Sean ‘Diddy' Combs trial: Cassie Ventura's mother, a federal agent and an exotic dancer testify

NBC News

20-05-2025

Where the sex trafficking trial stands
David James, Combs' former personal assistant, took the witness stand today, followed by Cassie Ventura's mother, Regina Ventura, and a male exotic dancer Sharay Hayes, whose nickname is "The Punisher."
Regina Ventura said she documented her daughter's bruises, allegedly received at the hands of Combs; once called police on Combs when he took Ventura's phone; and that Combs demanded $20,000 in exchange for sex tapes with Ventura on them. The money was later returned, she said.
The government is expected to call Combs' former chef, Jourdan Atkinson, to the stand today.
Combs faces five criminal counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs has vociferously denied the allegations against him.
This live briefing may include graphic descriptions of sexual violence. For resources on sexual assault, call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline.
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Agent walks jury through Combs' Miami property raid
Adam Reiss and Doha Madani
Prosecutors brought up photos of Combs' Star Island home as Special Agent Gerard Gannon explained how agents executed search warrants on the Miami property.
He told the court the property's extensive size required dozens of people to search the 20,000-square-foot home. He noted that agents cleared the house and were assigned in teams of two to search each room.
Photographers were taking photos of items before they were bagged with a description of each item and where it was found. Gannon said it was his job to compile an itemized list and that he went through every piece of evidence to break it down into categories.
Prosecutors push back on Ventura's emotions during sex scenes
Adam Reiss and Doha Madani
In a brief redirect, Hayes was asked more about Ventura's time during their sex scenes with Combs.
Prosecutor Meredith Foster asked about the one time Ventura appeared to enjoy herself but also asked Hayes about the other times where she would apparently wince and sigh. Foster asked whether Ventura's focus was on Combs.
Hayes said that there was a consistent awareness to Combs and his perception and his desires of the moment.
Hayes then left the witness stand.
Ventura appeared to be a willing player in sex scenes, stripper says
Adam Reiss and David K. Li
In a dozen or so sexual performances, Hayes never had the sense Ventura was uncomfortable with it all, he testified.
The sex worker agreed with defense attorney Xavier Donaldson's leading questions that Ventura wasn't in any "discomfort" while performing in front of Combs.
He said it seemed like it was consensual, agreeing with Donaldson's description of Combs as a director of the scenes.
Police called over Combs' chef being fired in 2008, records show
Maite Amorebieta
David James, Combs' former personal assistant, testified earlier today that the mogul once asked him to file a police report alleging Combs' personal chef assaulted him.
James told the court he didn't do it because he didn't want to make a "false report." The incident occurred in Alpine, New Jersey, according to James, but a date was not given.
Records of 911 calls to Combs' former Alpine residence obtained by NBC News show that police were called March 22, 2008, over an issue with Combs' personal chef. It's unclear if this was the same incident James was referring to when he didn't file a report.
A man named David James told police the chef was fired and left upset but "stated that there were no threats" made by her, according to the report. Police advised Combs and James that it was a civil matter.
"Mr. Combs was satisfied and just wanted to make this a matter of record due to his celebrity status," the report said.
'The Punisher' says he was hired up to a dozen times
Adam Reiss and David K. Li
The first encounter with Ventura and Combs led to a healthy tip and more gigs, Hayes said.
She said thank you and was handed more money, which he counted in the elevator and realized it was $1,200," Hayes said of that first encounter at Trump Tower, adding that he now knows one of his clients was Sean Combs.
In total, Hayes estimated he performed for the couple from eight to a dozen times.
He said he was called to the first rendezvous by a woman who called herself "Janet," but it didn't take long for him to realize who his clients were — one of the biggest names in the music industry and his well-known girlfriend.
Hayes said he eventually saw Combs' face and that Combs wore a baseball cap, adding that he is a fan of the rapper and follows him on Instagram.
