Cassie. Photo by Dominik Bindl/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows
Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura took the stand in federal court today as a witness for the prosecution in the trial of her former boyfriend, Sean “Diddy” Combs. Combs faces life in prison for charges that include racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.
During her testimony, as reported by the New York Times, Cassie gave a detailed account of their relationship and the abuse she allegedly suffered. The couple became romantically involved soon after they met when Cassie was 19 (Diddy was 36) and she had signed to his label, Bad Boy. The relationship was consumed with “violent arguments that would usually result in some sort of physical abuse,” Cassie said. “Dragging, different things of that nature.”
Asked to define what a “freak off” is, Cassie called the now-notorious Diddy-hosted events “the hiring of an escort and setting up this experience so that I could perform for Sean.” She said the freak offs could last as long as four days and took place on an almost weekly basis; afterwards, she required time to recover from the “drugs, dehydration and sleep deprivation.” Combs was ““pretty dismissive” when she told him that the freak offs made her feel “horrible” and “worthless,” Cassie said.
In November 2023, Cassie launched a civil lawsuit against Diddy alleged rape and sexual abuse. The two settled the following day, but Diddy would soon face dozens of additional lawsuits containing similar claims in addition to the federal charges, brought in September 2024. Video of Diddy attacking Cassie filmed in 2016 in a hotel emerged a few months prior to Diddy’s arrest — though Diddy does not face charges connected to the assault, prosecutors are expected to use it prove his predilection to use force, central to the trafficking charges.
The federal case is expected to last around eight weeks, and Cassie could be asked to testify for three more days. During her opening statement, federal prosecutor accused Diddy of masterminding an expansive criminal enterprise: “During this trial you are going to hear about 20 years of the defendant’s crimes. But he didn’t do it alone. He had an inner circle of bodyguards and high-ranking employees who helped him commit crimes and cover them up.” Diddy has denied all charges.
