Who is Cassie, the singer testifying against Sean ‘Diddy' Combs?
New York: Casandra Ventura, the R&B singer and actor known simply as Cassie, has begun testifying in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking trial.
The music mogul is charged with leveraging his status to coerce women – including Cassie – into abusive sexual encounters and using violence if they refused. He has pleaded not guilty. Cassie sued Combs in 2023 alleging years of rape and abuse. The suit was settled within hours, but was followed by dozens of similar legal claims and touched off a criminal investigation. Here's what you need to know about the 38-year-old star witness.
A talented performer
A singer, actor, dancer and model, Cassie's professional ambitions began in adolescence, when she was signed by the top-tier talent and modelling agency Wilhelmina. Her music career launched shortly thereafter, when she left her home state of Connecticut for New York, where she signed with manager Tony Mottola and first met Combs.
Cassie is perhaps best known for the 2006 hit single Me & U, which secured the No.1 spot on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart and No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 all genres chart. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The song was the lead single of her only studio album, released by Combs' Bad Boy Records, and was self-titled. She left the label in 2019.
As an actor, she appeared in several television and film projects, including Fox's Empire, The Perfect Match and Spenser Confidential. She made her acting debut in 2008 in Step Up 2: The Streets and contributed the song Is It You to its soundtrack.
She also appeared in several music videos, including Wiz Khalifa's Roll Up and Mario's Just A Friend 2002.
Although she never released her long-teased sophomore album, at one point tentatively titled Electro Love, she did drop a few tracks: the R&B-pop Official Girl with Lil Wayne, Must Be Love with Combs, and Let's Get Crazy with Akon. And in 2012, Nicki Minaj tapped her for a feature on The Boys from Minaj's reissued album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded — The Re-Up.
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News.com.au
8 hours ago
- News.com.au
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The Advertiser
11 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Diddy's ex sobs as she testifies at his sex trial
Sean "Diddy" Combs twice rebuffed a former girlfriend's requests that male entertainers wear condoms when having sex with her as Combs watched, the woman said during often tearful testimony at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial. The woman, testifying under the pseudonym Jane to protect her privacy, said Combs would "guilt trip" her when she asked that the entertainers wear condoms during their frequent, lengthy sexual encounters. The sexual interactions resembled what another one of Combs' exes, Casandra Ventura, referred to as "Freak Offs" during her testimony last month. Jurors in the Manhattan federal court trial heard an audio recording in which Combs intervened after Jane asked a male entertainer named Don if he had a condom. As the recording was played, Combs rapidly tapped his fingers against his leg while seated at the defence table. "Why didn't you just insist that Don wear a condom?" prosecutor Maurene Comey asked. "Because I just didn't want to disappoint my lover," Jane responded, referring to Combs. Jane said she and Combs dated from 2021 through 2024. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. Prosecutors say he coerced women over two decades to take part in elaborate, drug-fueled sexual performances during Freak Offs over two decades. The Bad Boy Records founder's defence lawyers have acknowledged that Combs was occasionally abusive in domestic relationships, but say the women who took part in Freak Offs did so consensually. During the first day of her testimony on Thursday, Jane said she was "head over heels" for Combs and wanted to have a one-on-one relationship with him, but that starting five months into their relationship most of their time together involved sexual interactions with male escorts in hotels. Jane said that when she told Combs she wanted those encounters to stop, he threatened to stop paying her rent. On Friday, Jane frequently sobbed and dabbed her eyes with a tissue as she told jurors how Combs would encourage her to keep going even after she grew tired during the encounters, which she said often lasted 24 hours or more. She recounted one instance in which she broke down crying after Combs said he had to leave following an encounter with an entertainer, despite having promised Jane a one-on-one date night and that the entertainer would be there for "just a little bit." "I hung onto those words, 'just a little bit'," Jane said. "I was feeling terrible that he was going to leave me alone." Combs' defence lawyers are expected to cross-examine Jane next week. They may focus on sexually explicit text messages that she sent Combs in between their encounters to show she was a willing participant in their relationship. Combs has been in federal lockup in Brooklyn since his September 2024 arrest. He could face life in prison if convicted on all counts. Sean "Diddy" Combs twice rebuffed a former girlfriend's requests that male entertainers wear condoms when having sex with her as Combs watched, the woman said during often tearful testimony at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial. The woman, testifying under the pseudonym Jane to protect her privacy, said Combs would "guilt trip" her when she asked that the entertainers wear condoms during their frequent, lengthy sexual encounters. The sexual interactions resembled what another one of Combs' exes, Casandra Ventura, referred to as "Freak Offs" during her testimony last month. Jurors in the Manhattan federal court trial heard an audio recording in which Combs intervened after Jane asked a male entertainer named Don if he had a condom. As the recording was played, Combs rapidly tapped his fingers against his leg while seated at the defence table. "Why didn't you just insist that Don wear a condom?" prosecutor Maurene Comey asked. "Because I just didn't want to disappoint my lover," Jane responded, referring to Combs. Jane said she and Combs dated from 2021 through 2024. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. Prosecutors say he coerced women over two decades to take part in elaborate, drug-fueled sexual performances during Freak Offs over two decades. The Bad Boy Records founder's defence lawyers have acknowledged that Combs was occasionally abusive in domestic relationships, but say the women who took part in Freak Offs did so consensually. During the first day of her testimony on Thursday, Jane said she was "head over heels" for Combs and wanted to have a one-on-one relationship with him, but that starting five months into their relationship most of their time together involved sexual interactions with male escorts in hotels. Jane said that when she told Combs she wanted those encounters to stop, he threatened to stop paying her rent. On Friday, Jane frequently sobbed and dabbed her eyes with a tissue as she told jurors how Combs would encourage her to keep going even after she grew tired during the encounters, which she said often lasted 24 hours or more. She recounted one instance in which she broke down crying after Combs said he had to leave following an encounter with an entertainer, despite having promised Jane a one-on-one date night and that the entertainer would be there for "just a little bit." "I hung onto those words, 'just a little bit'," Jane said. "I was feeling terrible that he was going to leave me alone." Combs' defence lawyers are expected to cross-examine Jane next week. They may focus on sexually explicit text messages that she sent Combs in between their encounters to show she was a willing participant in their relationship. Combs has been in federal lockup in Brooklyn since his September 2024 arrest. He could face life in prison if convicted on all counts. Sean "Diddy" Combs twice rebuffed a former girlfriend's requests that male entertainers wear condoms when having sex with her as Combs watched, the woman said during often tearful testimony at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial. The woman, testifying under the pseudonym Jane to protect her privacy, said Combs would "guilt trip" her when she asked that the entertainers wear condoms during their frequent, lengthy sexual encounters. The sexual interactions resembled what another one of Combs' exes, Casandra Ventura, referred to as "Freak Offs" during her testimony last month. Jurors in the Manhattan federal court trial heard an audio recording in which Combs intervened after Jane asked a male entertainer named Don if he had a condom. As the recording was played, Combs rapidly tapped his fingers against his leg while seated at the defence table. "Why didn't you just insist that Don wear a condom?" prosecutor Maurene Comey asked. "Because I just didn't want to disappoint my lover," Jane responded, referring to Combs. Jane said she and Combs dated from 2021 through 2024. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. Prosecutors say he coerced women over two decades to take part in elaborate, drug-fueled sexual performances during Freak Offs over two decades. The Bad Boy Records founder's defence lawyers have acknowledged that Combs was occasionally abusive in domestic relationships, but say the women who took part in Freak Offs did so consensually. During the first day of her testimony on Thursday, Jane said she was "head over heels" for Combs and wanted to have a one-on-one relationship with him, but that starting five months into their relationship most of their time together involved sexual interactions with male escorts in hotels. Jane said that when she told Combs she wanted those encounters to stop, he threatened to stop paying her rent. On Friday, Jane frequently sobbed and dabbed her eyes with a tissue as she told jurors how Combs would encourage her to keep going even after she grew tired during the encounters, which she said often lasted 24 hours or more. She recounted one instance in which she broke down crying after Combs said he had to leave following an encounter with an entertainer, despite having promised Jane a one-on-one date night and that the entertainer would be there for "just a little bit." "I hung onto those words, 'just a little bit'," Jane said. "I was feeling terrible that he was going to leave me alone." Combs' defence lawyers are expected to cross-examine Jane next week. They may focus on sexually explicit text messages that she sent Combs in between their encounters to show she was a willing participant in their relationship. Combs has been in federal lockup in Brooklyn since his September 2024 arrest. He could face life in prison if convicted on all counts. Sean "Diddy" Combs twice rebuffed a former girlfriend's requests that male entertainers wear condoms when having sex with her as Combs watched, the woman said during often tearful testimony