What was Brendan Paul's salary working for Diddy? Ex-assistant testifies the rapper instructed them to operate like SEAL Team Six to keep him happy
As the sixth week of Sean "Diddy" Combs' s*x trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial comes to an end, the jurors heard from Brendan Paul, the rapper's former assistant. On June 20, 2025, Brendan, Diddy's alleged "drug mule," testified that he was working for Combs 80 and 100 hours a week, for four to six days a week, but was always on call, as reported by CNN's live coverage.
He added that Diddy paid him $75,000 per annum at the beginning of his job, which increased to $100,000 per annum by the end of his employment.
Brendan Paul told the court that his duties included organizing workouts and meals for Combs, packing his bags, helping him with travel planning, and packing "a lot of joints."
He added that his job was to "make sure" Combs was happy, noting that the rapper did not "take no for an answer," and told his staff to work like SEAL Team Six, a special operation unit of the U.S. Navy.
"He used to say that he wants us to move like SEAL Team 6," Brendan alleged.
Combs eventually fired Paul in late October or early November 2023 when he forgot to bring his Lululemon fanny pack on their walk. Sean allegedly told Paul:
"I don’t want to see your face anymore. Call KK and tell her you’re fired."
Brendan Paul alleged he was asked to "break up" with his girlfriend upon joining Diddy's team
Brendan, who worked for Combs from 2022 to 2024, testified that as he joined the job, he was told by the 55-year-old rapper's former assistant, Elie Maroun, to break up with his girlfriend if he had one. He understood that Elie was telling him that this was a "really tumultuous job that required all of my attention."
"He told me to get in, to get out; if you have a girlfriend, break up with her; and you’re never going to see your family," Brendan recounted.
He recalled the harsh working conditions, claiming that once he went three days without sleep when they were in New York promoting the rapper's 2023 album, The Love Album: Off the Grid. He only took a few short naps in between.
Paul added that he took Adarrell and "rare, rare use of cocaine" to help him stay awake during his job.
"I was young, so I was able to handle it."
He claimed that he arranged drugs like marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, ketamine, and Tusi for Combs. He also told the court that once, Combs had asked him to do drugs to prove his loyalty.
"I felt euphoric but did not feel the full effect."
Paul, who graduated from Syracuse University in 2022, further spoke about his arrest on March 25, 2024, in a Miami airport for cocaine possession. Paul, who was on the plane with Diddy and his former chief of staff, Kristina Khorram, alleged that the cocaine belonged to Combs.
"It was in my Goyard bag for personal assistant duties."
He said that he was sweeping Sean Combs' room when he found the 0.7 gram of cocaine, which he put in his bag and forgot to remove. Paul added that he didn't tell the police that it belonged to Combs due to "loyalty."
Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial began on May 5, 2025, on charges of s*x trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution. If convicted, he could face life imprisonment.
