Exotic dancer ‘The Punisher' reveals shocking trial testimony about Diddy's sordid sex ‘freak-offs'
An exotic dancer Sharay 'The Punisher' Hayes testified about Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sordid sex romps — sparing no sexually graphic detail — as federal prosecutors delved into the mogul's depravity.
Hayes' lurid testimony shed new light on the 'freak-offs' — sick hours-long sexual performances allegedly choreographed by Combs — that form the backbone of the sex-trafficking and racketeering case against the Bad Boy Records founder.
Hayes, who also testified about his recently published 'In Search of Freezer Meat,' a men's self-help book, sat down with The Post to discuss his testimony and the bizarre first time he was hired to enact a sexy scene for Combs.
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42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
P Diddy trial replay: Prosecutors and Combs' lawyers focus on 'freak offs' as testimony ends
This page reflects the news from Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial on Tuesday, June 24. For the latest updates from Diddy's trial, read USA TODAY's live coverage for Wednesday, June 25. This story contains graphic descriptions that some readers may find disturbing. Sean "Diddy" Combs' bombshell criminal trial entered its homestretch after prosecutors finalized their case against the embattled hip-hop mogul, and his defense lawyers quickly wrapped up their response. Attorneys for the U.S. government and Combs' legal team on June 24 focused on graphic evidence from the rapper's alleged "freak off" sex parties. They went over video footage, text messages and other materials as they questioned Homeland Security agent Joseph Cerciello about everything from travel and hotel records to payments for male escorts. Diddy on trial newsletter: Step inside the courtroom as music mogul faces sex-crimes charges. Prosecutors continued to paint a picture of Combs and his employees being personally involved with organizing "freak offs," working with escorts, Combs' partners and others. They rested their case midday, handing it over to the defense team to make their argument in the sweeping federal sex-crimes case. Combs' lawyers largely argued that the rapper's former partners were willingly in relationships with him, and he didn't conspire with his orbit of employees. They will not call any witnesses. Combs, 55, was arrested in September and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty. Combs' lawyers rested their case in less than a half hour on June 24. They did not call any witnesses to the stand. Their arguments, which began at roughly 3:07 p.m. and ended at 3:31 p.m., mainly focused on romantic − and occasionally explicit − texts between Combs and his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura Fine. In one text exchange from Feb. 14, 2017, Ventura Fine said, "Omg thank you so much," and Combs replied, "Teamwork makes the dream work. Happy Valentine's Day." In another exchange from that year, Combs said he wanted to have sex "for 48 hours." Ventura Fine replied, "How you want to do it?" and Combs responded, "You think you can FO without being high?" FO referred to "freak offs." She responded that she could participate without using drugs. A 2017 text exchange showed Ventura Fine asking for a picture of Combs' genitals. In another, Ventura Fine said, "I miss you," and Combs responded, "So what you gonna do?" She replied, "Be your little freak." The embattled rapper verbally confirmed on June 24 he did not want to take the stand – one of the only times Combs spoke out loud during his weekslong trial. Judge Arun Subramanian asked Combs' lead lawyer Marc Agnifilo if he spoke with his client about his right to testify, and Agnifilo said they discussed it at length. Combs exchanged a few remarks with the judge, saying he was doing "great" and that he thought the judge was managing the trial well. The rapper said it was "solely my decision" not to to testify, and he "thoroughly" discussed it with his legal team. After jurors were dismissed for a break, Combs' defense lawyers asked the judge for a swift acquittal. The move is known as a "Rule 29 motion," and it's typical in criminal trials. Combs' lawyer Alexandra Shapiro argued that "no reasonable juror could find him guilty" based on the evidence prosecutors have provided. While addressing Combs' racketeering charge, the lawyer claimed that the government failed to show that employees conspired with the rapper to commit any potential crimes. She admitted employees ran errands and helped set up and clean hotel rooms, but she said "they did not have anything to do with what went on with Combs and his girlfriends in the hotel room – other than that they used a lot of baby oil and Astroglide, drank alcohol, and maybe did drugs." Shapiro also claimed Combs didn't involve his staff in booking escorts. She noted that it was almost always Ventura Fine and another ex-girlfriend identified under the pseudonym "Jane" who assisted. In fact, Shapiro said, Combs went out of his way to hide escorts from his employees by not letting them come to his house at times. Finally, she explained that several witnesses testified about Combs' security repeatedly trying to stop him from being violent with his partners. Shapiro appeared to be arguing that these were moments in which Combs' employees disobeyed him – instead of allegedly conspiring with him. As Combs' defense sought acquittal, they also tried to cast doubt on allegations against Combs of witness tampering, forced labor, kidnaping, sex trafficking and transportation for the purposes of prostitution. Regarding the alleged sex trafficking of Ventura Fine and "Jane," Shapiro reiterated the defense's oft-used phrase that "Domestic violence is not sex trafficking." His lawyers have acknowledged the rapper has previously been violent – but they deny he's guilty of sex trafficking. Text messages between Ventura Fine and Combs showed she sometimes wanted to participate in "freak offs," per his attorney. As for transporting sex workers, Shapiro claimed there was no evidence the escorts were paid to engage in prostitution – as opposed to being compensated for their time. People were paid even when there was no sex, Shapiro said. In addition there is 'no evidence' Combs was involved in the Kid Cudi arson incident, Shapiro said. The rapper, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, testified that his car was destroyed by a Molotov cocktail around the same time he was dating Ventura Fine, and there was major friction with Combs over the relationship. Combs defense attorney Teny Geragos kept Cerciello on the stand for more than three hours and went through dozens of texts between Combs and Jane. Some of the messages were seemingly loving and warm, while others were explicit about alleged freak-offs. Several messages revolved around keeping their private life behind closed doors. In one of the text exchanges, Jane asked Combs to have an employee print a non-disclosure agreement. After Combs asked Jane about an escort they hired, she replied that he "seems cool, babe," adding, "Hopefully he doesn't know anyone we know lol. I'm just gonna make sure he signs the paper." Jurors also saw another text exchange between Combs and Paul Arthur, his personal trainer and an alleged participant in "freak offs." "She's so horny, I need help!" Combs wrote, adding, "This is a 911 freak emergency!" Arthur simply replied "lol." Combs continued to send a picture of Shaquille O'Neill, one of the "trifecta" of basketball legends that they frequently used as nicknames during "freak offs." Jurors were shown more videos of "freak-offs" as Geragos ended cross-examination. Prosecutors have rested their case in Combs' trial, meaning it's Combs' lawyer's turn to present their argument. However, the attorneys are not expected to call any witnesses. Combs' defense team told Subramanian they wanted to introduce more texts between Combs and Ventura Fine into evidence. In one message, Combs said "You think you can freak off without getting high?" and she replied yes. The prosecution said it should have been discussed when Combs' ex-girlfriend was on the stand, but the judge disagreed. In another text, Combs suggested he and Ventura Fine go to couples counseling, but she declined. Subramanian said it wasn't sufficiently relevant, and the messages are not going into evidence for the case. But why these message? Combs' lawyers have repeatedly tried to show Ventura Fine wasn't coerced in her relationship with Combs. While on the stand, the singer alleged he physically, sexually and psychologically abused her for years. As Cerciello continued his testimony on June 23, the jury was shown several videos of Jane. Lead prosecutor Maurene Comey called the videos "explicit" several times. The jury watched the footage for about 20 minutes while wearing headphones. The monitors that had been shown to the courtroom gallery were turned off, and reporters couldn't see the videos. Cerciello said all the videos featured Jane and sex worker Sly Williams. Combs was also seen in some of the footage. The agent mainly looked up and around the courtroom gallery rather than at his screen while the videos played. Discover WITNESS: Access our exclusive collection of true crime stories, podcasts, videos and more During the June 23 hearing, Combs' defense attorney Teny Geragos introduced text messages between Combs and Jane, in which the anonymous witness was enthusiastic about some sexual acts between the couple. "I really had a great night," Jane said in one message. The move comes as Combs' lawyers have argued that many of the rapper's partners were willing participants in his alleged sexual performances. Geragos also played sealed videos for Cerciello and the jury, but there was no audio or visuals for the courtroom. During a September 2024 press conference, U.S. attorney Damian Williams detailed the paraphernalia discovered during the federal raids of Combs' homes. The items included multiple AR-15 guns, large-capacity magazines, "evidence" of Combs' alleged sex crimes and over 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant. According to Combs' original indictment, the baby oil bottles were used during the hip-hop mogul's alleged "freak-off" parties, which were described as "elaborate and produced sex performances" that involved sex workers. Combs and his employees conducted "freak offs" by booking hotel rooms and stocking them with supplies such as baby oil, lube, extra bedsheets and lighting, per the indictment. The rapper allegedly "arranged, directed" and "masturbated" during these sometimes dayslong "performances," and drugs were reportedly distributed to victims, in part, to keep them "obedient and compliant." Combs is