Cassie faced Diddy’s legal team on Thursday
As the trial of Diddy continues, we’ve heard his ex-girlfriend, Cassie, testify for around two days.
On Thursday (May 15), it was her turn to be cross-examined by Diddy’s lawyers.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ trial officially began on Monday (May 12) and his former partner Casandra Ventura, known professionally as Cassie, has been questioned extensively about the rapper-producer.
Combs was arrested last September while he was in New York and was hit with a slew of charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.
Jada Pinkett Smith confirms separation from Will Smith
Combs has repeatedly denied all the charges against him and has pleaded not guilty.
Cassie and Diddy dated on-and-off for around 11 years (Getty Images)
Here’s what Cassie answered during her first day of cross-examination, as more questioning is expected to take place as the trial continues today (Friday May 16).
Cassie’s ‘freak-off’ text messages
Defence lawyer Anna Estevao examined numerous text messages exchanged over Diddy and Cassie’s 11-year relationship.
In messages from 2009, Combs affectionately called Cassie ‘babygirl’ and said: “I love you so much it makes me cry.”
Cassie responded similarly, writing, “I love you so much I can’t wait till we don’t care anymore.”
Other text messages showed Cassie expressing both enthusiasm and reluctance about the freak-offs. In one message she wrote, “Can’t wait,” while in another exchange, she and Combs both expressed being ‘horny’.
However, Cassie later described a freak off as making her feel ‘grimy’ and ‘dirty.’
Combs’s legal team have maintained these acts as part of a consensual ‘swingers’ lifestyle, emphasizing that controversial sexual preferences do not equate to sex trafficking.
Diddy’s drug use
Diddy has denied all the charges (Hollywood To You/Star Max/GC Images)
Cassie alleged that Combs was addicted to opiates and regularly used ecstasy, MDMA, and cocaine.
She recalled an incident at the Playboy Mansion in 2012 where Combs overdosed on opiates.
Though publicly reported at the time as an ‘extreme migraine,’ she confirmed in court it was a drug overdose.
She also testified that while Combs was accused of spiking baby oil with GHB during freak offs in a prior lawsuit, she never saw drugs in the lubricant.
Cassie also told the court that Combs sometimes expressed concern for her own mental health and once suggested she see a doctor after noticing side effects from drug use.
Romantic jealousy
Cassie admitted feeling jealous of Kim Porter, the late mother of four of Combs’s children.
Her own relationship with Kid Cudi was also discussed during the trial, where she claims she used a ‘burner phone’ to contact the rapper.
The InterContinental Hotel incident
Cassie spoke about Diddy’s alleged addiction to drugs in court (Mike Coppola/Getty Images for People.com)
As questioning continued, the court reviewed messages sent before a stay at the InterContinental Hotel on March 5, 2016.
This is when Combs allegedly attacked Cassie.
In one, Combs told Cassie, “You look so sexy today.”
Estevao asked if this was in the lead-up to the alleged assault, to which Cassie confirmed.
Cassie testified that she felt pressured to participate in a freak off: “Baby I want to FO so bad but I don’t want to f*** myself up,” she messaged.
She eventually gave in “after he asked me over and over again.”
Cassie stated she tried to appease Combs to protect her career, particularly with a movie premiere approaching.
Estevao pointed out that Combs had supported her publicly, attending a promotional luncheon and sending affectionate messages.
Cassie agreed but indicated she felt coerced nonetheless.
What Combs’ attorney has said
In response to the news of Combs’ arrest, his attorney Marc Agnifilo told UNILAD at the time: “We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children, and working to uplift the Black community. He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal.
“To his credit Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
The trial is expected to last around eight weeks. If convicted, Combs faces up to life in prison.
UNILAD has contacted representatives for Combs and Ventura for comment.
The trial continues.
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via online.rainn.org.Featured Image Credit: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
Topics: Diddy, Sex Trafficking, Crime
Ellie Kemp
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Updated 13:44 15 May 2025 GMT+1Published 12:55 15 May 2025 GMT+1
Every celebrity mentioned in Diddy’s sex trafficking trial amid emotional testimony by Cassie
There’s been some big names that have been brought up
Diddy’s trial, which commenced earlier this week, has brought a lot of high-profile celebrity names to the surface amid a bombshell testimony from his former girlfriend.
