Sean Combs: Victim-4 takes the stand.

Summary

Dateline: True Crime Weekly – Episode Summary

Title: Sean Combs: Victim-4 Takes the Stand
Host: Andrea Canning
Release Date: May 30, 2025

---

Introduction to the Trial

In this gripping episode of Dateline: True Crime Weekly, host Andrea Canning delves into the high-stakes racketeering trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs. Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges, and the courtroom drama intensifies as the prosecution introduces a pivotal witness, known under the pseudonym "Mia." This summary captures the essence of Mia's harrowing testimony, the legal implications under the RICO statute, and expert insights from NBC News correspondent Chloe Melas and legal analyst Danny Savalos.

---

Mia's Testimony Under Oath

Timestamp [01:16]: Andrea Canning introduces Mia, an alleged victim who accuses Combs of sexual assault and severe workplace abuse. Mia's testimony is emotionally charged, with moments of hyperventilation indicating the trauma she endured.

Key Quote:
Mia says, "I was going to die with this. I didn't want anyone to know ever" ([16:19]).

---

Background of Mia and Her Employment

Timestamp [03:06]: Chloe Melas provides background on Mia, detailing her career trajectory from a personal assistant for actor Mike Myers to her role with Sean Combs from 2009 to 2017. Initially promised a 40-hour workweek, Mia's reality was starkly different, marked by extreme overwork and a toxic environment.

Key Quote:
Mia recounts, "On my first day, I didn't get to go home until 1 PM the next day" ([03:12]).

---

Allegations of Abuse and Forced Labor

Mia describes a work environment characterized by relentless hours and physical abuse. She alleges that Combs enforced a climate of fear, preventing her from leaving his residence and subjecting her to violent outbursts.

Key Incidents:

• Extreme Work Hours: Mia stayed awake for five days straight, leading to physical breakdowns ([05:18]).
• Physical Violence: Combs reportedly threw her against walls, into pools, and even nearly hit her with a laptop ([04:25]).
• Control and Isolation: Mia was not allowed to lock her door or leave without permission, severely restricting her personal freedoms ([05:50]).

Key Quote:
Mia describes, "Diddy threw things at me, threw me against a wall, even threw a laptop that narrowly missed my head" ([04:25]).

---

Legal Implications: RICO Statute

Legal analyst Danny Savalos explains that to secure a racketeering conviction, the prosecution must demonstrate that Combs engaged in a pattern of illegal activities outlined in the RICO statute, including forced labor and slavery-like conditions.

Key Quote:
"The prosecution is leveraging Mia's accounts to fit into the RICO framework, specifically targeting the forced labor aspect," explains Savalos ([05:18]).

---

Mia’s Duties and Work Environment

Mia's role extended beyond typical assistant duties, encompassing a wide array of tasks that blurred professional boundaries and contributed to her sense of entrapment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Managing personal tasks such as taxes and reading scripts.
• Anticipating Combs' needs, including checking weather forecasts and ensuring his preparedness each morning.
• Being on call 24/7, sometimes until 4 AM, including physically assisting Combs by "cracking his knuckles" ([07:39]).

Key Quote:
Mia states, "I was doing everything from doing his taxes to cracking his knuckles" ([07:39]).

---

Interaction with Cassie Ventura

Mia’s testimony intertwines with the experiences of Cassie Ventura, another key figure in the trial. She details their shared attempts to escape Combs' control, including a notable incident involving paddleboarding in the ocean.

Escape Attempt:

• During a vacation in Turks and Caicos, Mia and Cassie fled Combs by paddleboarding into the ocean.
• Adverse weather forced them to return to shore, heightening the peril of their escape ([12:47]).

Key Quote:
Mia recounts the terrifying escape, "We paddled out into the ocean, and the storm clouds made us decide to head back to shore" ([12:47]).

---

Sexual Assault Allegations

In a particularly distressing part of her testimony, Mia accuses Combs of sexually assaulting her on multiple occasions. She describes incidents where Combs forcibly initiated physical intimacy, leaving her traumatized and feeling powerless.

Key Incidents:

• Post-Birthday Assault: After consuming vodka, Combs allegedly pushed Mia against a wall and initiated sexual contact ([14:59]).
• LA Apartment Incident: Mia woke up to find Combs atop her bunk bed, leading to forced penetration ([15:58]).

Key Quote:
Mia tearfully states, "He penetrated me, and I just froze" ([15:58]).