facing federal sex-crimes and trafficking charges in a sprawling case that has eroded his status as a power player and kingmaker in the entertainment industry. He was arrested in September 2024 and later charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. The rapper has pleaded not guilty to the five counts against him. Racketeering is the participation in an illegal scheme under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Statute, or RICO, as a way for the U.S. government to prosecute organizations that contribute to criminal activity. Using RICO law, which is typically aimed at targeting multi-person criminal organizations, prosecutors allege that Combs coerced victims, some of whom they say were sex workers, through intimidation and narcotics to participate in "freak offs" — sometimes dayslong sex performances that federal prosecutors allege they have on video. The trial will not be televised, as cameras are typically not allowed in federal criminal trial proceedings. USA TODAY will be reporting live from the courtroom. Sign up for our newsletter for more updates. Contributing: USA TODAY staff If you are a survivor of sexual assault, RAINN offers support through the National Sexual Assault Hotline at (4673) and and en Español If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: P Diddy trial recap: Combs' lawyers, prosecutors focus on 'freak offs'
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Diddy paid $100K to make the Cassie assault footage disappear, hotel security guard says
Before the gavel banged in the start of the Sean "Diddy" Combs trial, a security tape showed much of the world footage of the music mogul assaulting then-girlfriend Cassandra "Cassie" Ventura Fine in a hotel hallway. That footage, released publicly by CNN a year before the trial, has factored heavily into the closely watched court proceedings playing out in Manhattan – first with Combs' lawyers attempting to exclude it as evidence, then with potential jurors being asked if they had seen it, and now with a hotel security guard alleging he was paid $100,000 to destroy it. On Tuesday, June 3, a former security officer at the InterContinental hotel at the time of the 2016 assault took the stand. Eddy Garcia told jurors that shortly after the incident, he received a call from Combs' chief of staff Kristina "KK" Khorram, asking "if there was any possible way to get a copy of the video." What ensued, he said, was a cover-up facilitated by Combs' bodyguards, his hotel boss and a bag full of cash. WATCH: See the full Sean 'Diddy' Combs and Cassie hotel video At the time, Garcia told Khorram "she would have to reach out to hotel management or get a subpoena," but about an hour later, she showed up looking for him, allegedly telling him she and Combs wanted to know "what exactly they were dealing with." Garcia said he told her, "Off the record, it's bad." Later that day, Garcia said Khorram put him on the phone with Combs, who "sounded very nervous." Combs allegedly explained to Garcia that he "had a little too much to drink" and said "you know how it is with women," adding that the video, which shows the music mogul physcially assaulting Ventura Fine and dragging her down the hotel hallway, "could ruin him" if it got out. Diddy team admits to violence, but not sex trafficking. Will the jury see a difference? Diddy trial live updates: Who are Mia, Eddy Garcia, Kristina Khorram in sex-crimes case When Garcia said there was nothing he could do, Combs allegedly pressed further, saying he would "take care of" him. When Garcia went to his boss, Bill Medrano, and told him that Combs was offering to pay for the video, Medrano allegedly said that he would do it for $50,000. When Garcia called Combs and Khorram back to relay the news, the Bad Boy Records founder "sounded excited," Garcia said, telling him, "Eddy, my angel. I knew you could help." Garcia then told jurors that he was given an address by Combs where he could drop the USB that contained the footage of the assault. Medrano told him to tell the other security guards he was running an errand, Garcia said, describing the drop-off spot as "a big high-rise building," where he was met by one of Combs' bodyguards in the lobby. On the elevator ride up, Combs' bodyguard told Garcia he had known the rapper for a long time and that "he was a good guy and I was doing a good thing." "I was very nervous and my voice kept cracking," Garcia said, describing the moment he met with Combs and Khorram to drop off the tape, which he assured the music mogul was the only copy. During the meeting, when Garcia expressed concern over getting in trouble should Ventura Fine file a police report, Combs assured her she wanted the video gone too, going so far as to get her on the phone to corroborate it. Brad Pitt, Britney Spears, Prince: All the celebrities mentioned during the Diddy trial Garcia recalled Combs making him sign a non-disclosure agreement, which jurors then saw a copy of, certifying there were "no duplicates, backups, stored drives" containing the video. After Garcia signed the documents, Combs brought him $100,000 cash in a paper bag, and, after asking how he would spend the money, advised him not to "make any big purchases." The directive was made to protect the secrecy of the payoff, Garcia said, explaining he knew Combs was warning against big purchases "because it would draw attention." Garcia gave $50,000 to Medrano and kept $30,000 for himself, he said. The remaining $22,000 went to the other officer on duty that night. He bought a used vehicle in cash with the money, he told jurors, never depositing any of it in a bank account or reporting it on taxes. The heavy stacks of cash fit into a pattern emerging throughout the trial as prosecutors attempt to paint Combs as a man spoiled by success, able to hide a tendency for abuse and criminality through a large staff and an ever-larger fortune. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Diddy hotel video: Guard was paid $100K for Cassie assault tape