The rapper, whose real name is Sean Combs, is facing several charges, including racketeering, sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, all of which he denies and has pleaded not guilty.
After his arrest in September last year, Combs has been held in jail in anticipation of what could be an eight-week trial in Manhattan’s federal court, which commenced on Monday (May 12).
So far, we’ve mostly heard bombshell allegations from Combs’ long-term ex-partner, Casandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura, whom he dated on-and-off for over a decade until 2018.
As well as allegations of physical abuse at the hands of her ex and insight into the so-called ‘freak offs’ that Ventura claims she was forced to participate in, a hefty list of A-list stars have already been mentioned.
Diddy has denied all the charges against him (Hollywood To You/Star Max/GC Images)
As many as 190 famous names from Hollywood actors to top musicians are anticipated to be brought up, Variety reports, though it is unclear exactly how they relate to the trial.
Here are just some that have been referenced so far.
Kid Cudi
From the stand this week, Ventura brought up rapper Kid Cudi’s name in connection with an alleged incident involving Combs.
Kid Cudi was mentioned by Ventura (Rich Polk/Deadline via Getty Images)
In her court testimony, she said when she started dating him, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, in 2011, Combs ‘lunged at her’ with a wine opener after learning about their relationship while looking through her emails.
The 38-year-old then went on to allege Combs had wanted to ‘hurt’ Cudi and threatened to blow up his car.
In January 2012, Cudi’s Porsche was set on fire by an ‘incendiary device’, Rolling Stone reported.
Cassie also made reference to this alleged incident during her 2023 lawsuit against Combs, with a representative for the ‘Day ‘n’ Nite’ hitmaker confirmed to The New York Times that ‘this is all true’.
“I had broken off the relationship with Scott Mescudi, too much uncertainty if we continued to see each other,” Ventura said.
Combs has never faced any criminal charges in relation to the car explosion.
Michael B. Jordan
Michael B Jordan had previously dated Ventura (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
The Black Panther actor has likely been added to the list because he also dated Ventura, according to Variety.
The outlet further reports that Jordan is unlikely to be a witness in the trial, however.
Kim Porter
Ventura said when she first started dating Combs, he was still with his former partner, Kim Porter.
Kim Porter’s children whom she shares with Combs have been attending the trial (Mat Szwajkos/CP/Getty Images for CP)
She told the court that Combs allegedly didn’t want to ‘look bad’ because of his children with Porter, whom he dated between 1994 to 2007, further claiming that their relationship ‘was not public for many years’.
“He just didn’t want it to look bad, but also knew it was because of his children and personal things like his family,” Ventura said.
Porter, who died in 2018 from pneumonia, has three children with Combs, a 27-year-old son, and two twin daughters, 18, who have largely attended most of the court proceedings so far.
Kanye West
Kanye ‘Ye’ West was listed as a possible name (Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
West’s name was mentioned to jurors as a possible reference in the trial, though it is unclear what the relation is.
In March, West, who now goes by Ye, released a song with Combs, alongside his 11-year-old daughter North, whom he shares with Kim Kardashian.
The rapper then later released a phone conversation he’d had with Combs, where the music producer warned West to be ‘careful’ of people trying to ‘end’ him.
Suge Knight
Suge Knight had a major rivalry with Combs (Jesse Grant/WireImage)
Ventura mentioned the Dead Row Records founder by name on the first day of her testimony, recounting the pair’s historic hip-hop beef in the 90s.
Knight, whose real name is Marion Hugh Knight Jr., has reportedly had a long-running feud with Combs as the pair ran rival record labels.
Ventura further claimed that there was a time Combs donned a black face mask, black clothes and took weapons to confront Knight after allegedly receiving a tip off that he was at a nearby diner, according to The Independent.
“I was screaming and crying: ‘Please don’t do anything stupid.’ I didn’t know what they were going to do,” the dancer told the court, adding that Combs returned 30 minutes later.
Drake and French Montana
Diddy with Cassie and French Montana in 2012 (Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
Ventura also brought up an incident in 2013 where she had been set to travel to OVO Festival, arranged by Drake, in Toronto.
