NOTE: The next article comprises disturbing particulars and video footage. Please learn at your individual discretion.
The mom of Cassie Ventura testified on Tuesday in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex-trafficking and racketeering trial, revealing that she paid the hip-hop mogul US$20,000 after he threatened to launch specific intercourse tapes of her daughter.
Combs grew to become indignant that Cassie was relationship another person, her mom, Regina Ventura, testified on the trial on Might 20.
Regina stated that she felt “bodily sick” when she obtained an electronic mail from her daughter in late 2011 saying that Combs was planning to launch two specific movies of her and ship somebody to harm her and rapper Child Cudi, the person Cassie was seeing, whose full identify is Scott Mescudi.
Day 7
Regina was on the stand for about quarter-hour and answered the prosecutor’s questions on her daughter’s relationship with Combs.
She stated that her daughter had despatched her an electronic mail earlier than Christmas in 2011 to let her know that Combs was threatening to launch intercourse tapes.
“I didn’t perceive loads of it. The intercourse tapes threw me,” Regina advised the Manhattan federal courtroom.
Regina stated she then obtained a requirement from Combs for $20,000 “to recoup cash he had spent on her as a result of he was sad she was in a relationship with Child Cudi.”
Child Cudi performs at 2015 Lollapalooza at Grant Park on Aug. 1, 2015, in Chicago, In poor health.
Michael Hickey/Getty Photos
“He was indignant that he had spent cash on her and he or she went with one other individual,” she stated.
Regina testified that she had to make use of a house fairness mortgage to make the cost to Combs and wired it to an account related to Dangerous Boy, Combs’ firm.
“I used to be scared for my daughter’s security,” she added.
Days later, she stated, the cash was returned, and Cassie and Combs started relationship once more shortly after.
Throughout her testimony, the jury was proven 4 pictures of Cassie with bruises on her physique, together with on her thigh and higher again. Regina stated she took the images of her daughter on Christmas Eve 2011 when she first advised her that Combs had overwhelmed her.
Regina Ventura, mom of Cassie Ventura, departs the Manhattan Federal Court docket through the Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ trial on Might 20, 2025, in New York Metropolis.
John Lamparski/Getty Photos
Combs’ lawyer Marc Agnifilo declined to cross-examine Regina. As she left the witness stand, she stared straight at Combs, who seemed immediately forward.
Earlier than the jury arrived on Tuesday, Agnifilo tried to steer Choose Arun Subramanian to disallow the testimony, saying it was “purely prejudicial” as a result of it illustrated the vast distinction between the monetary standing of the Ventura household and Combs. The decide allowed it, saying the threats to launch intercourse tapes and hurt Cassie made it an occasion of “potential extortion.”
Combs’ private assistant felt his ‘life was at risk’
Earlier Tuesday, David James, Combs’ private assistant from 2007 to 2009, advised the courtroom that he stop when he realized that his life had been put at risk after he was compelled to drive a automobile by which Combs sat within the again seat with three handguns on his lap.
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James stated his job generally required him to make sure that resort rooms the place Combs stayed beneath the identify “Frank Black” had been stocked with the rapper’s comforts, together with contemporary underwear, an iPod, applesauce, vodka, child oil, Viagra and condoms.
He advised the jurors that Combs didn’t journey mild and his Louis Vuitton usually carried $10,000 in money “and generally way more.”
James recalled a time in 2008 when Combs requested him to convey an iPod from his Miami house to a resort room. Upon coming into, James stated he noticed Cassie on the mattress with a white comforter pulled as much as her neck and an unfamiliar bare man with lengthy hair strolling throughout the room.
He stated that he by no means spoke to Cassie or Combs about what he noticed and that he by no means had conversations with them about their private affairs.
One other time, he stated Combs summoned him to his workplace to point out him a video he had recorded at a celebration of James dancing wildly and advised him: “OK. I’m going to maintain this footage in case I ever want it.”
James admitted that he was excessive on ecstasy at a New 12 months’s Eve social gathering within the video and he took it as a menace to maintain him in line.
“He thought it might be embarrassing for me,” James added.
James additionally described being required to take lie detector assessments twice when Combs was looking for out who stole money in a single occasion, and a watch in one other.
“It was very intimidating,” James stated. “I had by no means taken a lie detector take a look at earlier than.”
He stated Combs was on medicine almost every single day, usually taking Percocet by day and ecstasy by night time. When he stocked Combs’ resort rooms, he stated, medicine had been in a bag dropped off by safety, together with the tablet meant to seem like then-president Barack Obama.
