In a New York courtroom, R&B star Cassie Ventura delivered a powerful testimony against music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, recounting an alleged violent incident that took place outside a lift at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles in March 2016.
“I’m not a rag doll, I’m someone’s child,” Cassie told Combs, accusing him of physically assaulting her.
The court was shown footage initially released by CNN in May 2024, which appeared to show Combs dragging and kicking Cassie in a hotel corridor.
Following the video’s release, Combs publicly apologized for his actions, but the singer’s legal battle has now escalated into a high-profile criminal case.
Combs, now 55, is facing serious legal trouble with five criminal counts against him: one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
The music executive has firmly denied all allegations. Cassie, whose full name is Casandra Ventura, has accused him of years of abuse, alleging a pattern of violence, coercion, blackmail, and rape.
As the star witness for the prosecution, the 38-year-old singer has spent four days on the stand, bravely sharing her story while heavily pregnant with her third child.
During the court proceedings, prosecutors revealed shocking details of the couple’s relationship, presenting evidence that they claim demonstrates Combs used his influence and employees to facilitate illegal activities.
However, Combs’ defense team has attempted to counter these accusations by portraying their relationship as a consensual, high-intensity lifestyle.
They argued that Cassie willingly participated in what they described as a “swingers lifestyle,” and have focused on messages allegedly showing her enthusiastic involvement in such activities.
But Cassie maintained her version of events, recounting an alleged incident where Combs forcefully took away her personal belongings, including her phone, car, and watch, whenever he was angry.
At one point, an audio recording was played in court, featuring Cassie’s voice, angrily threatening a man who she claimed had a video of her at a so-called “freak off” – a term she used to describe intimate group encounters.
“I will f*** you up, and it won’t be my hand,” her voice could be heard saying. The existence of such a video remains unclear, but the recording added another layer of complexity to the case.
Cassie’s struggles did not end with the alleged abuse. On the stand, she opened up about her battle with opioid addiction, which she said began in 2022.
In an emotional moment, she described her decision to seek help at a trauma and addiction centre in Arizona in 2023, where she underwent EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) therapy to address the emotional scars she carried.
The court was told that despite efforts to heal, she continued to be haunted by the trauma she experienced.
One of the most disturbing allegations raised by Cassie was an accusation of rape against Combs in August or September 2018.
By that time, she said, they had already ended their on-and-off relationship, which had lasted about 11 years, from 2007 to 2018.
This allegation, coupled with the other accusations, has painted a troubling picture of the relationship between the two.
Combs’ legal team has pushed back, questioning her credibility and suggesting she willingly participated in their extravagant lifestyle.
As the case continues, the prosecution is determined to show that Combs exploited his power and influence to manipulate and control Cassie.
The defense, however, maintains that the relationship was consensual, arguing that Cassie’s participation in the so-called “freak offs” and her continued contact with Combs contradict her claims.
Yet, Cassie’s emotional testimony has left a deep impact, with many observers noting the courage it took for her to confront her past in such a public and intense setting.
For now, the world watches as the case unfolds, with the outcome likely to have a significant impact on the reputation of one of the most influential figures in the music industry.
Cassie’s decision to speak out, even while expecting a child, has drawn both support and criticism, but she has remained resolute. “I just want the truth to be known,” she told the court, her voice steady despite the emotional weight of her words.
Cassie Ventura, the R&B star who has accused Sean “Diddy” Combs of years of abuse, provided harrowing details of an alleged incident where she claimed Combs raped her after a dinner at an Italian restaurant in Malibu.
According to her testimony, Combs had been “acting strangely” during the meal, and his unsettling behavior only escalated when he drove her home.
“He just changed, and I didn’t know what was happening,” Cassie recalled, her voice steady but emotional. When asked if she believed Combs’ erratic behavior could be linked to his “bipolar disorder,” Cassie responded, “Yes.”
The courtroom was presented with a text message Cassie sent to Combs the next day, containing a heart emoji. When questioned about the message, she explained, “I have love for the past, what it was.”
Despite the alleged assault, she admitted that she saw Combs the following month and had consensual sex with him. During that encounter, her now-husband, personal trainer Alex Fine, attempted to FaceTime her.
Cassie revealed that she didn’t initially tell Fine about the rape, but when she finally did, he reacted by “punching a wall.”
Throughout the cross-examination, Combs appeared intensely focused, leaning in to read transcripts on the monitor and frequently passing notes to his lawyer.
Cassie, on the other hand, kept her gaze away from him, avoiding any direct eye contact.
The tension in the room was palpable as the defence introduced a text message from September 2012 in which Combs asked, “Do you want to have our last FO [freak off] tonight?” Cassie’s reply at the time had been, “I don’t want to freak off for the last time, I want it to be the first time for the rest of our lives.”
This exchange raised questions about the nature of their relationship, but Cassie insisted that it was complex and manipulative.
In a surprising revelation, Cassie confirmed that she had reached an expected $10 million settlement with the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles, the location of the alleged assault.
Speaking outside the court, she released a statement expressing her hope that her testimony would help others “heal from the abuse and fear.”
Cassie stated, “For me, the more I heal, the more I can remember. And the more I can remember, the more I will never forget.” Her words captured the emotional struggle she has endured, both during and after her time with Combs.
The next witness, Special Agent Yasin Binda, presented the court with evidence seized from Combs’ Park Hyatt hotel room in 2004.
The items shown included lubricant, baby oil, various drugs, and a bum bag containing $9,000 (£6,800) in cash. Agent Binda’s testimony further painted a troubling picture of the world Cassie described—one of control, manipulation, and abuse.
The prosecution argued that these items were part of a pattern of behavior consistent with their allegations against Combs.
Towards the end of the day, another voice joined the chorus of accusations. Dawn Richard, a former member of the girl group Danity Kane and trio Dirty Money, took the stand.
Richard testified that she had witnessed Combs attacking Cassie on multiple occasions, including one instance where she saw him “hit her over the head with a skillet of eggs.”
Richard described another disturbing incident where Combs “dragged” Cassie upstairs, and she heard “glass breaking” as his violent outburst continued.
“I’ve never seen anything like it before—he was punching his girlfriend,” Richard told the court.
Richard admitted that despite witnessing these assaults, she never intervened or reported the incidents to the police.
“I was scared,” she said simply, explaining that her fear of Combs’ influence and power kept her silent.
Her testimony was a chilling reminder of the intimidation and control Combs allegedly wielded over those around him.
Richard, who sued Combs last year for physical abuse, groping, and psychological abuse, has now become a critical witness in the case.
As the trial continued, the reality of the stakes became clearer. Combs, who has been jailed since September, is facing serious charges that could result in a prison sentence of at least 15 years, possibly even life, if convicted.
With seven more weeks of the trial expected, the courtroom remained tense, with each testimony adding new dimensions to the troubling narrative surrounding one of the music industry’s most powerful figures.
