Diddy trial recap: Kid Cudi testified he believes Sean Combs firebombed his Porsche and broke into his home
Scott ‘Kid Cudi’ Mescudi testified that Sean Combs broke into his home and that a Molotov cocktail later damaged his Porsche
Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi testified today in Sean “Diddy” Combs’s sex trafficking trial.
Mescudi briefly dated Cassie Ventura, Combs’s on-and-off-again girlfriend of 11 years, in 2011. Mescudi testified that Combs broke into his house and locked his dog in a bathroom after discovering his relationship with Ventura.
Mescudi said his car was then set on fire with a Molotov cocktail in early 2012. He told the jury he knew Combs “had something to do with” the bombing. Combs has denied any involvement.
Frederic Zemmour, manager at the L’Ermitage Hotel in Beverly Hills, also testified today. Zemmour said Combs’s customer profile had several notes to staff, including one that warned he “always spills candle wax on everything and uses excessive amounts of oil.”
Combs and Ventura’s former makeup artist, Mylah Morales, also told the jury she once witnessed Ventura leave a room with injuries after arguing with Combs. The makeup artist said she didn’t call the police because she was afraid of Combs and feared for her life.
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.
Court will resume on Tuesday.
Day nine recap: Kid Cudi, ex-assistant and others testify
Day nine of Sean “Diddy” Combs’s trial began with continued testimony from his ex-assistant, George Kaplan.
Kaplan said he witnessed Combs being violent towards his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. Kaplan also said he had an “incredible” time working for Combs.
Scott Mescudi, also known as rapper Kid Cudi, took the stand next. Mescudi dated Cassie Ventura briefly in late 2011. Mescudi claimed Combs broke into his house (but didn’t damage anything) after discovering his relationship with Ventura.
Shortly afterward, Mescudi said someone blew up his car with a Molotov cocktail. When Mescudi asked Combs about it, Combs said he “didn’t know” what he was talking about. Mescudi told the jury that Combs was like a “Marvel supervillain” during their 2012 conversation.
Mescudi said Combs apologized to him 2015. Mescudi broke up with Ventura around the time of the car incident.
Next up was makeup artist Mylah Morales, who said she heard Combs and Ventura arguing in a room. Ventura then came out with visible injuries, Morales said. The makeup artist said she didn’t call the police because she was afraid of Combs and feared for her life.
Frederic Zemmour, manager at the L’Ermitage Hotel in Beverly Hills, testified next. Zemmour said several notes were left on Combs’s customer profile, including one that warned he “always spills candle wax on everything and uses excessive amounts of oil.” Another note instructed staff to “authorize an extra $1000 when guest stays with us to cover any room damages.”
The day ended with brief testimony from Homeland Security Investigations computer forensics agent Joshua Croft, who searched three of Ventura’s computers.
Court will resume Tuesday morning.
Kid Cudi set to testify about Cassie-Combs love triangle today
Scott Mescudi, better known as the rapper Kid Cudi, is set to testify in Sean “Diddy” Combs’s New York sex trafficking trial today.
He is one of five witnesses prosecutors plan to call to the stand after Combs’s former assistant, George Kaplan, finishes his testimony.
In 2011, Mescudi dated Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, Combs’s on-and-off girlfriend for over a decade.
Last week, Ventura testified that Combs abused her after learning about her relationship with Mescudi. The prosecution’s star witness told jurors that Combs lunged at her with a wine bottle opener after he found emails between her and Mescudi during a “freak off.”
Recap: What happened in yesterday's trial?
Wednesday’s hearing began with continued testimony from Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Gerard Gannon.
Gannon recounted the 2024 raid on Combs’s Florida mansion. He described finding a loaded handgun, AR-15-style gun parts, MDMA, baby oil, lubricant and other items inside a bedroom closet. Gannon showed some of these items to the jury.
Next up was forensic psychologist Dawn Hughes, who had previously been an expert witness in other high-profile cases, including disgraced R&B artist R Kelly.
She testified as a “blind witness,” meaning she has never treated or interviewed anyone involved in the case. Hughes told the jury about victims of sexual abuse, including that they can take “months, even years” to report what happened to them.
The day ended with testimony from Combs’s ex-assistant, George Kaplan. He described working up to 100 hours a week. He said Combs often requested drugs and threatened to fire him monthly.