---

Reasons for Silence and Continued Employment

When questioned about why she never reported the assaults, Mia expressed feelings of desperation and entrapment, believing the abuse was her fault and fearing the repercussions of speaking out.

Key Reason:
Mia admits, "I felt trapped and thought it was my fault" ([16:19]).

---

Defense's Potential Arguments

Chloe Melas anticipates that the defense will portray Combs' behavior as part of a high-stress job environment, emphasizing the demands and sacrifices willingly made by his employees. They may argue that any abusive behavior was mutual or exaggerated.

Key Point:
"The defense might highlight that employees like Mia had agreed to the rigorous terms, presenting it as a trade-off for working with a high-profile individual," Melas suggests ([08:29]).

---

Comparative Testimonies

Mia’s allegations are corroborated by other testimonies, including those from Dawn Richard of Danity Kane and a male escort who witnessed Combs' aggressive behavior towards Cassie Ventura.

Key Quote:
Mia's description of violence aligns with Dawn Richard's, who stated, "I heard slapping sounds and saw Combs dragging Cassie by her hair" ([12:18]).

---

Courtroom Proceedings and Expectations

As the trial progresses, Mia is expected to continue her testimony, potentially facing intense cross-examination from Combs' defense team. The emotional and legal battle is set to escalate, with significant implications for the outcome of the case.

Key Insight:
"The afternoon sessions will likely become heated as Combs' attorneys attempt to undermine Mia's credibility," notes legal analyst Savalos ([16:34]).

---

Conclusion and Ongoing Coverage

Andrea Canning wraps up the episode by highlighting the emotional toll of Mia's testimony and the complexities of the legal battle against Sean Combs. Listeners are encouraged to follow daily updates through NBC's coverage and stay informed on this tumultuous trial.

Key Quote:
"This is Mia's account under oath," Canning emphasizes, underlining the gravity of the allegations ([14:31]).

---

Production Credits

On Trial is produced by Franny Kelly with assistance from the Dateline True Crime Weekly team, including senior producers Alison Orr and Liz Brown Kurloff. The original music is by Jesse McGinty, with Paul Ryan serving as executive producer and Liz Cole as senior executive producer.

---

This episode offers a deep and emotional exploration of the allegations against Sean Combs, presenting both the personal testimonies of victims and the legal frameworks underpinning the prosecution’s case. For listeners seeking an in-depth understanding of the trial's dynamics, Mia's testimony serves as a poignant and pivotal element in the unfolding true crime narrative.

Transcript

[Oregon Lottery Representative]

In the summer, all of Oregon is our playground thanks to our incredible park system. That's why it's so cool that Oregon Lottery gameplay like video lottery or cash pop helps support tons of parks projects statewide like accessible trails at Silver Falls State park or upgrades to your favorite dog park in Newburgh. It's just one way a little lottery play for many Oregonians can add up to a lot of good the Oregon Lottery. Together we do good things. Lottery games are based on chance and should be played for entertainment only. Must be 18 or older to play.

[Birch Lane Representative]

Welcome to Birch Lane, where you can find a fresh take on classic furniture and decor. Every piece is hand picked and crafted to last for years to come. At Birch Lane you can explore everything from outdoor sets to living room furniture and everything in between and get fast free shipping. It's classic style for joyful living.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Shop [e-mail] Avoiding your unfinished home projects because you're not sure where to start. Thumbtack knows homes, so you don't have to don't know the difference between matte paint finish and satin or what that clunking sound from your dryer is. With thumbtack, you don't have to be a home pro, you just have to hire one. You can hire top rated pros, see price estimates and read reviews all on the app. Download Today.

[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 Thursday, May 29th. Just a heads up. In this episode, we're going to be talking about some graphic details and harrowing subject matter. Today. The prosecution called a woman to the stand they allege is another victim of Combs. We do not know her name. She is testifying under a pseudonym, which is Mia. And at times she seemed so overwhelmed by what she was telling the jury that she started to hyperventilate. Like Cassie Ventura, Mia alleges that Combs sexually assaulted her. She also described what it was like working for him, accusing Combs of keeping her awake for literally days at a time and living in fear. Those allegations could put him directly in the crosshairs of the RICO statute. NBC News correspondent Chloe Melas is back outside of the federal courthouse to tell us more. Hey, Chloe.

[Chloe Melas]

Hey, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, so big day in court today. Before Mia started her testimony, the judge gave a clear instruction to the jury not to put any weight on the fact that she was testifying using a pseudonym. Do we know why exactly she has chosen not to use her name.

