Sharay 'Punisher' Hayes Tells All During Face-Off With Diddy: 'Everything Changes in This Moment'

Sharay "Punisher" Hayes, a former sex worker and a key witness in the Sean "Diddy" Combs case, spoke to AllHipHop about the fear, pressure, and emotional strain he experienced while testifying against the music mogul.

Hayes said the sudden public exposure took a heavy toll on his mental health. He recalled that, "Everything was a whirlwind. It put me in a depression I didn't even realize at first. It's heavy being introduced to the world as a male prostitute. Even if things went on behind closed doors, that's private." He noted that managing public perception and its impact on his personal life was challenging.

When explaining why he cooperated with federal authorities, Hayes said agents reassured him throughout the process. He stated, "They told me, 'Don't give us a hard time. You didn't do anything wrong. You're not at risk of jail. Just be honest.' So I cooperated. I didn't want to p### them off," per Black Vibes. He added that he had little understanding of the subpoena process and felt nervous about possible consequences.

Hayes described the fear he felt in the courtroom, particularly when facing Combs directly. He said the moment was "terrifying," explaining, "When I walked in, I was shook — trembling. Courtrooms are built to intimidate on purpose. You feel those eyeballs. It was intimidating."

He also discussed the conditions placed on witnesses during federal proceedings. According to Hayes, "No amenities. Everything's on their time. They take your phone, put you in a room with no TV, no nothing. You sit for hours with an agent at the door. It felt like testifying against a mafia boss."

Hayes maintained that he approached the case without bias toward any party. He said, "Facts are facts. I wasn't going to change what I saw.." However, he admitted being thrown off by another witness whose account he felt shifted during testimony.

People reported that ahead of taking the stand, Hayes released his book In Search of Freezer Meat to secure its copyright, despite warnings from prosecutors. He explained, "Prosecutors kept telling me not to publish it because 200 pages give the defense 200 pages to dissect."

Reflecting on the entire experience, Hayes acknowledged the personal fallout. He said, "Honestly, I'd say, 'My bad for the embarrassment — some of it was out of my control.' I repeated the story on talk shows, so I feel some guilt. But I'd expect a handshake and a hug."

His comments offer a candid look at the pressures of being a high-profile witness and the emotional complexities surrounding the case.

In a separate development, TMZ reported that hyper-realistic AI-generated prison images of Combs have been circulating online. A representative for the music mogul denounced the images as fabricated, saying, "These images are not real. They are A.I. fabrications... Nothing in these doctored photos reflects reality."

The images surfaced as social media scrutiny intensifies and ahead of the upcoming Netflix docuseries Sean Combs: The Reckoning, raising concerns about AI-driven misinformation.