Diddy trial live: Cassie Ventura ends cross-examination in tears after saying she’d return $20m to avoid ‘freak offs’
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’s ex-girlfriend is testifying in Manhattan federal court as the defense argues she consented to ‘freak-offs’
Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura has finished her fourth and final day of testimony in Sean “Diddy” Combs’s sex-trafficking trial.
As Ventura’s testimony ended, she told prosecutor Emily Johnson she’d return the $20 million settlement from her 2023 civil lawsuit if she “never had to have ‘freak offs.’” Ventura previously testified that “freak offs” involved her having sex with other men at Combs’s direction, often while using drugs.
“If I never had to have ‘Freak Offs,’ I would have had agency and autonomy,” Ventura said through tears. “And I wouldn’t have had to work so hard to get it back.”
Ventura’s testimony ended Friday afternoon. The prosecution called Special Agent Yasin Binda to testify about Combs’s 2024 arrest. Then, Dawn Richard was on the stand.
Richard is Combs’s former bandmate who sued him last year for physical and sexual abuse. Richard testified she once watched Combs beat Ventura.
Combs is facing sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution, and racketeering conspiracy charges. Combs was arrested in September 2024 as federal authorities alleged he threatened, abused, and coerced victims “to fulfill his sexual desires” between 2004 and 2024. Combs has denied any accusations of wrongdoing.
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The celebrities mentioned during Diddy’s sex trafficking trial
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Cassie Ventura reveals how Diddy overdosed at a Playboy Mansion party, as she gives new insight into their relationship
Cassie’s testimony, baby oil and ‘freak offs’: The key moments from the first week of Diddy’s trial
Cassie Ventura, the star witness in the federal sex trafficking case against Sean “Diddy” Combs, ended her testimony Friday after four days of explosive and harrowing claims about the former couple’s decade-long relationship.
Read this week’s recap from Erin Keller and Kelly Rissman:
The key moments from the first week of Diddy’s trial
Judge frustrated with defense over suggestion Cassie's questioning would continue to next week
Judge Arun Subramanian became riled when the defense suggested that its question of Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, who is eight months pregnant, might extend to next week.
“In what universe did you not understand this was important?” he probed, in reference to having Ventura finish testifying this week.
Ventura is due to continue being cross-examined in Friday’s hearing, which is scheduled to resume at Manhattan federal court at 9.30 a.m.
Cassie Ventura expected to return to stand for final time today
Casandra “Cassie” Ventura is expected to return to the witness stand for a fourth and final time to face further cross-examination.
The defense tried to argue that Ventura willingly participated in the drug-dazed marathon sex sessions, known as “freak-offs,” confronting Ventura about dozens of text messages between her and Combs, many explicit, on Thursday.
Pressed on the couple’s drug use, Ventura said that they were dependent on opiates. Defense attorney Anna Estevao asked questions about the symptoms of drug withdrawal – a seeming attempt to connect Combs’ behavior with his recovery.
It comes after days of the star witness’ bombshell testimony accusing Sean Combs of rape, blackmail, sexual degradation, psychological manipulation and physical abuse.
Justin Bieber breaks silence on speculation he was a Diddy victim
Pop star Justin Bieber has broken his silence amid speculation on social media that he was a victim of Sean “Diddy” Combs.
A representative for Bieber told TMZ on Thursday: “Although Justin is not among Sean Combs’ victims, there are individuals who were genuinely harmed by him.”
They continued: “Shifting focus away from this reality detracts from the justice these victims rightfully deserve.”
Speculation swirled online as videos of joint appearances by the pair resurfaced from when Bieber was still a teenager, some fifteen years ago, that included allusions to sexual acts.
Oliver O’Connell has the story.
Justin Bieber breaks silence on speculation he was a Diddy victim
Defense ended Thursday's hearing with text messages around 2016 hotel incident
Combs’s defense attorney Anna Estevao ended Thursday’s cross-examination by showing the jury explicit text messages between Cassie Ventura and Sean Combs in March 2016.
The pair were planning the “freak-off” that led up to an alleged assault at an InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles. Footage of the 2016 incident, which was released publicly last year by CNN, shows Combs hitting and kicking Ventura.
“We can have fun, I don’t want you thinking I don’t want to,” Ventura texted Combs.
Ventura previously testified she went along with “freak offs” throughout their relationship because she was afraid Combs would hurt her or release footage from the encounters.
“Freak offs” involved Ventura having sex with other men at Combs’s direction, typically while taking drugs, she said.
The celebrities mentioned during Diddy’s sex trafficking trial
The sex-trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs continues in Manhattan federal court Friday, after, earlier this week, jurors heard testimony that mentioned a few A-list stars.
The list of 190 celebrities spans beloved Hollywood actors and elite musicians who may be referenced during the trial, including Michael B. Jordan, Mike Myers and Kanye West, among others, according to Variety.
Isabel Keane looks at the celebrities who may be referenced during the trial:
The celebrities mentioned during Diddy’s sex trafficking trial
Diddy overdosed at a Playboy Mansion party, Ventura says
Sean “Diddy” Combs allegedly overdosed on opioids while partying at the Playboy Mansion in 2012, shortly after the death of music legend Whitney Houston, his former girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura revealed Thursday.
“That evening, we had a freak-off. We went to a sex club in San Bernardino. And then he had a party at the Playboy Mansion that night, and I went home,” Ventura alleged.
“From what he told me, he took a really strong opioid that night. But we didn’t know what happened, so we took him to the hospital.”
In sketches: Day three of Cassie Ventura at the witness stand
Key takeaways from Cassie Ventura’s cross-examination Thursday
Casandra “Cassie” Ventura returned to Manhattan federal court Thursday to testify for a third consecutive day against her former boyfriend Sean “Diddy” Combs.
In its cross-examination of Ventura, the prosecution’s star witness, the defense confronted her about a raft of text messages and emails, many explicit, between her and Combs.
They hoped to poke holes in the prosecution’s argument that Ventura was coerced into drug-dazed marathon sex sessions by Combs and that the exchanges would show that she willingly participated in the infamous “freak-offs.”
“I can’t wait to stare,” Ventura wrote in one 2009 conversation shown to the court, adding a description of genitalia.
“I want you to get real hott,” Combs responded, before Ventura replied that she wanted “it to be uncontrollable.”
Pressed on the couple’s drug use, Ventura said that they were dependent on opiates. Defense attorney Anna Estevao asked questions about the symptoms of drug withdrawal – a seeming attempt to connect Combs’ behavior with his recovery.
Ventura also alleged Combs overdosed on opioids while partying at the Playboy Mansion in 2012.
Judge Arun Subramanian became riled when the defense suggested that its questioning of Ventura, who is eight months pregnant, might extend to next week.
The prosecution indicated one of the next witnesses will be singer Dawn Richard, who sued Combs over accusations that he threatened and groped her, and flew into “frenzied, unpredictable rages.”
Who might be next at the witness stand?
After the jury left Thursday, prosecutors informed the court that they would like to bring more witnesses to the stand Friday, including singer Dawn Richard.
Richard was a vocalist for the girl group Danity Kane, which Sean Combs formed in 2005 on the set of his MTV reality competition show Making the Band 3.
Richard filed a lawsuit against the 55-year-old hip-hop mogul in September and accused him of sexual and physical abuse throughout the eight years they worked together.
Richard alleges she witnessed Combs get physically violent with his ex-partners Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and Kim Porter, amongst other women.
Combs has denied Richard’s allegations and any wrongdoing. Combs retorted that Richard was seeking “a payday — conveniently timed to coincide with her album release and press tour.”
It’s unclear if she’ll take the witness stand today.