[Chloe Melas]

We know based on a letter that prosecutors sent the judge in April, Andrea. That she is just so fearful as to her identity getting out there that it could hurt her with her job professionally. It would just cause irreparable damage. We were mandated by the judge not to even describe her appearance. So I can't even tell you what she was wearing. I can't tell you, tell you the color of her hair, what she looked like. I mean, we have to be really, really careful in abiding by these rules.

[Andrea Canning]

Chloe, give us a background on Mia. Who is she and how did she get into Sean Combs world?

[Chloe Melas]

So she had briefly worked as a personal assistant for the actor Mike Myers. You might remember him from movies like Austin Powers. And she said that job was like a 10 to 6 job and that if she ever worked on the weekends for Mike Myers, that she would only be like, watching his dog. So then she got this job interview to work for, for Sean Diddy Combs. And she thought that this was the opportunity of a lifetime. And she was told that she would only be working about 40 hours a week. And she said that very quickly, even on her first day, she realized that this was not the case. She actually said, Andrea, that on her first day, she didn't get to go home until 1pm the next day. So right off the bat, she said that things were toxic and that there would be high highs and incredibly low lows.

[Andrea Canning]

She worked for him for from 2009 to 2017. And she was promoted along the way.

[Danny Savalos]

Yeah.

[Chloe Melas]

So she was a personal assistant for most of that time, but her dream was film and television. And ultimately he made her an executive at his company and she was able to help him with film and TV projects.

[Andrea Canning]

So, Chloe, aside from, you know, working these long hours, she has a lot of allegations that she has made against him about what it was like working for him.

[Chloe Melas]

Yeah. And as she's talking about all of these things, she's shaking, she's crying, she's looking down, her voice is trembling. And she says that Diddy threw things at her, threw her against a wall, threw her into a pool, that he threw an ice bucket at her, that he threw a laptop that narrowly missed her head one time.

[Andrea Canning]

Let's just bring all these things you just talked about into the actual, you know, charges in this case. So Danny Savalos, our legal expert, explained yesterday, to get a conviction on the racketeering charge, the prosecution has to show that some of the illegal acts that allegedly Combs engaged in are on a list of RICO crimes. One of the crimes on the list is slavery or forced labor. Those are the terms. Is the prosecution saying that there was some form of that with how he was treating his employees?

[Chloe Melas]

Absolutely. She testified about one time staying up for five days straight in Las Vegas and that her body started to have a physical breakdown, that she had temporary hearing and vision loss, and that finally Diddy was like, okay, now you can go to bed. She also said that she has adhd, so she had a prescription for Adderall, and that she took that, and that's what also helped her stay awake.

[Andrea Canning]

Mia on the stand said that Combs made her move into his house so she could be near him at all times, and she needed permission to leave.

[Chloe Melas]

She wasn't allowed to lock her door because Combs said that this is my house, but that other employees of his could, and that she wasn't allowed to leave, not even so much as to run errands for herself or to see any of her friends, that she was always on the clock. And that one time she left his house, she snuck out around 2am and after he had fallen asleep because she was desperate to see some friends and that he sent security to go find her. So, yeah, she felt like she couldn't leave. I mean, she talked about things that were so extreme, like, she couldn't even change her tampon because he wouldn't let her out of his sight. These are just insane stories to hear, if true.

[Andrea Canning]

Very hard to hear. And again, this is Mia's testimony. This is her account under oath. What did Mia say she was doing for all those hours? Like, what were her. What was her job description? I'm sure, you know, when you work. I worked for a celebrity. When you work for a celebrity, there's many hats that you wear.

[Chloe Melas]

I mean, look, I worked for someone pretty tough in my 20s as well, and I worked crazy hours, and I worked on the weekends, and I remember crying a lot. I would get screamed at. And sometimes in certain industries, you feel like that's a rite of passage. But what Mia is describing just moves the goalpost even further. I mean, she says that at one time, she would be doing, metaphorically, 17,000 things. Everything from doing his taxes, reading movie scripts, anticipating his moods, checking the weather if it's going to be raining, making sure to grab an umbrella, making sure that she was there at his house before he woke up, and staying with him until he went to bed, which we know could be like 4am and she even had to, like, crack his knuckles. I mean, the whole thing is just. It's just a wild litany of things that she claims she had to do.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, you can't pay me enough to crack someone's knuckles. Wow.