Yet the night before, she claimed Combs had forcefully entered her apartment and ‘attacked’ her while she was ‘asleep’.
“Sean came in. I was asleep. He was trying to attack me. We went into the master bedroom. My friends were jumping on his back trying to stop him.” she said.
“I cut my eyebrow on the corner of the bed. Sean threw me onto the bed frame. I had a significant gash. I didn’t go to the ER; it was a Sunday. Sean had security take me to a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills.”
She said she styled her hair to cover up the injury the next day and attended the festival where she was seen with rapper, French Montana.
Drake and French Montana haven’t been accused of any wrongdoing.
Dawn Richard
Dawn Richard has also brought a case against Combs (Erika Goldring/Getty Images)
The musician, who was once a member of the band, Dainty Kane, founded by Combs, is another of his many alleged victims, and also sued Combs for sexual assault and battery in September 2024 before his arrest.
She also alleged that she was subjected to verbal abuse by Combs, and attested to allegedly witnessing the producer abusing Ventura, The Guardian reports.
Combs denied the accusations made by Richards, with his attorney calling the claims ‘false’.
Her case is still ongoing, US Magazine reports.
Ike and Tina Turner
Tina and Ike Turner in 1976 (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
The court has been shown a dossier of alleged text messages between Ventura and Combs, including one which brings up Ike and Tina Turner.
In January 2017, Ventura messaged her then-boyfriend: “Nothing good comes out of [freak offs] any more. You treat me like Ike Turner.”
This was a reference to the Turner’s violent relationship, with Tina claiming in her 1986 autobiography that Ike had been abusive to her.
In his own autobiography, Ike claimed that he’d ‘slapped Tina’ and there had been ‘times when I punched her to the ground without thinking’, but he insisted that he ‘never beat her’.
Prince
Ventura said Combs attacked her after she went to Prince’s house without his knowledge (Richard E. Aaron/Redferns)
Ventura also brought up another occasion of alleged violence, stating she had been invited to a private concert at Prince’s home, and she didn’t plan on telling Combs that she was attending.
Heading to the basement, the dancer said she ‘caught a glimpse of him [Combs] so I ran out as fast as I could because I thought he was angry’.
She continued: “I knew he was angry, his facial expression, he came after me.”
Ventura said that later on in the hotel room she was staying at, Combs assaulted her.
“We went into the bedroom and he beat me up. He threw luggage at me, calling me all kinds of names,” she added.Featured Image Credit: Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images/Emma McIntyre/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images
Topics: Diddy, Sex Trafficking, Cassie Ventura, Hollywood, Celebrity, Crime, Court
Liv Bridge
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Published 17:18 14 May 2025 GMT+1
Cassie reveals the one thing she tried to avoid at ‘freak offs’ as she shares disturbing details at Diddy trial
The musician has been testifying against her former boyfriend who stands accused of sex trafficking
In the latest to emerge out of the highly publicised Diddy trial, his ex-girlfriend has revealed what went on in the so-called ‘freak offs’ and the one thing she desperately tried to avoid.
The high-profile court trial of Diddy, whose real name is Sean Combs, started on Monday (May 12) after the rapper was arrested and charged on suspicion of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, which he denies.
Since Tuesday (May 13), Combs’ former long-term girlfriend, Cassandra Ventura, known more commonly as Cassie, has been sharing her version of events that happened when the pair dated on-and-off between 2007 and 2018.
Ventura, who started dating Combs when she was 19 and he was 37, claims she suffered physical abuse at the hands of her ex-boyfriend, alleging that arguments would ‘result in violence’ and ‘too frequently.’
A CCTV video that had been made public last year was also shown to jurors, which showed Combs attacking her inside a Los Angeles hotel in 2016.
Cassie has been taking to the stand in the high-profile Diddy trial this week (Gotham/GC Images)
In 2024, Combs addressed the video, saying that his behavior in the video was ‘inexcusable’ and he was ‘f**ked up’.
In another part of her testimony, Ventura claimed she was made to call Combs ‘Pop Pop,‘ a nickname she had for her grandfather, amongst a litany of other disturbing allegations.
