In a Manhattan courtroom on May 27, 2025, Capricorn Clark, a former assistant to music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, delivered a tearful and chilling account of her time working for him, recounting an ordeal that left her fearing for her life. Clark’s testimony, part of Combs’ ongoing federal trial for sex trafficking and racketeering, painted a disturbing picture of coercion and intimidation. She described being taken to an abandoned skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, where she was subjected to five days of lie detector tests over missing jewelry, with a threat that failure would result in her being thrown into the East River. The emotional weight of her testimony gripped the courtroom, as Clark’s voice broke while recalling the fear and powerlessness she felt during the incident.
Clark, who worked for Combs from 2004 to 2018 in various roles, including as a personal assistant and later as creative director for Combs’ ex-girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura, testified that the ordeal began shortly after she started her employment. She was tasked with carrying three pieces of high-end jewelry, loaned to Combs by renowned jeweler Jacob Arabo, known as “Jacob the Jeweler” in hip-hop circles. The jewelry, including a prominent diamond cross, went missing during a trip from New York to Miami. Clark realized the bag containing the items was gone before reaching Teterboro Airport, sparking accusations from Combs’ team that she had stolen them. Clark adamantly denied the allegations, insisting she had no knowledge of the jewelry’s whereabouts.
The response from Combs’ camp was swift and severe. Clark testified that Combs’ bodyguard, Paul Offord, known as “Uncle Paulie,” escorted her to a dilapidated building at 1710 Broadway, which would later become the headquarters of Combs’ Bad Boy Entertainment but was then an unfinished, gutted space. There, she was met by a “very wide, very heavy” man, described as the size of “two linebackers,” who was chain-smoking cigarettes and drinking black coffee. This man informed Clark she was there to take a lie detector test to prove her innocence. The threat was explicit: if she failed, she would be thrown into the East River. Clark, visibly shaken on the stand, recounted being “petrified” and feeling she had no choice but to comply to prove her innocence.
For five consecutive days, Clark was brought to the sixth floor of the building, where she was locked in a room for hours, subjected to grueling polygraph sessions from 10 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m. each day. She testified that she was told she could not leave until the matter was resolved. After the first test proved inconclusive, she was repeatedly brought back, with Combs’ security team insisting on her guilt. Despite the ordeal, Clark said Combs never mentioned the tests or inquired about her absence when she was finally allowed to return to work. The jewelry’s fate remains unclear, as Clark testified she never learned whether it was recovered.
Clark’s testimony extended beyond the jewelry incident, touching on other troubling experiences during her tenure with Combs. She recounted a 2006 incident at Combs’ Miami estate, where, after expressing frustration with her working conditions, Combs allegedly pushed her through his home and out the front door, covering 25 to 30 yards while shouting, “If you hate it here, get the f— out of my house.” Uncle Paulie intervened, stopping the altercation, after which Clark briefly left her job, citing the incident as crossing a personal boundary. She later returned in 2011, taking on a role as Ventura’s creative director.
The testimony also connected to other allegations in the trial. Clark described an incident in December 2011, when Combs, enraged over Ventura’s relationship with rapper Kid Cudi, allegedly broke into Cudi’s Los Angeles home, armed with a gun. Clark, who was with Combs at the time, said she was forced to accompany him and later warned Cudi of the intrusion, an act that underscored her fear of Combs’ volatile behavior. She also testified about witnessing Combs physically assault Ventura, including a moment where he kicked her with “full force,” prompting Clark to contact Ventura’s mother for help.
Clark’s account adds to a growing narrative of alleged coercion and violence in Combs’ inner circle, as prosecutors aim to prove he ran a criminal enterprise involving sex trafficking and racketeering. Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges, and his defense team has sought to undermine Clark’s credibility, questioning her decision to continue working for Combs despite the alleged threats. Clark, emotional during cross-examination, likened her time with Combs to a form of business school, acknowledging the professional growth she experienced despite the traumatic incidents.
As the trial, now in its third week, continues, Clark’s testimony offers a stark glimpse into the power dynamics and fear that allegedly permeated Combs’ empire. The jury, tasked with weighing these accounts against Combs’ defense, will hear further testimony from law enforcement officials as prosecutors build their case. The proceedings, expected to extend into July, remain a focal point of public attention, raising questions about accountability and the culture of influence in the entertainment industry.