[Chloe Melas]

Same here.

[Andrea Canning]

So unpredictable hours, nonstop responsibilities. But could the defense argue that this is just a high stress job for a high profile person, not a crime?

[Chloe Melas]

She said that she was constantly humiliated, that he would question her intelligence, he would threaten her job, that she would be suspended without pay for the most random of things that would upset him. And she also said that it wasn't just her as the personal assistant, that there were other PAs that worked for him, but she felt like she would get the brunt of everything and that if somebody messed up, that ultimately somehow it would be her fault.

[Andrea Canning]

We should say that like other employees of Combs that we've heard testify already, there were parts of the job that Mia said she loved.

[Chloe Melas]

She said that she begged him for years to stop being a personal assistant and to pursue her true passion, which was film, and that ultimately he allowed her to do that, helping procure films that he could star in or films that they could invest in. She said, even though I had this insane, insane assistant situation, the joy that you would get out of doing TV and film was overwhelmingly awesome. And, you know, I think that the defense tomorrow is going to say, okay, we've agreed he was a jerk and he was violent. They said that in their opening statement. But that these employees agreed to this arrangement, that these were like trade offs and perhaps they might have text messages and emails that paint a very different picture.

[Andrea Canning]

Mia's employment overlapped with Combs relationship with Cassie. And Mia testified that one of her duties was to keep track of Cassie for Sean Combs.

[Chloe Melas]

That's right. I mean, she said that she interacted with Cassie a lot and that she would be sent over to Cassie's apartment and sort of monitor her, almost babysit her. And there's this story of this party at Prince's house in which they actually snuck out. And Combs was so upset that they had snuck out and gone to this party in LA that he showed up and ended up chasing Cassie down and started to physically beat her until Princess Security intervened. And then after that, Diddy actually suspended Mia's pay.

[Andrea Canning]

When we come back, we'll have more of her testimony, including what she says happened the day she and Cassie tried to escape. Combs on a paddleboard, plus Mia's own of being sexually assaulted by Sean Combs after the break.

[Odoo Representative]

Some say Odoo Business Management Software is like fertilizer because of the way it promotes growth. Some say Odoo is like a magic beanstalk scaling with you while being magically affordable. And some say Odoo's programs for manufacturing, accounting and more are like building blocks for creating a custom software suite. But I say Odoo is all of it. Fertilizer, magic beanstalk building blocks for business. Yeah, Odoo. Exactly what every business needs. Sign [e-mail] that's o-o o.com hey everybody.

[Al Roker]

I'm Al Roker from the Today show. Let's kickstart your wellness journey with the all new Start Today app. Everything you need for a healthier you all in one place, fitness challenges for all levels, meal plans that are easy and delicious and so much more. It's built to fit your lifestyle and our exper will guide you every step of the way. Come on, let's do this.

[Start Today App Representative]

To subscribe, download start today from the App store on your Apple device now. Terms apply. Cancel anytime through Apple under profile settings.

[Andrea Canning]

NBC Nightly News legacy isn't handed down or NBC News.

[Oregon Lottery Representative]

I'm Tom Brokaw.

[Andrea Canning]

We hope to see you back here.

[Odoo Representative]

I'm Lester Holt.

[Tom Yamas]

It's carried forward.

[Odoo Representative]

Tom Yamatz is there for us.

[Tom Yamas]

Firefighters are still working around the clock. As the world changes, we look for what endures. We are coming on the air with breaking news right now. We look for a constant and from one era to the next. Trust is the anchor for NBC Nightly News. I'm Tom Yamas. A new chapter begins NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas starting Monday on NBC.

[Andrea Canning]

So Mia described a number of times when she says Combs got violent with Cassie.

[Danny Savalos]

Yes.

[Chloe Melas]

So she said that she saw Diddy beat Cassie up multiple times.

[Andrea Canning]

Mia gave a description of the sounds that she heard, thuds, things hitting walls that she believes is violence between Combs and Cassie.

[Chloe Melas]

It's similar to what we heard from Dawn Richard who was in the girl group Danity Kane, who testified about being around Cassie and Diddy and also hearing things happen in different rooms. We also previously heard from a male escort who said that he saw Combs once drag Cassie by her hair into another room and he heard slapping sounds.

[Andrea Canning]

Tell us about this story that Mia told on the stand about trying to get away from Combs while she was with Cassie and they were all on vacation.

