Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Trial Testimony

By Jack Queen and Jonathan Stempel
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former girlfriend Casandra Ventura, the star prosecution witness at his sex trafficking trial, testified on Tuesday that the rapper and hip-hop mogul forced her into repeated drug-fueled sex parties he organized, undermining her career.

Ventura, a rhythm and blues singer known as Cassie, stated that she participated in Combs’ parties, termed “Freak Offs,” for over a decade to please him, and continued due to blackmail involving videos of the encounters.

> “The ‘Freak Offs’ became a job where there was no space to do anything else but to recover and just try to feel normal again,” Ventura told jurors in Manhattan federal court.

She described performances lasting from 1.5 to four days, with Combs giving her drugs to keep her awake, while he was preoccupied with her appearance.

> “If I wasn’t doing my nails, I was getting a tan,” she said. “After a while that wears down on you, on your confidence and self-worth.”
She noted that a 10-album contract she signed with Combs’ Bad Boy record label in 2006 resulted in only one album.

Ventura tearfully recounted that the only enjoyable times during the “Freak Offs” were when she was alone with Combs, who often changed during their encounters.

> “His eyes were black,” she shared. “The version that I fell in love with was no longer there.”

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts, including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. If convicted, he faces a minimum of 15 years and potentially life in prison. The trial, which began on Monday, may last two months, with Combs currently in a Brooklyn jail.

Defense lawyer Teny Geragos admitted to jurors that Combs had a bad temper but claimed that his conduct wasn’t criminal. Geragos stated:

> “This case is about voluntary choices made by capable adults in consensual relationships.”

“Control was everything”

Ventura, dressed in a brown dress and later donning a light coat, recounted dating Combs in her early 20s, believing it to be her first mature relationship. She expressed that she loved him then and wanted to make him happy.

Now 38, Ventura described how Combs’ behavior changed, as he began to frequently abuse her, leaving her with black eyes and bruises.

> “He would bash my head, knock me over, drag me, kick me, stomp me in the head if I was down,” she recounted.

Her “Freak Offs” began at 22, with fear of Combs’ anger compelling her participation.

> “He was a scary person. He could be very violent,” she stated.

Ventura explained that Combs controlled her life and career, saying:

> “Control was everything, from the way that I looked to what I was working on that day, who I was speaking to.”

Prosecutors suggested that Combs exploited his music industry status to manipulate victims and maintain their silence regarding his abuse. On Monday, they presented a widely-seen video showing Combs assaulting Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel in 2016.

Combs, clad only in a towel, was seen throwing Ventura to the ground and kicking her when she attempted to leave. He apologized after the video aired.

Lead attorney Marc Agnifilo claimed the video represented the aftermath of an infidelity dispute. Ventura has a history of domestic violence, which Agnifilo indicated could be used to challenge her credibility during cross-examination.

Ventura filed a civil lawsuit in November 2023, accusing Combs of rape and serial sexual abuse, but they settled after one day.

Jurors may hear from two or three additional female accusers of Combs, as well as former employees who allegedly helped arrange and conceal Combs’ wrongdoing.

In her personal life, Ventura married personal trainer Alex Fine in September 2019, and they have two daughters together, with Ventura currently pregnant.