Casandra “Cassie” Ventura courageously took the stand this week to testify towards Sean “Diddy” Combs amidst his federal intercourse crime trial. A lot of his prison accusations stem from a bombshell lawsuit she filed, which his attorneys have denounced as a cash seize scheme. Nevertheless, the singer cleared the air about her intentions – and it’ll break your coronary heart.
Ventura testified this week that the beforehand undisclosed quantity in settlement she obtained from Combs was actually $20 million. The settlement stemmed from a lawsuit she filed in November 2023 accusing the rapper of sexual abuse, bodily abuse, bribery and numerous drug offenses. Probably the most notable claims had been about his so-called “freak off” intercourse events, the place prosecutors allege the singer was drugged and compelled to carry out sexual acts with male intercourse employees at Combs’ pleasure. He was additionally accused of utilizing video footage to blackmail her into compliance. The 2 settled the day after the swimsuit was filed.
Protection attorneys for Combs introduced up a declare that Ventura and her household moved into her dad and mom’ residence in Connecticut on account of “monetary points” only a month earlier than the swimsuit was filed. The singer informed the jury that was not the case however moderately as a result of they needed to maneuver to the East Coast. Ventura additionally confirmed that she canceled the tour she had deliberate following the $20 million settlement, prompting a tense query from the protection.
“As quickly as you noticed that you simply had been going to get the $20 million, you canceled the tour since you didn’t want it anymore, proper?” mentioned Combs’ legal professional Anna Estevao.
“That wasn’t the explanation why,” Ventura replied, per CNN.
Prosecutors circled again to the subject of the lawsuit, asking Ventura if she’d return the cash if it meant by no means having to take part in one other “freak-off.” Ventura burst into tears in her response.
“I’d give that cash again if I by no means needed to have ‘Freak Offs,’” Ventura mentioned, via tears. “If I by no means needed to have ‘Freak Offs,’ I might have had company and autonomy. And I wouldn’t have needed to work so laborious to get it again.”
Ventura doubled down, defending herself towards the suggestion that she needed to take advantage of Combs for cash, saying she cancelled her tour as a result of she was “overwhelmed from addressing the previous.”
“It was simply fairly overwhelming and I didn’t wish to be away from my children at the moment, I didn’t wish to go,” she mentioned.
Combs is dealing with a number of counts of racketeering conspiracy, intercourse trafficking and fascinating in interstate transportation for prostitution. His indictment cites three nameless victims along with Ventura. He has pleaded not responsible, and was denied bail.