at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial. The woman, testifying under the pseudonym Jane to protect her privacy, said Combs would "guilt trip" her when she asked that the entertainers wear condoms during their frequent, lengthy sexual encounters. The sexual interactions resembled what another one of Combs' exes, Casandra Ventura, referred to as "Freak Offs" during her testimony last month. Jurors in the Manhattan federal court trial heard an audio recording in which Combs intervened after Jane asked a male entertainer named Don if he had a condom. As the recording was played, Combs rapidly tapped his fingers against his leg while seated at the defence table. "Why didn't you just insist that Don wear a condom?" prosecutor Maurene Comey asked. "Because I just didn't want to disappoint my lover," Jane responded, referring to Combs. Jane said she and Combs dated from 2021 through 2024. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. Prosecutors say he coerced women over two decades to take part in elaborate, drug-fueled sexual performances during Freak Offs over two decades. The Bad Boy Records founder's defence lawyers have acknowledged that Combs was occasionally abusive in domestic relationships, but say the women who took part in Freak Offs did so consensually. During the first day of her testimony on Thursday, Jane said she was "head over heels" for Combs and wanted to have a one-on-one relationship with him, but that starting five months into their relationship most of their time together involved sexual interactions with male escorts in hotels. Jane said that when she told Combs she wanted those encounters to stop, he threatened to stop paying her rent. On Friday, Jane frequently sobbed and dabbed her eyes with a tissue as she told jurors how Combs would encourage her to keep going even after she grew tired during the encounters, which she said often lasted 24 hours or more. She recounted one instance in which she broke down crying after Combs said he had to leave following an encounter with an entertainer, despite having promised Jane a one-on-one date night and that the entertainer would be there for "just a little bit." "I hung onto those words, 'just a little bit'," Jane said. "I was feeling terrible that he was going to leave me alone." Combs' defence lawyers are expected to cross-examine Jane next week. They may focus on sexually explicit text messages that she sent Combs in between their encounters to show she was a willing participant in their relationship. Combs has been in federal lockup in Brooklyn since his September 2024 arrest. He could face life in prison if convicted on all counts.
Perth Now
12 hours ago
- Perth Now
Diddy's ex sobs as she testifies at his sex trial
Sean "Diddy" Combs twice rebuffed a former girlfriend's requests that male entertainers wear condoms when having sex with her as Combs watched, the woman said during often tearful testimony at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial. The woman, testifying under the pseudonym Jane to protect her privacy, said Combs would "guilt trip" her when she asked that the entertainers wear condoms during their frequent, lengthy sexual encounters. The sexual interactions resembled what another one of Combs' exes, Casandra Ventura, referred to as "Freak Offs" during her testimony last month. Jurors in the Manhattan federal court trial heard an audio recording in which Combs intervened after Jane asked a male entertainer named Don if he had a condom. As the recording was played, Combs rapidly tapped his fingers against his leg while seated at the defence table. "Why didn't you just insist that Don wear a condom?" prosecutor Maurene Comey asked. "Because I just didn't want to disappoint my lover," Jane responded, referring to Combs. Jane said she and Combs dated from 2021 through 2024. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. Prosecutors say he coerced women over two decades to take part in elaborate, drug-fueled sexual performances during Freak Offs over two decades. The Bad Boy Records founder's defence lawyers have acknowledged that Combs was occasionally abusive in domestic relationships, but say the women who took part in Freak Offs did so consensually. During the first day of her testimony on Thursday, Jane said she was "head over heels" for Combs and wanted to have a one-on-one relationship with him, but that starting five months into their relationship most of their time together involved sexual interactions with male escorts in hotels. Jane said that when she told Combs she wanted those encounters to stop, he threatened to stop paying her rent. On Friday, Jane frequently sobbed and dabbed her eyes with a tissue as she told jurors how Combs would encourage her to keep going even after she grew tired during the encounters, which she said often lasted 24 hours or more. She recounted one instance in which she broke down crying after Combs said he had to leave following an encounter with an entertainer, despite having promised Jane a one-on-one date night and that the entertainer would be there for "just a little bit." "I hung onto those words, 'just a little bit'," Jane said. "I was feeling terrible that he was going to leave me alone." Combs' defence lawyers are expected to cross-examine Jane next week. They may focus on sexually explicit text messages that she sent Combs in between their encounters to show she was a willing participant in their relationship. Combs has been in federal lockup in Brooklyn since his September 2024 arrest. He could face life in prison if convicted on all counts.