Hayes said he got the nickname 'The Punisher' as a teenager because of his prowess on the basketball court.
Cassie's parents depart Manhattan federal court
Regina Ventura and Rodrick Ventura, left, parents of Cassie Ventura, today in New York City.
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Male stripper chronicles first sexual encounter with Ventura, Combs
Adam Reiss and David K. Li
The male stripper nicknamed "The Punisher" said he was paid $800 to create a "sexy scene" for Combs and Ventura, all while keeping eyes off the music mogul.
Hayes said he was called to a Trump Tower hotel suite in the fall of 2012, and was greeted at the door by Cassie "wearing a bathrobe and nothing on underneath and she had a wig."
He was handed a "sack of money" with $800 inside as Ventura told him to "create a sexy scene of me and her applying baby oil on each other and create a sexy environment that her husband would come up on," the witness said.
She told Hayes not to acknowledge Combs, try not to look at him and have no communication with him, he said.
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Defense declines to cross-examine Regina Ventura
Adam Reiss and David K. Li
Defense attorneys chose not to cross-examine Cassie Ventura's mother, Regina Ventura, allowing her damaging testimony to stand uncontested.
Defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo said, "I do not have any questions for you."
Regina Ventura's testimony about Combs threatening her daughter over a sex tape and abuse was left uncontested.
Cassie's mom called police after Combs took her daughter's phone, she says
Regina Ventura once called the police on Combs after her daughter, Cassie, told her that Combs had taken her phone.
Ventura testified that she had a bitter argument outside her daughter's apartment building as she tried to get the phone back. Ventura was inside her apartment at the time, she said.
She said she was trying to hit Combs but was unsuccessful.
Eventually, Regina Ventura said Combs gave the phone back and took her daughter's car as he left.
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Ventura's mother says she documented her daughter's injuries
Adam Reiss and David K. Li
Regina Ventura said she took photos of her bruised daughter in late 2011 to make a record of the alleged beatings at the hands of Combs, Cassie Ventura's boyfriend at the time.
The mother said her daughter was bruised, and the photos were taken that December.
Ventura's mom says Combs wanted $20K for her daughter's sex tape
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Adam Reiss, Chloe Melas and Doha Madani
Prosecutors revisited an email Ventura sent to her mother in December 2011 that said Combs threatened to release explicit videos of Ventura after he learned she was dating Kid Cudi.
Regina Ventura said she was physically sick and didn't understand what was going on but Combs was trying to hurt her daughter.
She testified that Combs wanted $20,000 for the video. She said Combs was angry that he had spent money on Cassie Ventura and that she was with another person.
Regina Ventura said she took out a home equity loan to pay for it.
The money was returned to her several days later, she told the court.
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Ventura's mom, Regina Ventura, takes the stand
Combs' former personal assistant is finished testifying, and the government has called its next witness, Regina Ventura.
Ventura's mom has been sworn in and prosecutor Emily Johnson will begin the questioning.
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James said he did not follow Combs' order to report chef to police
Adam Reiss and David K. Li
Combs didn't always get along with his former personal chef Jourdan Atkinson, James said.
After one physical confrontation between Combs and Atkinson in Alpine, New Jersey, Combs asked James to report Atkinson to police, James said.
But James said he didn't file it because he didn't want to make a false report, yet he told Combs that he did it.
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Defense pushes James on altercation with Combs' personal chef
David James testified to an argument that turned physical between himself and Combs' chef, after which Combs' told James couldn't put his hands on a woman.
James told the court he was in Miami in Combs' kitchen when the chef told him how to do his job. The former assistant admitted to grabbing her wrists and telling her to stay in her lane.
James said Combs heard about it and called him into his room. He said he told Combs what happened, and Combs told James he couldn't put his hands on a woman.
It was one of two occasions when Combs warned James that he could be fired, James testified. The other time was when James smoked marijuana, he said.
