Cassie testifies against Sean Combs in sex trafficking trial

Sean Combs’ ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura, known as Cassie, offered harrowing testimony in a federal trial, accusing the music mogul of repeated physical abuse and coercion.

Rhythm and blues singer Casandra Ventura, widely known as Cassie, testified on Tuesday in the federal sex trafficking trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs, describing years of abuse and exploitation. Taking the stand as the prosecution’s key witness, she detailed how Combs allegedly beat her frequently, leaving her bruised and battered.

“He would bash my head, knock me over, drag me, kick me, stomp me in the head if I was down,” Ventura said, her voice trembling. Dressed in a brown outfit and visibly pregnant, she told jurors the violence was constant, calling it “too frequent” to count.

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts, including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. A conviction could lead to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and possibly life in prison.

Prosecutors accuse Combs of manipulating women into relationships, coercing them into drug-fuelled sex parties—labelled "Freak Offs"—and recording the encounters to later use as blackmail. When women resisted, they say, he responded with violence.

During her testimony, Ventura said she participated in the parties out of fear. “I was confused and nervous but I also loved him very much and wanted to make him happy,” she added.

Combs’ defence, led by attorney Teny Geragos, has argued that the charges unfairly criminalise his consensual “swingers” lifestyle. Geragos acknowledged Combs’ past jealousy and temper issues but insisted these were unrelated to the allegations. “Domestic violence is not sex trafficking,” she told the jury. “He is not charged with being a flawed individual.”

Prosecutors also introduced a surveillance video from a Los Angeles hotel in 2016, showing Combs physically assaulting Ventura in a hallway. The footage, in which Combs appears to throw her to the ground and kick her, surfaced last year and prompted public condemnation.

Combs’ legal team contends the incident followed an argument over infidelity and claims Ventura has her own history of domestic disputes, suggesting an effort to challenge her credibility.

The trial, expected to last two months, will include testimonies from Ventura, other alleged victims, and former employees who prosecutors say assisted in orchestrating and concealing the abuse. Prosecutor Emily Johnson told the jury that victims would speak of being drugged, forced into humiliating situations, and subjected to Combs’ violent outbursts.

The defence maintains that all interactions were between consenting adults and that the case misrepresents the nature of Combs’ private relationships.

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