Former Diddy Employee Says He Set Up Hotel Rooms With Lube, Baby Oil, Candles

Diddy's former employee George Kaplan says part of his work as an executive assistant at Combs Enterprises called for him to set up hotel rooms for his boss ... complete with some staples for a "freak-off" -- like lube, baby oil and candles.

Kaplan testified Wednesday in Diddy's federal criminal trial in NYC, telling the jury he booked rooms for Diddy at hotels in New York, Miami and Los Angeles -- including at the InterContinental Hotel, where Diddy was later seen on video beating Cassie in March 2016 -- although Kaplan said he only worked for Diddy from 2013 to 2015.

He told jurors he would book rooms for Diddy using the alias Frank Black ... which he says was derived from one of The Notorious B.I.G.'s nicknames, Frank White.

Kaplan testified he would pack Diddy's bag beforehand, and then unpack it inside the room ... setting up candles, Astroglide lubricant and Johnson's baby oil.

When Diddy was done with the rooms, Kaplan says he would clean up ... collecting bottles of baby oil, alcohol and Gatorade. He also mentioned he once saw "brown crystalized powder" on a bathroom sink.

Kaplan says he cleaned the rooms instead of housekeepers as a way to protect Diddy's public image ... telling jurors there was a concern about embarrassing photos coming out.

He testified Diddy would contact him during the hotel stays and send him out for food, clothes, and sometimes drugs ... including Advil, ketamine and MDMA. He said Diddy gave him cash and a number to call, and he would come back with drugs to give to Diddy.

Kaplan said he logged 80 to 100 hours a week for a starting salary of $125,000. He said Diddy would threaten his job at times and told him he wanted to be surrounded by the best.