NEW YORK — During the federal sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, the hip-hop mogul’s legal team challenged the credibility of a former personal assistant who has accused him of rape. On Friday, they confronted her with past social media posts that depicted a close, affectionate relationship with Combs, raising questions about her allegations of assault.

Defense attorney Brian Steel presented various messages the woman, who testified under the pseudonym “Mia,” published on social media in the years following the alleged incidents. He portrayed these posts, which celebrated Combs’ influence on her life, as inconsistent with her claims of a toxic work environment marked by fear and intimidation.

Mia described these online depictions as misleading, stating, “Instagram was a place to show how great your life was, even if it was not true.” Her testimony came as jurors examined a post celebrating Combs’ 44th birthday, in which she referred to him as a mentor, thanking him for enabling her to “give birth to my dreams.”

The defense emphasized her contradictory messages, with Steel questioning why she would continue to promote a man she alleged had caused her significant harm. Mia maintained that despite the troubling experiences, she chose to highlight the positive moments in her life, acknowledging that the “highs were really high and the lows were really low.”

Testifying about her traumatic experiences, Mia claimed that after enduring a sexual assault during Combs’ 40th birthday party in 2009, she felt those assaults were sporadic enough that she believed they would not continue. She is one of three women expected to testify against Combs, who faces serious charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering, that could lead to a life sentence if he is convicted.

In support of her case, Mia described struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder since she stopped working for Combs in 2017. She indicated that her trauma has severely impacted her ability to maintain employment, claiming even innocuous messages from colleagues could trigger her anxiety, making her feel perpetually on edge.

Mia also recounted a terrifying experience involving a phone call from Combs’ former bodyguard, which left her feeling threatened and on guard. “I didn’t want my life to be in danger,” she testified, highlighting the pervasive fear she associates with her former boss.

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against him. The gravity of the allegations is underscored by the fact that an investigation was prompted after former girlfriend Cassie filed a lawsuit against him, which resulted in a swift legal settlement of $20 million.

As the trial progresses, prosecutors have expressed concerns about Combs potentially influencing witnesses or victims. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson indicated at a previous hearing that there had been attempts to contact individuals related to the case, raising alarms about witness intimidation and the integrity of the proceedings.

The trial continues to unfold in Manhattan, drawing attention to both the broader issues of sexual abuse and accountability in the entertainment industry, as well as the personal narratives of those who claim to have suffered at the hands of powerful figures.