The second when James noticed the three weapons on Combs’ lap — he testified that he was concerned in Combs’ try to confront his music trade rival Suge Knight at a Los Angeles diner in November 2008 — he knew he needed to stop, which he did shortly thereafter. (Cassie additionally testified in regards to the diner incident earlier within the trial.)
“I used to be actual shook up by it,” James testified. “This was the primary time being Mr. Combs’ assistant that I noticed my life was at risk. I advised them I need to depart however give six months’ discover so I may prepare the subsequent assistant.”
David James, witness for the prosecution, arrives at Manhattan Federal Court docket for the trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs on Might 20, 2025, in New York Metropolis.
John Lamparski/Getty Photos
Taking up the cross-examination, Agnifilo requested James why he didn’t present extra particulars on the incident with Knight.
James stated that he was instructed “to not say something that will incriminate himself.”
He testified that Combs’ safety element usually included a second automobile when he was travelling. James stated Combs’ group was “suspicious” of anybody “pulling up on him to shoot him.”
James stated that folks would attempt to ask Combs for his autograph in public, which he wouldn’t signal. He stated employees would signal the objects and ship them out on Combs’ behalf.
“I don’t suppose ‘gracious’ is a phrase I’d use to explain him,” James stated.
Extra testimony about freak-offs
Earlier than Tuesday’s lunch break, Sharay Hayes, an unique dancer referred to as “The Punisher,” testified that Combs and Cassie introduced him into the freak-offs world. He stated a lady — Cassie utilizing the pseudonym of “Janet” — known as and advised him it was her birthday and that her husband stated she ought to rent a dancer.
Hayes, 51, stated he arrived at a Manhattan resort room anticipating to carry out a striptease for a small group of individuals however as a substitute discovered the girl who employed him — whom he later came upon was Cassie — alone with an in any other case bare man who hid his face with a burqa-like material. That man, he stated, turned out to be Combs.
Hayes recalled seeing bottles of child oil in bowls of water and getting handed a stack of $800 in money. Later, after Combs watched him have a sexual encounter with Cassie, he stated he was handed a further $1,200. He stated he was a fan of Combs however didn’t understand it was him within the room till a subsequent encounter at one other resort the place the message on the TV display screen stated: “Essex Home wish to welcome Mr. Sean Combs.”
Hayes stated that Cassie advised him to not acknowledge Combs, to attempt not to take a look at him or talk with him through the encounter.
He testified that in a dozen or extra sexual performances with the couple, Hayes by no means had the sense that Cassie was uncomfortable with it, including that he believed it appeared consensual.
Prosecutor Meredith Foster requested Hayes whether or not Cassie’s focus was on him or Combs.
Hayes stated that there was a constant consciousness of Combs and his notion.
A federal agent describes a raid of Combs’ house
Jurors additionally noticed components of two AR-15 rifles that federal brokers discovered final yr whereas looking Combs’ mansion on Star Island, a celeb enclave off of Miami.
Particular agent Gerard Gannon, of Homeland Safety Investigations, testified that brokers executing a search warrant for the property in March 2024 used an armoured automobile to bust via Combs’ safety gate and had groups on boats close by.
Along with weapons, he stated they discovered platform excessive heels and objects that prosecutors say Combs regularly used throughout his freak-off intercourse marathons, together with lingerie, intercourse toys, child oil, lubricant and condoms.
What Combs is on trial for
U.S. prosecutors allege that for 20 years, behind the scenes, Combs was coercing and abusing ladies with assist from a community of associates who helped silence victims via blackmail and violence.
Combs faces an indictment that features descriptions of freak-offs, that are outlined within the courtroom doc as “elaborate and produced intercourse performances that Combs organized, directed, masturbated throughout, and infrequently electronically recorded.”
Quite a few witnesses have come ahead to accuse Combs of terrorizing individuals into silence by choking, hitting, kicking and dragging them, in accordance with prosecutors. One indictment alleges that Combs dangled somebody from a balcony.
Though dozens of women and men have alleged in lawsuits that Combs abused them, this trial will spotlight the claims of 4 ladies.
Combs is charged with intercourse trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to have interaction in prostitution. He has denied all the fees in opposition to him and has rejected a plea deal, selecting to go to trial as a substitute.
If discovered responsible within the New York courtroom, he may face life in jail.
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International Information might be protecting the Diddy trial in its entirety. Please examine again for updates.
— With information from The Related Press
