Former assistant testifies he was directed to buy thousands of dollars worth of drugs

Paul testified that Combs asked him to try drugs and he did it “to prove my loyalty.”

“I felt euphoric but did not feel the full effect. He asked if it was good … I said yes and then I kept working,” he said. 

The witness recalled being asked to buy thousands of dollars worth of drugs.

Marijuana, cocaine, pink cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine were all on his shopping list, Paul said.

He recounted meeting up with dealers named Guido, One Stop, Baby Girl and Ovi.

An impulsive Combs fired Paul multiple times, including once for forgetting to bring his boss’ Lululemon fanny pack.

Chief of staff Kristina Khorram told Paul just to keep a low profile and it’d blow over, according to the witness.

He recalled seeing Combs a few days later “and he said just say ‘hey.'”

Paul testified that his job was to “make sure” Combs was happy and carry out all requests to his satisfaction because the music mogul didn’t take “no” for an answer.

Combs compared his staff of assistants to SEAL Team 6, demanding they move with no failures, according to Paul.

Paul testified that the longest he went without sleep working for Combs was three days with a few naps. 

“I was young so I was able to handle it,” he explained, noting he’d take “adderall and rare use of cocaine.”

He noted that prior to working for Combs the only drug he consumed was smoking weed. 

The job would be time-consuming, Paul testified. He said he was told to “get in to get out” and forget about any personal life.

The witness said he was told to break up with any girlfriend he might have and say goodbye to his family for this 24-7 job as Combs’ assistant.

He ended up working for the music mogul from late 2022 until March 25 last year. The former college basketball player started at $75,000 a year and topped out at $100,000 by January last year.

Paul said Combs’ team seized upon his background as a college basketball player, having him work on food and workout planning for the music mogul.

Paul played two seasons at the end of the Syracuse Orange bench from 2018 to 2020.

Paul wore a blue suit, white shirt and no tie as he took the witness stand for direct examination by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik.

This portion of testimony is expected to last about 90 minutes.

Today the court will provide the defense and prosecution with the proposed jury charge — guidelines by the judge to the jury before deliberations. 

Judge Arun Subramanian said the proposed charge will have instructions regarding potential modifications the defense and prosecution may have, and both parties will have the opportunity to ensure nothing is missing. 

Judge Arun Subramanian said the defense application related to a juror has been denied. The defense application came up earlier this week regarding a man who was Juror No. 7 at the time. 

Subramanian said the juror was questioned.

In a trial, a juror defense application is when a defendant’s lawyer requests to have a juror excused from the jury.

Court is now in session, marking day 27 of Combs’ trial.

U.S. District Court Judge Arun Subramanian has ordered prosecutors and defense attorneys to begin preparations for deliberations, which could start next week.

He wants the government to prepare a laptop with exhibits and for both sides to confer on potential redactions from the transcript of testimony jurors want to hear again.

“The Court recognizes that the parties will likely be unable to meet and confer on such redactions for the entire transcript,” the judge wrote. “However, the parties should do so for the witnesses that they believe the jury will most likely ask for.”

Wednesday’s court session ended early because one of the 12 regular jurors got sick and “had vertigo.”

There was also no court session yesterday as it was a federal holiday, Juneteenth National Independence Day.

Former Syracuse University basketball player Brendan Paul will take the stand today as the prosecution wraps up its case.

Paul is expected to testify about drugs he allegedly provided to his former boss.

He had been ready to testify on Tuesday, but testimony from a prosecution summary witness ran long. The court was adjourned early on Wednesday because a juror called out sick.

A juror had long asked Judge Subramanian to have this afternoon off to attend their son’s graduation.

Subramanian has asked jurors to return to the courthouse by 8:30 a.m. today for an abbreviated day of testimony from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.