He said he ensured Combs’s hotel rooms were in a “polished state” after his stays, which could range from 12 hours to several days, and involved cleaning up bottles of baby oil.
Diddy's ex-assistant to continue testimony
George Kaplan is one of six witnesses who may deliver testimony on Thursday.
After first taking the stand on Wednesday, Kaplan told the jury about grueling 100-hour weeks working for Combs. He testified about his duties, which included cleaning Combs’s hotel rooms after “freak offs.”
Last week, Cassie Ventura mentioned Kaplan in her testimony, alleging that he was one of Combs’s employees who quit after witnessing physical abuse in her relationship with the rapper.
What have witnesses said about Kid Cudi so far?
Scott Mescudi, better known as the rapper Kid Cudi, is set to testify in Sean “Diddy” Combs’s New York sex trafficking trial today.
In 2011, Mescudi dated Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, while she was still involved with Combs. Combs and Ventura dated for more than a decade before their relationship ended in 2018.
Now, the Day ‘N’ Nite artist will be testifying in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday or Thursday. Last week, Cassie testified that Combs abused her after learning about her relationship with Mescudi.
Katie Hawkinson details what witnesses have said about Mescudi so far:
Kid Cudi set to take the stand and testify against Diddy. Here’s what’s we know
In full: Diddy’s ex-assistant describes cleaning up baby oil after 'freak off'
A former assistant to Sean “Diddy” Combs described how he would tidy up his boss’s hotel rooms, a task that included picking up empty bottles of baby oil used during “freak off” sex marathons, to avoid the mogul suffering embarrassment upon checkout.
George Kaplan, 34, told the jury he had already been working at the rapper’s holding company Combs Enterprises for 10 months when he was promoted in September 2014 to serve as an executive assistant to Diddy.
Kelly Rissman outlines Kaplan’s description of his role:
Diddy’s ex-assistant describes cleaning hotel rooms after ‘freak off’ sex marathons
In sketches: Federal agent, psychologist and ex-assistant take the stand
Why was Combs 'angry' with Kid Cudi?
Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi and Cassandra “Cassie” Venutura dated in 2011, while she was still involved with Combs.
Ventura, the prosecution’s star witness, testified last week about how Combs discovered her relationship with Mescudi. The 55-year-old music mogul allegedly found emails between Ventura and Mescudi’s staff on her phone during a “freak off.”
Combs then lunged at her with a wine bottle opener between his fingers, according to her testimony.
When Ventura went home for Christmas that year, her family took photos of bruises she says Combs inflicted after she visited him to talk about Mescudi.
Ventura also testified that she used a burner phone to contact Mescudi because it would be “too dangerous” for Combs to find out they were talking.
She testified that Combs told her he would blow up Mescudi’s car: “Sean wanted Scott’s friends to see Scott’s car get blown up.”
Mescudi’s car was scorched between December 2011 and 2012. Combs denies the allegations and any wrongdoing.
Diddy and Cassie’s make-up artist expected to testify
Mylah Morales, a make-up artist who worked with both Sean Combs and his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, is expected to testify today.
Last year, Morales spoke up about hearing an alleged verbal altercation between Combs and Ventura, which she said took place over Grammy weekend more than a decade ago.
Morales told Extra that, after the spat, Ventura was “badly bruised” and had “a black eye.” She said she did not witness any physical violence between the couple.
Morales and Ventura are close friends, according to The Times. “That’s what he did best.”
“He was controlling of all of us,” Morales told the newspaper, referring to Combs.
Former Combs Enterprises CFO Tony Abrahams is also on the witness list to take the stand.
From court: What is Kid Cudi likely to tell the jury?
Scott “Kid Cudi” Mecudi will be taking the stand after we finish up with Combs’s former assistant George Kaplan.
The Day ‘N’ Night artist will likely tell jurors about his relationship with Cassie Ventura, Combs’s ex-girlfriend, and the 2012 incident in which Combs allegedly blew up his car — or at least the aftermath of the attack.
Ventura alluded to the incident, recalling that Combs wanted Kid Cudi home with his friends when it happened, but stopped short of saying any arson attack occurred. (She wasn’t there to see it.)
His testimony will likely be brief as we’re expecting to hear from four others later today.