Day three of the federal trial towards Sean “Diddy” Combs took a harrowing flip as Casandra Ventura—higher identified to the world as Cassie—returned to the witness stand.
In what the prosecution has described as central testimony to their intercourse trafficking and racketeering case, Ventura provided graphic, emotional, and disturbing accounts of an alleged ten-year relationship outlined by bodily abuse, coercive management, and repeated sexual exploitation.
Ventura’s testimony spanned two days, nevertheless it was Wednesday’s session that gripped the courtroom.
Ventura detailed incidents of bodily violence, most notably a 2009 episode through which Combs allegedly stomped on her face throughout an argument in a automotive and a 2015 altercation in a Las Vegas resort the place she claims she was punched, kicked, and compelled to cover within the rest room. The jury was proven photographs of her bruised face and black eyes, which prosecutors say again up her allegations.
However Ventura’s testimony wasn’t restricted to bodily violence. She described what she known as “freak-offs,” non-consensual sexual encounters allegedly orchestrated by Combs and compelled upon her repeatedly all through their relationship. She estimated taking part in lots of of those incidents, saying they solely stopped after the couple ended issues in 2018. Even then, she claims, the specter of publicity lingered.
Ventura testified that Combs had filmed many of those encounters and later used the footage to govern and intimidate her. One instance: throughout a flight argument, Ventura says Combs performed the footage and threatened to spoil her profession.
One revelation the protection is more likely to seize on is the $20 million settlement Ventura acquired after submitting a civil lawsuit towards Combs in November 2023. The lawsuit echoed lots of the allegations now on the heart of this legal case. When questioned, Ventura confirmed the payout and stated she had initially hoped to inform her story by a ebook, one she approached Combs’ workforce about buying for $30 million, although no fee was made.
The courtroom fell silent when Ventura described the psychological and emotional toll these years had taken. She admitted to fighting opioid dependency throughout the relationship and broke down as she recounted a terrifying episode in 2023 the place flashbacks and suicidal ideas led her to try to stroll into visitors—an act prevented solely by her husband, Alex Effective.
Past her private experiences, Ventura additionally described Combs’ alleged abuse of others. She recalled witnessing him punch a male worker, drag a feminine assistant away from bed, and in a single chilling account, threaten a good friend of hers by dangling him over a balcony. She additionally described the fallout from her transient relationship with rapper Child Cudi (Scott Mescudi), claiming that Combs threatened them each and later alluded to the explosion of Mescudi’s automotive.
The prosecution leaned into the sample and timeline, connecting Ventura’s experiences to a broader declare of organized abuse and intimidation. The goal, it appears, is to painting Combs not simply as a violent associate however as the pinnacle of an enterprise centered on domination and worry.
As her direct testimony ended, Ventura defined why she had written a manuscript: not for revenue, she stated, however as a type of “trauma remedy”—a method to course of the ache and maybe, in the future, assist Combs perceive what she had endured.
Combs’ protection workforce is predicted to start cross-examination on Thursday, with proceedings more likely to prolong into Friday. The objective shall be to problem Ventura’s credibility, draw consideration to the monetary settlement, and query her motivations—traditional protection methods in instances like this.
Nonetheless, her testimony left a mark. On the finish of the day, Combs reportedly turned to his household within the gallery and mouthed, “I’m OK.” In the meantime, Ventura reportedly averted eye contact with him altogether, her focus mounted on recounting what she says was a decade of personal torment now laid naked earlier than the court docket.
With the protection’s cross-examination forward, the stakes couldn’t be larger. Ventura’s testimony might have been emotionally devastating, nevertheless it’s just one piece of a bigger case that would probably redefine accountability for one of many leisure business’s strongest figures.
SEE ALSO:
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Intercourse Trafficking Trial Day 2: Cassie Ventura Takes The Stand
Sean Combs’ Authorized Group Claims ‘Mutual Abuse’ In Relationship With Cassie Ventura