LOS ANGELES — Singer and former model Cassie Ventura took the witness stand Monday in the high-profile civil trial against music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, offering emotional and graphic testimony about a decade-long relationship she described as controlling, abusive, and often violent.
Testifying under oath in a Los Angeles courtroom, Cassie detailed a series of traumatic experiences she says she endured during her 10-year relationship with Combs, including physical assaults, forced drug use, and repeated instances of coerced sexual encounters involving third parties — what she referred to as “freak-offs.”
“I was scared to say no,” Cassie told the jury, her voice trembling. She said the so-called freak-offs, which involved hired escorts engaging in sexual acts with her under Combs’ direction, became so frequent and emotionally exhausting that “they became a job.” One such encounter, she testified, lasted four consecutive days. “I had no time to do anything else but have a freak-off and then try to recover,” she said.
Cassie said the fear of retaliation and blackmail kept her from resisting Combs’ demands. Prosecutors allege Combs threatened to release intimate videos if she refused to participate. Cassie confirmed she turned over laptops to the authorities as part of the investigation, which prosecutors say may contain evidence of the encounters.
Describing the beginning of their relationship, Cassie recalled her 21st birthday in Las Vegas in 2007. She said Combs, who had recently signed her to his label, Bad Boy Records, kissed her in a bathroom that night. She believed their relationship was exclusive, despite Combs’ public relationship with the late Kim Porter at the time.
In her testimony, Cassie also recounted how Combs gave her ecstasy during a visit to Miami and initiated sexual acts under circumstances she did not fully understand. Over time, she said, the relationship turned violent. “He would drag me, stomp me in the head if I was down,” she testified, saying the physical abuse was frequent and left her with black eyes and bruises.
When Cassie entered the courtroom Monday morning, she avoided eye contact with Combs, who was present and reportedly watched her intently as she took the stand. Dressed in a brown top, Cassie appeared visibly emotional throughout her testimony. Her support team — including her husband, Alex Fine, attorney Douglas Wigdor, and her brother — sat behind her in the courtroom gallery.
In contrast, members of Combs’ family, also present in court, appeared unaffected by the testimony, remaining composed and even sharing laughter during recesses.
The trial, which stems from Cassie’s 2023 lawsuit alleging sexual assault, physical abuse, and human trafficking, continues to draw widespread media attention and public scrutiny. Prosecutors have indicated that Cassie’s testimony may pave the way for the introduction of video evidence, further intensifying the legal battle ahead.
The court adjourned for a break following Cassie’s testimony about the physical and emotional toll of the freak-offs. Proceedings are set to resume later this week.