Witness testifies with protection, though no crime is apparent
Adam Reiss and David K. Li
James disclosed he was testifying under an agreement with prosecutors, though there's been no evidence so far that he would need legal protection.
The defense has been pushing James to disclose any deals he might have made with prosecutors to testify, particularly about the "Mel's Diner incident" when Combs and his team allegedly armed themselves to look for rapper Suge Knight.
James said he had signed a proffer, a legal agreement that generally protects witnesses from prosecution for what they say on the witness stand.
But so far, there's been no evidence any crime was committed against Knight by Combs' team on the early morning trip to Mel's Diner in Los Angeles that would indicate James needs protection from prosecutors.
Security worried Combs would be shot, James says
Combs' security detail often included a second car when the rap mogul was traveling, David James said, as his team was "suspicious" of anyone "pulling up on him to shoot him."
James testified that people often would try to touch Combs or ask for his autograph, which his former boss wouldn't sign. He said staff would sign items and send them out on Combs' behalf.
He said he didn't think "gracious" was a word he would use to describe Combs.
The security detail would also tell James something to the effect of, "You know what rhymes with tired? Fired." Though James said he admitted to Combs he was tired once after running a red light, but James did not get fired for it.
The 'mundane' is appreciated in this courtroom
Adam Reiss and David K. Li
In a trial filled with lurid and disturbing details of sexual abuse, the promise of "mundane" questions was welcomed in the courtroom.
In his cross-examination of James, defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo told the witness that he had few more mundane questions.
James answered that he likes mundane questions, drawing laughter from the gallery.
James recalled how much he admired Combs and his desire to work for him.
James said he wore Combs clothing line Sean John, and when he was studying in London in 2004, people would come up to him and ask where he got his clothing. He said that made him understand Combs' global reach and his brand and made him want to work for him because Combs was successful and self-made, and he admired Combs' marketing skills.
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Cross-examination pushes deeper into Suge Knight incident
Diddy's defense attorney, Marc Agnifilo, took over David James' cross-examination. He started by asking James why he didn't provide more details on the Suge Knight incident.
James responded that the story stopped because he was instructed not to say anything that would incriminate himself. Agnifilo asked about a prior statement in which James said he was inside the diner, but James said he didn't remember it.
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Suge Knight incident prompted assistant to quit
Adam Reiss and David K. Li
James said he was "shook" after seeing the desire by Combs' team to grab guns and confront Suge Knight at a Los Angeles diner in 2008.
The witness recalled an incident when the team was out getting a late snack at Mel's Drive-In when Combs' confidante D-Roc spotted the Death Row Records chief there and said, "That's mother f------ Suge Knight."
James said that Combs' team met up with the music mogul back at his house and he armed himself with three handguns to go and possibly confront Knight. The incident, James testified, is what prompted him to quit.
James said he was shaken and that it was the first time as his assistant that he realized his life was in danger. He said he told Combs' team that he wanted to leave his job, but he would give them six months notice so he could train the next assistant.
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Combs kept video of assistant dancing at New Year's Eve party
Adam Reiss and David K. Li
James recalled how he once got high on ecstasy at a New Year's Eve party, and Combs allegedly kept a video of James dancing at the party.
James said Combs told him he would keep it in case Combs needed it in the future because it would embarrass James.
This minor detail could help prosecutors build their greater narrative that Combs allegedly used his business to control people in his sphere.
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Combs brought in FBI lie detector specialist to question assistant, James said
Combs brought in a lie detector test and conducted it on James at least twice while James worked as his assistant.
James told the court that in his first year working for Combs, some money went missing and Combs had a former FBI agent who specialized in polygraphs to interview him.
He said it was intimidating because he had never taken a lie detector test before.
He added that the second time he took a lie detector test was after a watch went missing. James also testified that Combs' security searched his clothes and drawers when a Cartier bracelet went missing.
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Former assistant saw Ventura in hotel bed and a stranger while Combs showered
David James testified that he walked into a hotel room to deliver items for Combs when he saw Ventura in a hotel bed with a man he did not know in the room.
