NEW YORK — R&B singer Cassie, born Casandra Ventura, took the stand in federal court Tuesday and gave searing testimony against music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, describing years of alleged physical abuse, coercion, and sex trafficking during their relationship.
Testifying in Diddy’s ongoing federal trial in New York, Cassie said the Bad Boy Records founder forced her to take part in marathon “freak off” sex encounters with hired male sex workers — often under the threat of violence and blackmail.
“He would mash me in the head, knock me over, drag me, kick me. Stomp me in the head if I was down,” she testified, describing the aftermath of their violent arguments, which she said occurred “too frequently.”
Her voice quiet and trembling at times, Cassie said she feared what would happen if she refused Combs’ demands — including the possibility of private videos being leaked online. The emotional testimony marked the first time the artist has spoken publicly in court since her 2023 lawsuit against Combs, which was settled within hours. That civil suit triggered a cascade of other allegations and ultimately the current criminal case.
Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges. He has been in jail since his arrest in September 2024. If convicted, he faces 15 years to life in prison.
Cassie recounts the control — and the coercion
The two met in 2005 when Cassie was 19 and Combs was 37. He signed her to his Bad Boy Records label before their personal relationship began. As prosecutors showed photographs from the early years of their relationship, Cassie described a dynamic that grew darker and more controlling over time.
“Sean controlled a lot of my life, whether it was career, the way I dressed, everything, everything,” she testified.
She told the jury she was 22 when Combs first asked her to participate in the so-called “freak offs.” She said the encounters involved bringing in a male sex worker and “setting up this experience so that I could perform for Sean.” These sessions would last for days and often involved drugs, alcohol, and emotional isolation.
“Freak offs became a job where there was no space to do anything else but to recover and just try to feel normal again,” she said. “Having sex with a stranger for days.”
Hotel video, assault, and public fallout
Jurors were also shown stills from a now-infamous 2016 hotel surveillance video, first aired by CNN in 2024. The footage shows Combs attacking Cassie — punching, kicking, and dragging her in a hallway. Cassie confirmed under oath that the altercation followed one of the “freak offs.”
“We were having an encounter called a ‘freak-off’ and I was leaving there,” she said.
Combs’ attorney, Teny Geragos, acknowledged during opening statements that jurors may find his behavior troubling, but denied the trafficking charges.
“Jurors might think he’s a ‘jerk’ and might not condone his ‘kinky sex,’ but that ‘he’s not charged with being a jerk,’” Geragos told the court.
A pattern of abuse — and a powerful man on trial
Cassie described how Combs would become violent over minor provocations.
“You make the wrong face, and the next thing I knew I was getting hit in the face,” she said.
“Sean is a really polarizing person, also really charming. It’s hard to really be able to decide in that moment what you need, when he’s telling you what he wants. I just didn’t know. I didn’t know what would happen.”
The case has gripped the music industry and beyond. Combs, one of hip-hop’s most influential executives, built a multimillion-dollar empire that included Bad Boy Records, the Sean John fashion label, and MTV’s “Making the Band.” He worked with artists like Mary J. Blige, Usher, and the Notorious B.I.G.
Earlier in the trial, jurors also heard from Daniel Phillip, a male stripper who testified he was paid to have sex with Cassie while Combs watched — and later stopped working with them after witnessing Combs assault her.
The judge is weighing a request by media organizations to access certain sexually explicit videos that may be presented as evidence, but has not ruled yet.
What’s next: Cassie’s testimony
Cassie is the government’s star witness in a case that prosecutors say reveals an entire system of exploitation masked by fame and money. The trial continues this week, with more witnesses expected to testify.
The Associated Press does not typically name survivors of sexual abuse unless they come forward publicly — as Cassie has.
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