Kid Cudi testifies about torched car amid love triangle with Cassie and Sean Combs

News24

23-05-2025

US rapper Kid Cudi testified that Sean Combs broke into his home and later set his car ablaze during a violent rage over Cudi's relationship with Combs' ex-girlfriend, Casandra Ventura.
The rapper whose real name is Scott Mescudi described fearing for Ventura's safety as Combs allegedly threatened violence, coerced her into obscenity, and destroyed property amid the love triangle.
Prosecutors claim Combs orchestrated decades-long crimes, including arson, bribery, and sex trafficking, with a life sentence looming if convicted.
US rapper Kid Cudi on Thursday described having his home broken into and his car set on fire amid music mogul Sean Combs' rage over his one-time girlfriend Casandra Ventura's relationship with the rapper.
The highly anticipated testimony from the famous rapper, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, follows last week's bombshell testimony in a Manhattan federal court from Ventura, who said she was physically and psychologically abused for years by Combs.
The once-powerful music industry figure is on trial for sex trafficking and racketeering.
Mescudi described one day when Ventura called him, sounding 'scared' and 'nervous' as she told him that Combs had found out about their fling.
Mescudi said he had thought Ventura and Combs weren't together anymore when he started seeing her, but he took her to the Sunset Marquee Hotel for her safety.
'I just wanted to put her somewhere she'd be off the radar,' testified Mescudi, who told jurors he knew that Combs had abused Ventura.
As the pair hid, Mescudi said they received a call from Combs' assistant, Capricorn Clark. Clark said she had been forced to go along to Mescudi's home, where Combs had gone inside.
Mescudi called Combs, who said:
I'm over here waiting for you.
When he arrived, he didn't see Combs but found his dog, which was usually allowed to roam free around the house, locked in a bathroom.
Mescudi said his impulse was to fight Combs, but instead, he called the police.
Shortly thereafter, in January 2012, Mescudi said he received a call from his dog sitter who said the rapper's car was on fire.
Jurors were shown six photos of the mangled, ruined car that was found next to a Molotov cocktail.
Asked by prosecutors how he reacted to the discovery, Mescudi, who took the stand in a black leather jacket and white T-shirt, said simply: 'What the fuck.'
Ventura previously testified that in his fury over the love triangle, Combs had threatened to blow up Mescudi's vehicle.
'Just so angry'
Prosecutors say Combs was the kingpin of a criminal enterprise for decades, a ring that wielded its power, including through arson, bribery and kidnapping.
Combs, 55, is also on trial for sex trafficking; if he is found guilty of the alleged federal crimes, he faces an effective life prison sentence.
Ventura told jurors that Combs - who she says coerced her into 'freak-off' sex marathons with male prostitutes for years - flew into a violent rage after he learnt of her romance with Mescudi, lunging at her with a wine corkscrew, and threatening to make public sexually explicit footage of her.
'He was just so angry,' she said during her four days on the stand. 'He told me about videos that he had that he was going to release and how he was going to hurt Scott and I.'
Mescudi corroborated testimony from Ventura, saying that when confronted about the scorched car, the powerful music mogul played dumb.
'I don't know what you're talking about,' Mescudi said Combs told him.
Asked by prosecutors what Mescudi understood that to mean, the rapper replied: 'That he was lying.'