Cassie Takes Stand in Diddy Trial

Today marks day three of singer Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura’s testimony in the federal sex trafficking and racketeering case against her ex-boyfriend, disgraced hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The prosecution and defense have presented two opposing arguments. Today is the first day of her cross-examination by the defense.

The prosecution argues that Ventura was coerced into hundreds of “freak-offs” — described as marathon sex sessions with paid male escorts and Combs — and beaten viciously throughout their decade long relationship. The defense argues that Ventura and other women who will testify were willing participants in the freak-offs and that Combs has engaged in a swinger’s lifestyle throughout his life.

In her two-day testimony with the prosecution, Ventura, who is eight months pregnant with her third child with husband Alex Fine, gave emotional testimony about the quick rise of her romantic relationship with Combs. She says she was forced into a romantic relationship with Combs after he kissed her at her 21st birthday party while in a bathroom. 

They had their first sexual encounter at a hotel weeks later, in which she says Combs introduced her to oral sex for the first time. Ventura described herself as naive and inexperienced sexually. They later had intercourse for the first time on a boat. Their relationship progressed from there. 

She admits that in the beginning, she was enamored by Combs and his lifestyle. Early into their relationship, she says he introduced the idea of freak-offs and participated because she felt she couldn’t say no to him. Ventura alleges he became physically violent with her early on and it continued to escalate, with her describing multiple times in which she was beaten, dragged, stomped on, had objects thrown at her, and beyond. She says she began to rely on drugs, mainly opiates, to dissociate from freak offs she says became her weekly job for Combs.

Per Ventura, it was her job to organize the freak-offs by finding and hire the male escorts. Two of the male escorts who participated in the freak-offs also testified and said Ventura didn’t appear to want to engage, seemed high on drugs, and that they also witnessed Combs become violent with her.

The defense showed infamous hotel security video of Combs chasing, dragging, and beating Ventura after an alleged freak-off. A hotel security manager testified. He claimed Combs tried to bribe him to keep him quiet about what happened.

For the first time, settlement details in Ventura $30 million sex trafficking and rape civil case against Combs were revealed. She says he settled for $20 million within 24 hours.