$5,000 in London, $3,500 for Jane: Assistant’s Texts Reveal the Price of Loyalty in the Diddy Trial
By Trinity Barnette
The courtroom was silent on June 19 in observance of Juneteenth, but when proceedings resumed the next day, the silence broke with a paper trail. On Day 26 of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal trial, the jury was shown texts and notes that pulled the curtain back on how money flowed behind the scenes—from security staff to luxury hotel suites to Jane’s front door.
Text messages from Combs’ longtime assistant Jonathan Perez detailed urgent cash requests for thousands of dollars, often with chilling context: one message referenced needing $600 because “PD is about to go to Jane’s house.” Another showed Perez scrambling for $3,500 “for his guest”—a reference prosecutors suggest was tied directly to the coercive dynamics at the center of the government’s case.
The court adjourned early Friday afternoon, with plans to resume testimony Monday. The prosecution expects to rest by day’s end, followed closely by the defense wrapping up Tuesday or Wednesday. Closing arguments are currently slated for Thursday, barring any surprises.
Inside Access—Jonathan Perez Testifies About Loyalty, Cash, and Control
Jonathan Perez wasn’t just another employee—he was a trusted assistant who helped manage the chaotic world orbiting Sean “Diddy” Combs. On the stand, Perez offered an unfiltered look at how Combs operated behind closed doors. His testimony focused on what seemed like routine logistics—cash requests, transportation arrangements, and team coordination—but the subtext told a much darker story.
Perez testified that he frequently communicated with Faheem Muhammad, Combs’ head of security, and Kristina Khorram, the chief of staff, when Combs needed cash or was headed somewhere sensitive—like Jane’s home. In one message, Perez texted Muhammad asking for $600 “because PD is about to go to Jane’s house.” Later, he followed up with both Muhammad and Khorram to confirm that he and Combs were en route.
The day after the visit, Khorram texted Perez saying someone needed to pick up Combs “ASAP.” In that exchange, Perez specifically asked Muhammad to bring cash. These weren’t just spur-of-the-moment errands. They were structured exchanges, revealing how tightly controlled the environment around Combs was—and how willing his team was to fulfill those needs, no matter how questionable.
And it didn’t stop there. On June 20, 2024, Perez texted again:
“Need $3500 cash asap for his guest. I’m going to take it to her.”
That wasn’t the only financial document introduced. A separate note recovered from Faheem Muhammad’s phone dated April 25, 2024, referenced “$5000 PD personal London.” These kinds of messages showed how cash moved through the hands of staff—quietly, immediately, and always at Combs’ direction.
Perez’s testimony provided the connective tissue for what prosecutors argue is a pattern of coercive control—one where Combs relied on loyalty and silence from his inner circle to maintain power.
Receipts of Control—Notes, Reimbursements, and the Price of Silence
If Jonathan Perez pulled back the curtain, the paper trail drove the point home.
The jury was shown handwritten notes, texts, and digital records detailing how Sean Combs’ staff tracked thousands of dollars in personal spending. The most striking example? A note recovered from Faheem Muhammad’s phone, dated April 25, 2024, that read:
“$5000 PD personal London.”
That wasn’t business. That was personal—and it was written down.
Prosecutors introduced this evidence to show how Faheem Muhammad, the head of security, routinely managed Combs’ personal reimbursements. We’re not just talking about corporate expense reports here—this was about private trips, unexpected visits, and alleged hush money funneled under vague labels.
These weren’t isolated moments. The jury also reviewed text messages from June 18, 2024, a date tied to one of the key incidents at Jane’s home. That night, Perez had texted Muhammad asking for $600 because “PD is about to go to Jane’s house.”
This wasn’t pocket change—it was strategically timed money movement, always when something sensitive was happening. The very next day, Kristina Khorram texted asking someone to pick up Combs “ASAP,” while Perez followed up by asking Muhammad to “bring cash.”
Then came the final damning line:
On June 20, Perez texted Muhammad again:
“Need $3500 cash asap for his guest. I’m going to take it to her.”
Guest. Cash. No questions asked.
The prosecution’s argument here is subtle, but cutting: the people around Combs didn’t just witness his behavior—they facilitated it. The money wasn’t random. It was purposeful. Tracked. Delivered. Reimbursed.
And if silence had a price, the jury is starting to see exactly what it cost.
What’s Next—The Final Stretch of the Trial
After weeks of harrowing testimony, cash trails, and behind-the-scenes logistics, the end of the prosecution’s case is finally in sight. According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Comey, the government expects to rest its case by the end of Monday.
That means the defense will soon take center stage.
Combs’ legal team has told the court they expect to take between 2 to 5 days to present their side of the story, though Judge Woods noted they’ll likely rest by Tuesday or Wednesday depending on how things unfold. Once both sides officially rest, the court will hold a charge conference to finalize jury instructions—then move into what will likely be one of the most anticipated moments of the entire trial: closing arguments.
If the timeline holds, closings could begin as early as Thursday, though that’s subject to change if the defense takes longer than expected. With so much already revealed and the prosecution connecting the dots between Combs’ money, movements, and control, the question now is simple:
What story will the defense tell—and will the jury buy it?
