinking other than by performance. But I think, look, they could clip them on everything. Okay? They could nail them on everything. And the reason they could is not because I think they've proven a racketeering enterprise. I don't think they have. I don't think they've proven sex trafficking. But their goal in this case was in part to get the jury to hate this guy so much. And based on the evidence in this case, he's hateable. I mean, he really is. I mean, just the way he treated normal people, let alone his girlfriends. Listen, there's a reason they played that tape, like 15 times already. They're going to play it five more times during the summation. I mean, that tape is an incident of domestic violence. Now. They're going to argue it means other things. I understand that. But, you know, you sort of reduce the impact of that, the power of that tape when you play it over and over and over. The next time a jury sees, they're going to be like, okay, here we go again. Some jurors could say, hey, they're overselling their hand here. You know, that's. That's sort of what I would do.

[Andrea Canning]

Well, we will see. Joe, you are a legendary attorney, and we are honored that you came on the podcast. We're so appreciative, and you gave us such good insight into this. Thank you.

[Joe Tacopina]

Thank you so much. Andrew, thank you very much for having me. Chloe, thank you for having me. And okay, guys, we'll speak again.

[Andrea Canning]

Thank you so much, Joe.

Thanks for listening. We'll be back with a new episode on Monday. If you want to read the latest developments and analysis from inside the courtroom, check out the NBC newsletter. Diddy on trial. Go to nbcnews.com diddy to find that On Trial is produced by Franny Kelly with help from the Dateline True Crime Weekly team. Our senior producers are Alison Orr and Liz Brown Karloff. Original Music by Jesse McGinty Paul Ryan is executive producer and Liz Cole is senior Executive producer of Dateline. Okay, supply run.

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