R&B singer continues recounting years of abuse; Diddy’s lawyers maintain acts were consensual
R&B singer Cassie is set to continue her testimony Wednesday in the sex trafficking trial of her ex-boyfriend, Sean “Diddy” Combs, after her dramatic first day in court, where she detailed years of abuse and coercion. Cassie, whose full name is Casandra Ventura, described a relationship marked by violent physical attacks and degrading sexual encounters, including being forced to participate in sessions with paid sex workers.
On Tuesday, Cassie told the court that Combs would often become enraged over minor incidents, like her facial expressions, leading to physical punishment. “You make the wrong face, and the next thing I knew, I was getting hit in the face,” she said.
Cassie also recounted being threatened by Combs, who allegedly used video recordings of her with male sex workers to control her. She described a life of constant fear, feeling pressured to submit to his demands.
Combs’ attorneys have acknowledged that he could be violent, but they argue the sexual encounters were consensual. They also deny the charges of sex trafficking and racketeering that he faces, insisting that nothing he did qualifies as criminal.
The case, which could extend for two months, revolves around allegations that Combs, a powerful music mogul, exploited his status to coerce women into drug-fueled sex parties that he called “freak offs.” Prosecutors claim these parties were part of a broader pattern of sexual and physical abuse.
Cassie, who met Combs in 2005 at the age of 19, began her career with Combs’ Bad Boy Records and had a hit song, “Me & U,” in 2006. Despite the glamorous beginnings, she testified that her decade-long relationship with Combs was filled with control and violence. She recalled her first “freak off” at 22, involving a male stripper in Combs’ Los Angeles home, which left her feeling confused but relieved when Combs seemed happy.
Combs, 55, has been in jail since September. If convicted, he faces a minimum of 15 years in prison.