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Andy Cohen officially says goodbye to NYC penthouse of 20 years
From Bravo to Broadway, Andy Cohen is officially saying goodbye to his longtime home. Emmy-winning playwright and screenwriter Danny Strong and his partner, actor and producer Caitlin Mehner, have officially closed on Cohen's longtime West Village penthouse duplex for its full $12 million asking price, The Post has learned. The deal, which was finalized on June 26, caps a swift transaction that entered contract just over a month earlier. 11 Emmy-winning playwright and screenwriter Danny Strong and his partner, actor/producer Caitlin Mehner, have officially closed on Andy Cohen's penthouse duplex at 2 Horatio Street for its $12 million asking price. Getty Images for Prime Video The 3,500-square-foot co-op, located at 2 Horatio Street, was assembled over two decades by Cohen, the Bravo star and producer behind 'Watch What Happens Live' and 'Top Chef.' Designed by architect Gordon Kahn with interiors by Eric Hughes, the home is known for its bold use of color, sweeping views of Manhattan landmarks, and dramatic custom details — including a sculptural walnut, steel and glass staircase connecting its two levels. 11 The 3,500-square-foot West Village co-op, which overlooks Jackson Square Park, entered into contract in May after eight months on the market and initially listed for $14 million. Eytan Stern Weber, Evan Joseph Images Strong, whose musical Chess heads to Broadway this fall, called the duplex 'my dream home,' previously telling The Post, 'We are so excited to be moving there.' He and Mehner, new parents to a 7-month-old daughter, had been looking for more space to accommodate their growing family. 11 Designed by architect Gordon Kahn with interiors by Eric Hughes, the home includes a chef's kitchen, a nanny's room, and a glass-and-steel staircase leading to a home office. Eytan Stern Weber, Evan Joseph Images 11 It features 4 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, two fireplaces, and striking details like a gold-tiled bar, marble fireplaces, and a spa-like main bathroom with Empire State Building views. Eytan Stern Weber, Evan Joseph Images 11 The couple, now parents to a 7-month-old daughter, cited their growing family as a reason for the move. Eytan Stern Weber, Evan Joseph Images The purchase also marks a bit of a real estate shuffle. Strong is in contract to sell his current residence at 299 West 12th Street — the sam Emery Roth-designed building where Cohen just purchased a new penthouse for $18.21 million, The Post reported. That unit reportedly features over 2,000 square feet of outdoor space, something Cohen had long been seeking. 'Outdoor space was the decision! I always have coveted outdoor space,' Cohen told People. 'There is a dearth of inventory in the West Village with outdoor space, so when I found something that was meaningful enough for me to leave my dream apartment … that's what it took.' 11 The residence occupies 3,500 square feet. Eytan Stern Weber, Evan Joseph Images 11 Strong, who wrote 'Empire,' 'Dopesick,' and two 'Hunger Games' films, is also in contract to sell his unit at 299 W. 12th Street—ironically, the same building where Cohen just bought a new $18.21 million penthouse. Oliver Rodriguez/Shutterstock 11 The wet bar. Eytan Stern Weber, Evan Joseph Images The sale also marked a professional milestone for real estate broker and former Million Dollar Listing New York star Ryan Serhant, who shared news of the contract on Instagram back in May. 'Congrats @bravoandy,' he wrote, adding, 'Thanks for trusting me and @serhant with your home.' Serhant later told The New York Times, 'It's one of those treasures that you wait your whole career for.' Cohen had initially listed the property for $14 million in September 2024 before cutting the price by $2 million earlier this year. The duplex ultimately found a buyer after about eight months on the market. 11 A living space. Eytan Stern Weber, Evan Joseph Images 11 One of two fireplaces in the home. Eytan Stern Weber, Evan Joseph Images 11 An ensuite bathroom. Eytan Stern Weber, Evan Joseph Images Serhant and Donna Strugatz of Serhant represented the listing, while Jonathan Stein of Douglas Elliman represented Strong. Inside, the home features 4.5 bathrooms, two wood-burning fireplaces, wide-plank oak floors, and 25 windows offering views of Jackson Square Park, the Empire State Building, and the Chrysler Building. The main suite boasts a custom dressing room, a corner bath with a teak soaking tub, and a marble steam shower. Other highlights include a lacquered bar, a gold-tiled powder room, and a chef's kitchen with cobalt blue cabinetry. Strong is best known for scripting Recount, The Butler, Dopesick, and two Hunger Games films.
