By Larry Neumeister and Michael R. Sisak
NEW YORK (AP) At Friday’s sex trafficking trial, a former Syracuse University basketball player who previously served as Sean Diddy Combs’ personal assistant testified that Combs became very creative when under the influence of drugs.
After being caught at a Miami airport last year with cocaine he claims belonged to Combs, 26-year-old Brendan Paul testified under immunity about his experiences working for the hip-hop mogul for a year and a half. In March 2024, Paul was taken into custody on the same day that federal authorities carried out several searches connected to the Combs investigation.
After six weeks of testimony from a wide range of witnesses, including former coworkers, ex-girlfriends, male sex workers, and rapper Kid Cudi, prosecutors are wrapping up their case. Ye, who was formerly known as Kanye West, even showed up in the courthouse unexpectedly.
The prosecution aims to persuade the jury that Combs managed a vast racketeering operation for twenty years, depending on compliance from staff members who would do anything for him, including purchasing drugs when needed.
Despite acknowledging that prosecutors revealed domestic abuse during the trial, defense attorneys maintain that Combs did not violate any federal crimes. Combs has been detained without bail at a federal jail in Brooklyn after entering a not guilty plea after being arrested in September at a hotel in Manhattan.
By Monday, prosecutors were supposed to put their case on hold. It is anticipated that a defense presentation will run between two and five days.
Paul claimed that he purchased narcotics for Combs five to ten times, spending up to $500 on ecstasy, cocaine, ketamine, and marijuana.
He claimed that the only time he ever used narcotics with Combs was when Combs urged him to try tusi, or pink cocaine, to test if it was enjoyable.
Paul claimed that he did this because he wanted to demonstrate my loyalty and that he found it admirable.
He informed Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavic, “We carried on with our evening.”
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Paul claimed that he had forgotten about the cocaine before being arrested. He had gathered it that morning while cleaning Combs’ room and had unintentionally put it in a suitcase he was carrying as he made ready to leave on vacation with Combs and other staff. After Paul finished a pretrial diversion program, the charges were dropped.
Paul, who was questioned by defense lawyer Brian Steel, claimed that after telling airport officials that everything in the travel bag belonged to him, he was shocked to learn that there was cocaine in it.
Paul was asked by Steel if Combs was typically content and did not harm anyone while under the influence of drugs.
Paul answered that he become quite inventive.
Steel questioned the witness again, asking, “You wouldn’t work for a criminal, would you?”
“Definitely not,” Paul said.
However, when the prosecutor asked Paul, shortly before he concluded his evidence, “Sitting here today, how do you feel about Mr. Combs?” Slavic evoked Paul’s conflicted sentiments regarding Combs.
“Complicated,” he replied.
Originally from Cleveland, Paul was a 6-foot-2 guard who walked on at Syracuse University. Over the course of two seasons, he played 17 minutes and only scored three points while coming off the bench in 16 games. He subsequently moved to West Virginia to play for two more seasons at Fairmont State University, a lower-tier institution.
