In a shocking courtroom testimony, singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura testified that hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs physically, emotionally, and sexually abused her for 11 years that they had been together. Venturing into a New York courtroom on May 13, 2025, Cassie Ventura provided graphic and emotional accounts of how she lived with Combs, who is under serious charges such as sex trafficking, racketeering, and prostitution transportation.
From Love to Control
Ventura, who is now 38 and pregnant with her third child, met Combs at age 19 when she was a wannabe singer. Their romance began after she signed with his record label. Initially, she thought they were in a monogamous, committed relationship. “I fell in love with him,” she said, characterizing Combs as a charismatic and powerful man.
But Ventura testified that the relationship soon turned into one of control and manipulation. “He paid for everything,” she said, including her house, phone, and car. But those same things were used as weapons of punishment. If she displeased him, Combs would take them away. “Control was everything,” she said in tears.
Violence Behind Closed Doors
As her testimony went on, Cassie Ventura testified tearfully about the alleged physical abuse. She talked of Combs striking her head, pulling her, and kicking her. She described black eyes, swollen lips, and bruises concealed beneath makeup and long sleeves. “It was often,” she said to the court. The abuse, she said, generally followed spats or acts of defiance.
The “Freak-Offs”
The worst of Ventura’s testimony was about what she referred to as “freak-offs.” Those were sexual activities involving male strippers or escorts, set up by Combs, in which Ventura was dragged into them with Combs’ monitoring presence. “I did it to please him,” she explained, “but it made me feel worthless.
She testified that the events sometimes lasted for days and occurred in cities across the globe—New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Ibiza. Combs reportedly hired escorts through online advertisements and stripper agencies, paying them $1,500 to $6,000.
Drugs and Disassociation
Cassie Ventura informed the court that she never wished to have sex with anyone but Combs. To bear the shame, she confessed to smoking marijuana, taking ecstasy, and ketamine. “It was the only way to disassociate,” she testified. “I didn’t want to feel what was really happening—having sex with a stranger I didn’t want to be with.”
She explained the drugs numbed her pain so she could disconnect emotionally from the abuse.
Every Detail Directed
As her emotional testimony continued, one thread kept repeating—control. Combs supposedly controlled every aspect of the freak-offs. He chose the location, lighting, her attire, and sex acts involved. “If Sean wanted something to happen, it happened,” she said to jurors. “I couldn’t say no.”
Even when she attempted to fight back or show her discomfort, she said Combs would ignore her feelings or anger her. “He was controlling the whole situation,” she said. “He was directing it.”
What Comes Next
The courtroom fell silent as Cassie Ventura finished her first day of testimony. Family members and friends packed out the gallery, many wiping tears away. Combs, sitting stone-faced, has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
His attorneys have not cross-examined Ventura yet, which is supposed to occur at the next session. Her evidence is regarded as pivotal to assist prosecutors in establishing the level of Combs’ purported involvement in human trafficking and abuse.
As the trial goes on, the focus remains on whether or not Cassie Ventura’s evidence will persuade the jury of an unsettling reality about Combs’ success. The hearing is due to run through the week, with additional witnesses set to appear in court.
