Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Wanted His Assistants to Move ‘Like SEAL Team Six,’ Said Former Employee

Sean “Diddy” Combs had a number of assistants working for him to help with his daily schedule and business ventures. According to former assistant Brendon Paul, who recently testified in Combs’ ongoing trial, the music mogul demanded a lot of his employees. Paul said Combs wanted control of their time and expected complete loyalty.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs demanded a lot of his assistants

Paul worked for Combs between 2022 and 2024. Combs hired Paul, a former basketball player, to help with his meal and workout planning, but he said much of his job involved obtaining drugs and setting up hotel rooms for Combs drug-fueled sex parties. 

When Paul took the job, another employee warned him that his work would begin to dominate his life. This ultimately proved to be true: while working for Combs, Paul said he would go up to three days without any sleep. Combs reportedly had outrageously high expectations for his employees.

“He used to say that he wants us to move like SEAL Team Six,” Paul testified during the trial, per The New York Times. SEAL Team Six is a special missions unit best known for killing Osama bin Laden.

Paul said that he used Adderall and cocaine in order to handle his workload. 

Brendan Paul faced drug charges

In March 2024, Paul was arrested for cocaine and marijuana possession. During his testimony, he said he found the drugs in Combs’ room and forgot he had them on him. The case against him was dropped after he completed a drug intervention program.

“Brendan accepted the prosecutor’s offer to permit his entry into the diversion program which, after completion, the case against him will be dismissed in its entirety,” his attorney, Brian Bieber, told People.

When asked by prosecutor Christy Slavik why he didn’t tell law enforcement that the drugs belonged to Combs, Paul responded bluntly.

“Loyalty,” he said.

Another former assistant described the challenges of working for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

Another one of Combs’ assistants, Phil Pines, has spoken about the work he did for Combs. Pines was constantly on call and helped Combs obtain supplies for his parties. He also cleaned up afterward, a task which he described as “demoralizing” and “disgusting.”

“He’s a predator — in all shapes and fashions,” Pines said in The Fall of Diddy (per Rolling Stone). “I mean that in a sexually charged way, I mean that in a manipulation way. He’s just out for people. It’s always about him.”

Pines said Combs had a way of securing loyalty from people.

“It’s his world, and if you get in the way, there’s going to be repercussions,” Pines said, adding, “He will find a way to get you. He got me. He gets everybody. That’s what he gets off on.” 

Combs’ trial is still ongoing. If convicted, he faces life in prison.

How to get help: In the U.S., call the RAINN National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to connect with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.