As for the alleged ‘freak-offs’, the 38-year-old musician claimed they were ‘sexual encounter[s] called voyeurism’ where Combs would watch her have sex with another man, usually a male escort.
In one horrifying ordeal, she alleged Combs had directed an escort to ‘urinate in her mouth’ which made her feel like she was ‘choking’.
In another bombshell, Ventura took to the stand again today (14 May) to talk at length about the alleged freak-offs that she said made her feel ‘horrible about myself’ and ‘humiliated.’
The former couple in 2017 (Thaddaeus McAdams/Getty Images)
When asked in court if there was anything specific she would try to avoid in the supposed sex ‘parties’, Ventura said: “I tried to avoid kissing, it seems too intimate. But [Combs] told me to do it, to kiss the escorts.”
Ventura also claimed Combs would ‘blackmail’ her with recordings of her engaging in sexual acts, referring to one incident on the 29th birthday where he ‘pulled’ her away from her friends for a ‘freak off.’
“It is horrible and disgusting. No one should do that to anyone,” she said. “It could ruin everything I worked for, make me look like a sl*t. I wasn’t supposed to be on those videos. I didn’t want to be in them.”
The mom-of-two also alleged Combs threatened to release the videos of her when she started dating someone else.
Earlier in the trial, Ventura recalled the first moment she learned about the so-called ‘freak offs,’ saying in court: “I remember my stomach falling to my butt. Just the nervousness and confusion… I had just turned 22.”
Cassie has testified against Diddy, claiming he was abusive during their on-off relationship (Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
“The freak offs became a job. There was no time to do anything else but do them then try to recover. The longest was four days, significant periods of time.”
Today, she said she would ‘recover’ from the events by taking ‘opiates.’
“I wanted to feel numb,” Ventura continued. “I got urinary tract infections,” she said as well as ‘sores’ in her mouth which she claims were from oral sex from the ‘freak-offs.’
If you are experiencing domestic violence, please know that you are not alone. You can talk in confidence 24 hours a day to the national domestic violence helpline on 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) 24/7. You can find a list of local resources here.Featured Image Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty
Topics: Diddy, Sexual Abuse, Cassie Ventura, US News, Celebrity, Court, Crime, Sex Trafficking
Liv Bridge
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Updated 10:40 14 May 2025 GMT+1Published 10:27 14 May 2025 GMT+1
Diddy trial latest as Cassie reveals alleged ‘freak off’ acts and abuse at his hands as trafficking case enters third day
Cassie revealed shocking allegations against the hip-hop mogul
Diddy’s ex partner, Cassie Ventura, detailed her relationship with the hip-hop star and what happened during alleged freak-offs in the second day of his trial.
Diddy – whose real name is Sean Combs – was arrested and charged with racketeering and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion last year after being detained at the Park Hyatt hotel in Manhattan, New York.
The rapper has denied all allegations made against him.
After the opening remarks by both prosecution and defence were delivered on Monday (May 12), his former girlfriend, Casandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura, took to the stand on Tuesday (May 13) to detail how Combs allegedly would ‘punish’ her during their relationship, which lasted on-and-off from 2007 to 2018.
Her testimony is expected to continue today (May 14), with Combs’ defence lawyers to cross examine her.
Here’s what she said during Tuesday’s court session…
Cassie speaks out on ‘punishment’
Cassie Ventura’s testimony is expected to continue today (May 14) (Gotham/Getty Images)
Combs and Ventura met in 2005 when he was 37 and she was 19. Combs signed her to his Bad Boy Records label and they started dating a few years later.
Ventura told the court that Combs would take away her things to ‘punish’ her, claiming that he would ‘would take the car away, the house, jewelry’, as well as her laptop and phone.
She further claimed that his staff or security would be the one to take them ‘if she wasn’t there’.
Ventura continued to allege that he would take things away ‘depending on how he felt’, adding: “It depended on how long I was being punished for.”
When asked if there was anything else he’d take beside her car and apartment, she replied: “My self-confidence.”
A CCTV video that had been made public and went viral last year was shown to jurors, which appeared to show Combs attacking her inside a Los Angeles hotel in 2016.