The former assistant said he was in Miami in 2008 when Combs requested James bring his iPad to the couple's hotel room. When no one answered, James testified that he used his key to let himself in.
James said he saw Ventura apparently sleeping with a comforter pulled up to her neck while Combs was in the shower. He testified he saw a man with long hair walk across the room.
James said he never spoke to Ventura or Combs about it and that he never had conversations with them about their personal affairs.
Standard overnight bag in Combs world: $10,000 cash and Viagra
Adam Reiss and David K. Li
James told jurors that Combs didn't travel light and had a long laundry list of items to be packed in his overnight bags.
The music mogul's Louis Vuitton regularly carried $10,000 in cash "and sometimes much more," James said.
Combs' medicine bag included 25 to 30 undisclosed pill bottles along with Advil, Tylenol, Viagra, "pills to increase sperm count," and water pills, James said. He later added that Percocet and ecstasy were in the medicine bag and that he witnessed Combs taking them.
The witness also said he was instructed to buy baby oil, Astroglide and condoms for trips in cash so that Combs could reimburse him, personally, off the company books.
James said Combs searched his computer history for a blog post on Ventura abuse
David James said he didn't witness any physical violence between Combs and his former girlfriend, but testified that he did see a blog post alleging that Combs hit Ventura at a club.
Combs allegedly searched James' computer history and became upset, telling James that someone was lying. The former assistant called it "jarring" because Combs had never searched his computer history before.
James looked for the post, he said, because Ventura had been staying at the London hotel for a week and he was tasked with bringing her food. But Combs' personal staff was the one answering the door.
He said he was surprised because he was expecting to see Cassie, who usually answered the door.
Ventura testified last week that Combs put her up in the London hotel after allegedly attacking her in the back of a car while leaving an event. She told the court that she didn't feel as if she could leave and that Combs' security was present.
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David James and attorneys arrive at court
David James, Combs' former personal assistant who will testify today, was seen arriving at court shortly after 8 a.m.
Other arrivals this morning include attorneys for Combs: Anna Estevao, Xavier Donaldson, Alexandra Shapiro, Teny Geragos, and Brian Steel.
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Here's a recap of yesterday's testimony
Erik Ortiz and Marlene Lenthang
Three witnesses testified yesterday on how Combs appeared to control Cassie.
The witnesses were: Dawn Richard, a singer in Combs' former girl group Danity Kane, Ventura's former best friend Kerry Morgan, and David James, a personal assistant who worked for Combs from 2007 to 2009.
Richard recalled how Combs would allegedly punch and choke Cassie. Morgan testified that she witnessed Combs assault Cassie twice, once in Jamaica and once in Los Angeles. Morgan also testified that Combs assaulted her in Cassie's home, leading to a falling out between Morgan and Cassie. James testified that Ventura told him Combs controlled her career and money.
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David James' testimony to continue this morning
Adam Reiss and David K. Li
The seventh day of testimony in Sean Combs' trial should start with continued questioning for his former personal assistant, David James.
James gave compelling testimony yesterday, vividly recalling details of his two-year stint at Combs' side.
The witness was emotional at times, shedding tears as he described some of the better days and more rocky times Combs and Cassie enjoyed.
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Sharing their front-row seat to Combs and Cassie's life
Adam Reiss and David K. Li
Jurors will get a more insider's look at the luxurious — and often tumultuous — lifestyle Combs led with Cassie Ventura.
After James' testimony, the government is expected to call three witnesses today: Sharay Hayes, Regina Ventura and Jourdan Atkinson.
Hayes is an exotic dancer known as 'The Punisher,' while Regina Ventura is Ventura's mother, and Atkinson once worked as a personal chef for Combs.
Last week, Cassie described how Combs directed her to hire male sex workers to take part in 'freak offs,' often long and drug-fueled orgies choreographed by the defendant who watched in the same room.
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