[Chloe Melas]

She said that they were in Turks and Caicos and that Cassie came into her room and was terrified and started putting furniture against the door and just kept saying he's going to kill me and they had. They were, I believe, on the first floor and they had doors that exited to the beach. And they ran out on the beach and Combs was chasing them and they were running towards the ocean. And then they got on some paddle boards and they started just paddling out as far as they could into the ocean to try to get away from him. And as they turned around, you know, he got smaller and smaller as they were getting further away. And then they actually started to see bad weather coming in and storm clouds. And they were worried, like, do we stay out here and risk our lives in the ocean or do we go back to shore and risk our lives there? And ultimately they decided to go back to shore.

[Andrea Canning]

Mia, despite all of this, said she never saw Cassie fight back against Combs.

[Chloe Melas]

That's what she says, but that is the exact opposite of what we heard in opening statement from Sean Combs criminal defense attorney Tenny Garagos, who has maintained that there was violence on both sides of the relationship.

[Andrea Canning]

Mia described cleaning up after freak offs. And she had a more civilized name for them. She called them hotel nights.

[Danny Savalos]

Yes.

[Chloe Melas]

And she's not the first person who has testified about having to clean up these hotel rooms. She actually described it as a nightmare. Candle wax that you just couldn't get out of the carpet. There would be broken glass, even blood that Diddy supposedly told her was period blood. Oil on the walls, wet towels, water on the floor. I mean, you can just imagine the sort of damage that was done to the room.

[Andrea Canning]

Yeah. Yet Mia says she never reported Combs to the police and she kept working for him, kept getting a paycheck.

[Danny Savalos]

I mean, she said that she felt.

[Chloe Melas]

A loyalty to him, that part of the deal was to protect his reputation. I mean, it's similar in testimony to what we've heard from Cassie as to why didn't she ever fully sever ties during this decade long, on and off relationship?

[Andrea Canning]

Yeah. All right, so this part gets very, very serious. This afternoon, Mia on the stand says Combs sexually assaulted. She understandably got very upset talking about this in court.

[Danny Savalos]

Yeah.

[Chloe Melas]

So she was crying and she said that after Diddy's 40th birthday, she was in his apartment and he had everybody leave. I believe they were in the kitchen. And that's when he had her take a couple of shots of vodka. And she hadn't eaten or had anything to drink that day. And so she said it hit her really hard. And then she said that all of a sudden he had kind of pushed her up against a wall and he put his hand up her dress. And then she talked about another instance at his home in LA. It was around 2009, 2010. So she doesn't exactly remember when it allegedly happened, but she was sleeping in a room in his house. She was in a bunk bed. And like I told you before, she wasn't allowed to lock her door. And she said that she woke up to Diddy on top of her and she starts to really cry at this point on the stand. And she said that he penetrated her and that she just froze.

[Danny Savalos]

Hmm.

[Andrea Canning]

So, yeah, this is very difficult testimony. And again, these are Mia's allegations that Sean Combs has denied. Very hard to hear. Did the prosecution ask Mia why she didn't report any of these sexual assault allegations?

[Danny Savalos]

Yeah, so she said that she was.

[Chloe Melas]

Desperate, terrified and trapped, that this was her fault. And she actually said that she never planned to ever tell anybody about this. She said, quote, I was going to die with this. I didn't want anyone to know ever.

[Andrea Canning]

She will be back on the stand tomorrow, Chloe.

[Chloe Melas]

Mia.

[Danny Savalos]

Yes.

[Chloe Melas]

So we're expecting her to be back on the stand in the morning for prosecutors to continue their direct questioning. And then things could get pretty heated in the afternoon when cross examination begins with Diddy's criminal defense attorneys.

[Andrea Canning]

We will see you back here tomorrow. Chloe, thank you.

[Chloe Melas]

Thank you.

[Andrea Canning]

Thanks for listening. We will, of course, as we said, be back tomorrow with a new episode. 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 Kurloff. Original Music by Jesse McGinty. Paul Ryan is executive producer and Liz Cole is senior executive producer of Dateline.

[Odoo Representative]

Imagine relying on a dozen different software programs to run your business, none of which are connected, and each one more expensive and more complicated than the last. It can be pretty stressful. Now imagine Odoo. Odoo has all the programs you'll ever need and are all connected on one platform. Doesn't Odoo sound amazing? Let Odoo harmonize your business with simple, efficient software that can handle everything for a fraction of the price. Sign up today at odoo. Com. That's O D O O Com.