Cassie reveals ‘freak off’ experience and what allegedly happened at them
Cassie Ventura and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs pictured together in 2018 (Steve Granitz/Getty Images)
Explaining the alleged ‘freak-offs’, Ventura said they were ‘sexual encounter[s] called voyeurism’ where Combs would watch her have sex with another man.
Ventura recalled what happened when she was first introduced to these so-called ‘freak-off’ parties.
“I remember my stomach falling to my butt,” she said. “Just the nervousness and confusion… I had just turned 22.”
Ventura claims it involved hiring an escort and Combs would watch her with another man while directing them, as per the BBC.
She told how she didn’t want to be involved, but ultimately did so because she ‘loved him [Combs] very much’ and ‘wanted to make him happy’.
Ventura added: “The freak offs became a job. There was no time to do anything else but do them then try to recover. The longest was four days, significant periods of time.”
Ventura went on to tell the jury how she was scared to say no to the rapper and that physical violence was often on her mind.
She was also worried of ‘making him angry’ and told the court how Combs allegedly blackmailed her with video of the ‘freak-offs’ to get her to do more.
One horrific act alleged was when Ventura ‘felt like she was choking’ after Combs ‘made an escort urinate into her mouth’.
Cassie details alleged ‘abusive’ relationship with Diddy
The pair met in 2005 when she was 19 and he was 37 (Jamie McCarthy/WireImage/Getty Images)
On the stand, Ventura claimed she and Combs got in arguments that would ‘result in violence, dragging’, adding that he would ‘stomp [her] in the head if I was down’.
When asked how often Combs became violent with her, she responded: “Too frequently.”
She alleged Combs would ‘bash on my head, knock me over, drag me, kick me’.
What Combs’ attorney has said
In response to the news of Combs’ arrest, his attorney Marc Agnifilo told UNILAD at the time: “We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children, and working to uplift the Black community. He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal.
“To his credit Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
The trial is expected to last around eight weeks. If convicted, Combs faces up to life in prison.
UNILAD has contacted representatives for Combs and Ventura for comment.
The trial continues.
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via online.rainn.org.Featured Image Credit: Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic/Getty Images
Topics: Cassie Ventura, Sex Trafficking, Court, Diddy, Crime, US News
Ellie Kemp
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Published 12:26 5 May 2025 GMT+1
Why Diddy trial isn’t on TV as court case begins
Some of the biggest court cases in history have been televised – but Diddy’s won’t be
The trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is set to get underway in Manhattan today (May 5), as the star faces a set of shocking accusations spanning more than 30 years.
Once known for launching the careers of Usher, Mary J. Blige, and the Notorious B.I.G., Combs now faces serious federal charges, including sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for prostitution.
The hip-hop mogul was accused of orchestrating drug-fueled sex parties – dubbed ‘Freak Offs’ – where women were allegedly coerced into sexual acts, sometimes recorded without consent, and later blackmailed or threatened into silence.
Prosecutors allege Combs used violence and intimidation to control his victims, citing disturbing claims such as choking, dragging, and even dangling someone from a balcony.
Combs has denied all allegations and pleaded not guilty, while insisting all sexual acts were consensual.
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Diddy’s trial won’t be televised (MEGA/GC Images)
That’s because Combs is facing federal criminal charges – and the presence of ‘electronic media’ is banned under a 1946 law called Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53.
The rule prohibits broadcasting, and even photographs, from the courtroom of a federal criminal trial.
R. Kelly’s 2021 trial , which saw the singer face similar charges to Combs, was also not televised.
Federal civil proceedings have more flexible rules, which you may have seen in the past, as they are at the discretion of the judge.
Combs’ jury selection begins today (Monday May 5), with testimony expected to follow next week.
The trial itself is set to last for between eight and 12 weeks.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs could face multiple life sentences
Combs, 55, could face life behind bars if he’s found guilty of the three felony charges (sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation for prostitution).
Racketeer conspiracy – illegal activity for profit that is disguised as business dealings – carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion also has a maximum sentence of life in prison, as well as a mandatory minimum of 15 years.
Meanwhile, transportation for purposes of prostitution has a maximum sentence of 10 years.
So, Combs could potentially face numerous life sentences.Featured Image Credit: Paras Griffin/Getty Images
Topics: Diddy, Sex Trafficking, Court, Crime, New York
