Live updates: Sean ‘Diddy' Combs trial continues after Cassie Ventura and Kid Cudi's testimony

CNN

27-05-2025

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Title: Combs' former assistant says he threatened her on her first day
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On her first day working for Sean 'Diddy' Combs in 2004, Capricorn Clark said he took her to Central Park with his security guard some time after 9 p.m. ET. There, he brought up her former employment with Death Row Records, which was founded by Combs' rival Marion 'Suge' Knight.
'He told me that he didn't know that I had anything to do with Suge Knight and if anything happened, he would have to kill me,' Clark testified.
The security guard stood by silently while Combs threatened her, Clark said. She said she told Combs at the time, 'we'll just have to see.'
She testified that she felt she couldn't convince him that she was trustworthy at the time and said could've been more transparent about her employment background.
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Title: Former Combs employee began music career at Def Jam Records
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Capricorn Clark, the former director of marketing for Sean 'Diddy' Combs, said she has been involved in the music industry since shortly after graduating from high school, when she landed an internship with Def Jam Records.
She said both of her parents died shortly after that, which meant she had to 'start life a lot earlier.'
After Def Jam, she worked for Death Row Records, which Suge Knight then managed. Around 2004, she started working for Combs at Bad Boy Entertainment as his personal assistant, she said.
After briefly leaving in 2006, she returned to work for Combs in 2007 as the director of marketing for Sean John Women's.
She said she became a global brand director in 2008 before being terminated in 2012. She then worked as Cassie Ventura's creative director from 2016 to 2018.
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Title: Former Combs employee Capricorn Clark called to the stand
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The jury has entered, and prosecutors have called Capricorn Clark, a former director of marketing for Sean 'Diddy' Combs, to the stand.
Clark is the 17th witness called by the prosecution. Assistant US Attorney Mitzi Steiner will question her.
Clark came up in last week's testimony by rapper Kid Cudi.
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Title: Prosecutors still have work to do to prove case against "Diddy," legal analyst says
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As jurors head into a third week of testimony in the Sean 'Diddy' Combs federal criminal case, prosecutors are still working to prove Combs was involved in a criminal enterprise, engaged in arson, kidnapping and other illegal acts.
But have they done enough? Not yet, according to CNN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney, Joey Jackson.
Prosecutors are attempting to lay the foundation for the racketeering conspiracy charge Combs faces through witnesses who spoke about Combs' alleged involvement with arson and extortion, Jackson told CNN's Sara Sidner.
Rapper Kid Cudi, who dated Combs' ex-girlfriend and key witness in trial, Cassie Ventura, testified and accused Combs of setting his Porsche on fire with a Molotov cocktail while he was dating Ventura.
Last week, Ventura's mother testified about taking a home equity loan to get $20,000 to pay Combs, asked for to 'recoup money he had spent' on her daughter 'because he was angry that she had been in a relationship' with Kid Cudi.
In order to further prove the racketeering charge, prosecutors need to establish 'continuous use of the enterprise over a significant period of time, not just these one-off activities, and sexual exploitation and trafficking would lead to that.'
Prosecutors 'have to show more coercion and forced activity,' Jackson said.
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Title: Los Angeles fire investigator to testify today about fire set to Kid Cudi's car
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The Los Angeles Fire Department investigator who led the investigation into the fire set to Kid Cudi's Porsche at his home in January 2012 is expected to testify today.
The investigator is expected to say that he concluded that the fire was deliberately set and caused by a Molotov cocktail dropped into the Porsche.
Over an objection from prosecutors, Judge Arun Subramanian said the defense can ask the investigator about his report that says partial female DNA was recovered from the glass bottle used to create the explosive.
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Title: Judge takes the bench as Sean "Diddy" Combs trial enters week 3 of testimony
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Court has resumed in the sex-trafficking trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs as it enters its third week of testimony.
Judge Arun Subramanian is on the bench. Prosecutors and defense attorneys are discussing some issues before the jury enters.
Former Combs' employee Capricorn Clark is expected to testify today followed by witnesses from the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Fire Department, according to prosecutor Maurene Comey.
