Cassie Ventura Testifies at Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex Trafficking Trial
- Melissa Jackson Menny
- May 13
- 2 min read
R&B singer and actress Cassie Ventura testified Tuesday in the federal sex trafficking trial of disgraced music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, offering graphic testimony of physical and sexual abuse during their relationship.
Ventura recounted meeting Combs for the first time in 2005, when she was just 19 years old.
"I just knew that he was this larger-than-life entrepreneur, musician. Was a fan of the music. I didn't know too much about him personally," she said, noting that she eventually signed a 10-album deal with his record label.
She released her debut album in 2006, though it would be the only project she completed under Combs's label, while later only being allowed to release singles.
Describing the early stages of their personal relationship, Cassie Ventura recalled an uncomfortable moment when Combs kissed her on her 21st birthday in Las Vegas. She said the incident left her feeling "confused," but over time, the two began spending more time together and eventually grew close.
Cassie Ventura Testifies, Recalls Abuse By Diddy
She later described an encounter in which Combs performed oral sex on her and then pressured her to reciprocate.
"He made me feel crazy for not reciprocating. At the time, I did not understand that kind of relationship, and I was in a relationship with someone else," she said. "I was just so young and did not have the vocabulary for some of the things we talked about. I was just trying to understand it, just completely inexperienced at that point."
Ventura said their romantic relationship remained private for years, partly because Combs was still involved with his long-time partner, Kim Porter. As their relationship deepened, she began to witness the power and privilege Combs wielded in his day-to-day life.
"He had assistants at his beck and call. He could get anything done quickly. He had respect from everyone, and he traveled quite a bit," she said.
But alongside the glamor came volatility. Ventura described Combs as having unpredictable, explosive moods. She said his anger could be triggered by minor things, like something as simple as an expression on her face.
"Make the wrong face and the next thing I knew I would get hit in the face," Cassie Ventura testifies. "He would say, 'Watch your mouth.'"
The constant tension left her anxious, never knowing whether he would arrive in a good mood or in a rage, leaving her with what she called persistent "stomach-in-knots" anxiety.
Ventura's civil lawsuit against Combs in 2023, which was settled just one day after filing, helped spark a wave of allegations. Since then, dozens of individuals, along with federal prosecutors, have accused Combs of similar misconduct and abuse. He now faces five criminal charges: racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transporting individuals for prostitution. If convicted on all counts, he could be sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.
The trial began Monday with opening statements and emotional witness accounts describing coerced sex acts, violence, and manipulation. Jurors also viewed surveillance footage allegedly showing Combs assaulting Ventura in a hotel hallway in 2016. Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges.