Diddy allegedly ran his inner circle with military-style discipline and demanded unwavering loyalty from his assistants, according to testimony Friday (June 20) from former aide Brendan Paul in the federal racketeering and sex trafficking case against the Hip-Hop mogul.
Paul, who worked for Diddy from 2022 until March 2023, described a job that consumed his personal life and pushed him into drug use to keep up with the demands.
He told the court that he was instructed to sever ties with his girlfriend and family before accepting the position, which paid $75,000 annually and later increased to $100,000 per year.
Paul said the job required him to stay alert around the clock, often relying on Adderall and sometimes cocaine to stay awake. Paul testified that Diddy expected his staff to operate with the precision of a military unit, once telling them to “move like Seal Team Six.”
The prosecution focused on how Diddy allegedly used his assistants to procure and test drugs, including cocaine, ecstasy and Tusi, a synthetic hallucinogen. Paul said he took drugs at Diddy’s request to prove his loyalty.
Paul described “Wild King” nights, which he said involved Diddy, his partners, drugs, Cialis and sex. He testified that after the Cassie lawsuit, Diddy stopped using hotels and began hosting gatherings at private residences. Paul said his role included cleaning up after these events.
Paul also recounted being fired for forgetting Diddy’s Lululemon fanny pack before a walk. When asked if he ever reported concerns to human resources, Paul said HR was ineffective.
Paul was arrested in 2023 with 27 grams of cocaine, which he said did not belong to him. When asked directly if the drugs were Diddy’s, Paul confirmed by admitting they were for “Mr. Combs.”
Under cross-examination, Diddy’s attorney, Brian Steel, pointed out that Paul’s drug case was dismissed and questioned whether drugs made Diddy more productive.
Paul responded that Diddy became “extremely creative” while using. After his testimony, Paul’s attorney issued a statement denying that Paul was ever a “drug mule” for Diddy.
“He was subpoenaed to come to court and tell the truth, which he did — word for word,” attorney Brian Bieber said. “Now that Brendan has finally had the opportunity to tell the full story about his employment, we are hopeful that the last 15 months of defamatory statements about him will cease.”
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