The jury has already heard from two other former assistants for Combs, George Kaplan, and David James.
The government has called sixteen witnesses so far.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges that include racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. If convicted on all counts, he could face up to life in prison.
This post has been updated with additional information.
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Title: "Victim-3" is not expected to testify in Combs' federal criminal trial, source says
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A woman identified as Victim-3 in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' federal criminal case is not expected to take the stand in the trial, according to a source familiar with the case.
'She didn't want to testify,' the source said, not providing any further details.
Victim-3 was referenced in the government's superseding indictment as part of the racketeering conspiracy count. The indictment states that Combs and his associates wielded his power through his business empire to 'intimidate, threaten and lure' at least three female victims – 'Victim-1,' 'Victim-2' and 'Victim-3' – under the pretense of a romantic relationship and coerced them into engaging in commercial sex acts. Prosecutors allege some of these sex acts, known as 'Freak Offs,' involved male sex workers who were transported across state lines.
Three sources familiar with the case told CNN that Victim-3 is the woman who has been referred to as 'Gina' throughout the trial. Gina has been described in testimony as an ex-girlfriend of Combs.
CNN has reached out directly to Victim-3, regarding her participation in the case.
Last week, Combs' former assistant George Kaplan testified that he once witnessed Combs throwing apples at Gina at his home in Miami. Cassie Ventura, the case's star witness and another former girlfriend of Combs, testified that Combs was unfaithful to her by continuously dating Gina during their 11-year relationship. And Ventura's former best friend, Kerry Morgan, corroborated Ventura's account in her own testimony, saying on the stand that Gina was a problem in Ventura and Combs' relationship.
Prior to the start of testimony at the trial, prosecutors indicated in early May that they may not call Victim-3 as a part of their case. Assistant US Attorney Maurene Comey said they 'may' try to call her, but said that while she's under subpoena to testify, 'she may not show up.' Comey noted that it's been difficult to get in touch with Victim 3's lawyer.
In court on Wednesday, outside the presence of the jury, defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said that Gina 'is out of the case. Gina is not coming.'
Assistant US Attorney Christy Slavik said that Gina was 'very much a part of this case,' adding that she was identified in the indictment.
CNN has reached out to the prosecutor's office for comment.
'My point is not an indictment issue. The government can call Gina if it wants to,' Agnifilo responded. 'It might be difficult. It might be hard to do. They are the United States of America. They can get Gina into this courtroom if that is what they want to do.'
CNN has reached out to a representative for Combs for comment.
CNN's Kara Scannell and Nicki Brown contributed to this post.
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Title: Catch up on what happened in Combs' trial before court recessed for Memorial Day
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The trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs resumes today after court took a break for the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
As the second week of Sean 'Diddy' Combs' racketeering trial wrapped up on Thursday, all eyes turned to another entertainer, Scott 'Kid Cudi' Mescudi, whose explosive testimony about Combs included allegations of a burned-out Porsche and a frightened dog.
CNN entertainment correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister joined Laura Coates to break it all down on the latest episode of the 'Trial By Jury: Diddy' podcast. You can listen to it here.
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Title: Another one of Combs' former assistants will take the stand today
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Prosecutor Maurene Comey on Thursday said the first witness they'll call today will be former Sean 'Diddy' Combs' employee Capricorn Clark.
After Clark, prosecutors plan to have witnesses from the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Fire Department. Comey said the prosecution's case is running on time.
The jury has already heard from two other former assistants for Combs, George Kaplan and David James.
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Title: These are the witnesses who have testified so far in Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial
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The third week of testimony in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' criminal sex trafficking trial begins today.
Over the past two weeks, the jury has heard from 16 witnesses, including Cassie Ventura — the prosecution's star witness who testified for several days about the abuse she said she endured during her relationship with Combs.
Here's a look at who else has taken the stand so far: