Latest news with #DirtyMoney
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs trial: Judge to rethink expert witness over ‘coercive control'
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' high-profile criminal trial may take a new turn as the judge considers allowing crucial expert testimony that had been previously blocked. Combs, who is facing serious charges including sex trafficking, has pleaded not guilty. The trial began in May in Manhattan, the US. At the centre of the latest development is a request from prosecutors to let their expert talk about 'coercive control', reported USA Today. Earlier in the trial, psychologist Dr. Dawn Hughes was allowed to talk about why victims may stay in abusive relationships. However, Judge Arun Subramanian had stopped her from discussing 'coercive control' specifically. Now, prosecutors said that Hughes should be allowed to explain it fully, especially since two women, Jane and Mia, have shared deeply personal stories in court. They believe jurors need that extra context to understand how victims can end up stuck in harmful situations. Jane, an ex-girlfriend of Combs, took the stand on June 5 and described a relationship that spiralled into something she never expected. She talked about being pressured into sex with male escorts while Combs watched, filmed and often took drugs during what were described as long, intense nights. Although she sometimes reached out to the escorts herself, Jane told the court, 'I don't know,' when asked why. She also said, 'I loved him very deeply,' and 'I couldn't get away from the dynamic.' According to Jane, Combs often promised date nights but instead brought in other men, even on her birthday or during vacations. Jane also revealed that Combs still pays her rent, $10,000 a month for a home in Los Angeles and that she has no other income besides child support. 'I don't want to lose the roof over my head,' she said. Combs' defence said Jane wasn't forced into anything and was fully on board. But prosecutors are pushing back, arguing that trauma doesn't always look obvious. They pointed to the way defence lawyer Brian Steel questioned Mia, another witness, asking how she could be 'best friends' with someone who allegedly abused her. Mia's answer? 'I mean, I guess we can ask my therapist.' Prosecutors said that expert testimony is needed to explain how abuse can be mixed with kindness. To support their request, prosecutors pointed to a recent appeal in another trafficking case that involved Dr. Hughes. The court said her kind of testimony could be 'particularly important' in helping jurors understand why victims act in ways that might not seem to make sense. Judge Subramanian's upcoming ruling could decide whether the jury gets to hear the full picture, and it might end up shaping the entire outcome of the trial. A "Diddy party" refers to an extravagant, celebrity-filled party. thrown by Sean "Diddy" Combs. Diddy reportedly lost over 1 million Instagram followers amid ongoing legal issues. "Puff Daddy" was Diddy's original stage name, inspired by how he used to "huff and puff" as a child when angry. Dirty Money consisted of Diddy, Dawn Richard and Kalenna Harper.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Danity Kane's Dawn Richard Testifies in Diddy Trial, Claims He Tried to Hit Cassie With Hot Skillet
Former Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard took the stand in the trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs on Friday, May 16. Richard, 41, was sworn in late on Friday shortly before court adjourned for the day. The prosecution asked her about an alleged incident in 2009 where she saw Diddy, 55, threatening Cassie in his Los Angeles home. 'He came downstairs screaming, belligerent, asking where his food was and continued to hit her in the head and kick her on the ground in front of us,' Richard claimed, noting that she was visiting Diddy and was in the kitchen with Cassie, 38, during the alleged attack. 'He came downstairs angry and was saying, 'Where the f*** was his eggs' and he was telling Cassie she never gets anything right and where the f*** was his food,' Richard alleged. 'And he came over to the skillet with the eggs in it and tried to hit her over the head, and she fell to the ground.' Diddy Trial 1st Week Ends With Cassie Cross-Examination, Dawn Richard Testimony Richard claimed Diddy continued to beat Cassie while she was on the floor then 'proceeded to take his arm around her neck and dragged her by the hair up the stairs.' The following day, Diddy allegedly invited Richard and her Dirty Money bandmate Kalenna Harper to record with him in the studio, where he told them the attack they'd both seen was 'passion.' Richard further claimed he threatened them, saying, 'People who say something can end up missing.' After Richard finished her testimony, Diddy's attorney Marc Agnifilo asked the judge to strike it from the record, arguing that it does not support the charge of sex trafficking. The prosecution, meanwhile, has argued that Diddy's alleged abuse created a culture that allowed him to carry out more serious crimes. Richard starred on Diddy's MTV reality show Making the Band 3 from 2005 to 2006 and was a member of the girl group Danity Kane alongside Aubrey O'Day, D. Woods, Shannon Bex and Aundrea Fimbres. Days before Diddy's arrest last year, Richard filed a lawsuit accusing him of manipulating, terrorizing and sexually abusing her. She also claimed that she witnessed him physically abusing ex-girlfriend Cassie (real name Casandra Ventura). In her suit, Richard alleged that Diddy abused her by forcing her to rehearse 48 hours at a time without sleep, which led to dehydration and fatigue that caused her to develop rashes. She also claimed that he promised to advance her singing career if she complied with his demands. Diddy Sued by Former 'Making the Band' Star Sara Rivers: Every Allegation From the Show's Alums Richard further alleged that Diddy demanded she come to his home in Miami, where he appeared only wearing underwear. After she asked him to put his clothes on, Diddy allegedly yelled at her, 'This is my f***ing house!' She also claimed he touched her inappropriately after barging into her dressing room at his recording studio and once locked her in a car for two hours as she screamed for help. Richard's lawsuit included additional claims that she saw Diddy harm other people in front of her, including his late girlfriend Kim Porter in 2005. Years later, Richard claimed she saw Diddy throw Cassie against a wall before choking her in his Los Angeles home. Diddy denied Richard's allegations in a September 2024 statement shared via his attorney Erica Wolff. 'Mr. Combs is shocked and disappointed by this lawsuit. In an attempt to rewrite history, Dawn Richard has now manufactured a series of false claims all in the hopes of trying to get a payday — conveniently timed to coincide with her album release and press tour,' Wolff told Us. 'If Ms. Richard had such a negative experience with Making the Band and Danity Kane, she would not have chosen to continue working directly with Mr. Combs for Dirty Money, nor would she have returned for the Making the Band reboot in 2020 or agreed to be featured on The Love Album last year. It's unfortunate that Ms. Richard has cast their 20-year friendship aside to try and get money from him, but Mr. Combs is confidently standing on truth and looks forward to proving that in court.' Danity Kane's Dawn Richard Reacts to Diddy's Arrest and Indictment Diddy was arrested in September 2024 and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and has denied all of the allegations against him. 'We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney's Office,'Agnifilo said in a statement at the time. 'He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal. To his credit Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.' Danity Kane's Dawn Richard Sues Diddy, Accuses Him of Brutality, Sexual Abuse and Manipulation Since his arrest, Diddy has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. His four requests for bail were denied by Judge Arun Subramanian. Before Richard took the stand this week, Cassie testified for four days about her relationship with Diddy, which lasted off and on from 2007 to 2018. Cassie also filed a lawsuit against the rapper in November 2023, accusing him of physical and sexual abuse throughout their relationship. He denied her allegations at the time, and they settled the suit out of court one day later. During her testimony, Cassie revealed that they settled for $20 million. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support. If you or someone you know is a human trafficking victim, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Usher, Ne-Yo Were Present When Diddy Punched Cassie At Party, Dawn Richard Testifies
While on the witness stand Monday (May 19) in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking trial, Dawn Richard testified that the Bad Boy founder allegedly punched his artist and girlfriend at the time, Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura, while attending a star-studded dinner party in 2010. The Diddy-Dirty Money singer claims the incident took place in a restaurant where Combs and Ventura were 'quietly' arguing when Combs allegedly punched her in the stomach, causing her to double over in pain. 'She immediately bent over, he [Combs] told her to leave,' Richard testified. 'No one intervened.' Usher, Ne-Yo, record exec Jimmy Iovine and 'other celebrities' were allegedly present in the restaurant, but Richard did not testify that they directly witnessed the alleged moment of abuse. Richard added that she rode home with the couple and witnessed Cassie be assaulted again for saying Combs 'embarrassed' her. 'He grabbed her by the neck and popped her, slapped her in the mouth,' Richard testified, adding that Combs then said to Ventura, 'Shut the f**k up.' 'He would tell her he owned her,' Richard added. 'I told her he should leave. Cass looked torn. She would listen, but I could see the fear.' Richard previously recalled the evening in question in her September 2024 lawsuit against the No Way Out artist. 'In front of dinner guests, Mr. Combs hissed at Ms. Ventura in a screaming whisper and forcefully punched her in the stomach causing her to double over in visible pain, crying,' the lawsuit reads. 'Ms Clark escorted Ms. Ventura out of the restaurant and Mr. Combs remained and continued socializing with dinner guests.' Diddy's attorney Erica Wolff addressed Richard's lawsuit at the time, telling VIBE in a statement, 'Mr. Combs is shocked and disappointed by this lawsuit. In an attempt to rewrite history, Dawn Richard has now manufactured a series of false claims all in the hopes of trying to get a pay day — conveniently timed to coincide with her album release and press tour.' It continues, 'If Ms. Richard had such a negative experience with Making the Band and Danity Kane, she would not have chosen to continue working directly with Mr. Combs for Dirty Money, nor would she have returned for the Making the Band reboot in 2020 or agreed to be featured on The Love Album last year. It's unfortunate that Ms. Richard has cast their 20-year friendship aside to try and get money from him, but Mr. Combs is confidently standing on truth and looks forward to proving that in court.' More from Dawn Richard Claims Diddy Warned That "People Go Missing" For Going Against Him Misa Hylton Reacts To Backlash For Appearing At Diddy Trial: "I'm A Mother First" Cassie's Husband, Alex Fine, Calls Sean "Diddy" Combs A "Demon"
Sky News
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Pop star says Sean "Diddy" Combs threatened to kill her if she spoke about violence as Cassie's ex-best friend gives evidence
A former pop star has told a court Sean "Diddy" Combs was "frequently" violent with his ex-partner Cassie Ventura, and that he threatened her life if she spoke out about it. Dawn Richard told the jury in Manhattan federal court that Combs made the threat after she allegedly witnessed him trying to hit Cassie with an egg skillet. She said the Bad Boy Records founder told her and another woman who saw the alleged attack that "we could go missing" if they revealed details of what they saw. Richard, who was a former member of girl group Danity Kane and electric soul trio Dirty Money, said Combs would "punch [Cassie], choke her, slap her in the mouth, kick her, and punch her in the stomach". She said of the beatings: "When [Cassie] had these moments of trying to stick up for herself, [Combs] would hurt her for it." Richard also said one alleged incident took place in a West Hollywood restaurant with celebrities including Usher, Big Daddy Kane, Jimmy Iovine and Ne-yo also present. Combs, 55, 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. He denies the allegations against him. Beginning her evidence on Friday, Richard told the jury Combs would store his drugs in a Louis Vuitton pouch and said she often" saw him use "Ketamine, cocaine, molly [also known as Ecstasy]". Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial: Day 6 - As it happened During cross-examination it was suggested her story had changed over time, but Richard said she was doing her best to recall "traumatic" events from more than a decade ago. She admitted she had contacted Diddy after parting ways with his management and agreed that, despite being "scared" of him, she asked to come back to work for him. Defence lawyer Nicole Westmoreland suggested Richard was testifying because she was angry that Combs had ended Danity Kane and Diddy - Dirty Money. Ms Westmoreland asked: "You felt that Mr Combs ruined your career not once but twice?" "Yes," Richard replied. Following Richard's stint in the stand, Cassie's ex-best friend Kerry Morgan gave evidence. Morgan and Cassie had been friends for more than 17 years after meeting as young models. 'I was dizzy, I vomited' Morgan, who said Combs was prone to "mood swings" and could be "very aggressive", described two occasions she allegedly saw Combs beat Cassie. She told the court about hearing Cassie's "guttural, terrifying" screams before allegedly seeing Combs dragging her by her hair from the master bedroom. Morgan also described when Combs "choked her" leaving "finger marks" on her throat, and threw a wooden hanger at her head, leaving her with concussion. She said: "I was dizzy, I vomited a few times. I went to an urgent care facility. I hired a lawyer about the assault. I was planning on filing a lawsuit, but I did not." She told the court she received a $30,000 settlement from Combs over the alleged assault, organised by Cassie. Morgan said she and Cassie ceased to be friends after the incident, explaining: "The reason I stopped speaking to her was because she was not supportive of me after that incident. I draw my line at physical abuse." Morgan said Cassie told her she could not leave Combs because she was reliant on him for "her job, her car, her apartment". Combs 'jealous' of Michael B Jordan During Cassie's cross-examination by the defence, the court was told that Cassie was jealous of Combs's ex, Kim Porter, while Combs was jealous of actor Michael B Jordan, whom Cassie had a brief relationship with in 2015. While Morgan said she couldn't confirm whether Cassie was in a relationship with the Creed star, she confirmed: "What I remember was that she was speaking to Michael B Jordan and they hung out together and [Combs] was jealous of it." Morgan confirmed she had not wanted to appear in court, having "moved on" with her life, and had been subpoenaed to give testimony. Last on the stand was Combs's former personal assistant, David James, who described working 20-hour days for Combs at Bad Boy Records, for six or seven days, for up to three weeks at a time. James, who had also been subpoenaed, said Cassie told him she couldn't leave Combs's "crazy" world because "he controls my career, pays my allowance, and pays my rent". Combs, previously known as Puff Daddy and P Diddy, founded Bad Boy Records, and is credited with helping turn artists including Mary J Blige, Faith Evans, Notorious B.I.G. and Usher into household names in the 1990s and 2000s. Combs has been jailed since September and faces at least 15 years or possibly life in prison if convicted.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Five takeaways from Dawn Richard's testimony in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' trial
NEW YORK — After Cassie Ventura's graphic testimony last week in the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial, new details are emerging from another witness, Danity Kane's Dawn Richard. The 'Making the Band' alum took the stand on Friday and Monday to testify against her ex-boss, revealing threats from Combs, violence she observed and other celebrities who also witnessed assaults. Here are the biggest takeaways from Richard's testimony: Dawn Richard, who was introduced to Combs as a contestant on his MTV music competition series 'Making The Band,' was chosen to be a member of his girl group Danity Kane, which formed in 2004. After the group broke up, Diddy went on to form another band called Dirty Money in 2009 that included himself, Richard and singer Kalenna Harper. Richard and Ventura were both artists signed to Combs' Bad Boy Records label. 'Frequently, he would punch her, choke her, slap her in the mouth, kick her, punch her in the stomach,' Richard told jurors. 'It could be because Cassie was speaking up for herself. It could be random. It could be if she had an opinion for herself.' Richard continued: 'She would be quiet and when she had these moments of trying to stick up for herself, he would hurt her for it.' Richard started her testimony recalling a 2009 incident she witnessed when Combs tried to hit Ventura with a hot frying pan. 'He came downstairs angry and was saying, where the f–k was his eggs and he was telling Cassie she never gets anything right and where the f–k was his food,' Richard said in court. 'And he came over to the skillet with the eggs in it and tried to hit her over the head and she fell to the ground.' Richard says Ventura immediately 'went into the fetal position and was 'literally trying to hide her head.' When asked why she didn't call the police, Richard said, 'I was scared for her and scared to do anything. I had never seen anything like that before.' Richard also claimed multiple members of Combs' staff, including bodyguards, were present to witness him physically abuse Ventura, but 'they wouldn't react' or 'do anything.' The 41-year-old singer says she witnessed another incident in 2010 where Combs beat and punched Ventura in front of several celebrities at a restaurant. 'She immediately bent over, he told her to leave,' she testified. Among the celebrities Richard recalls being in the room that day were Usher, Ne-Yo and Jimmy Iovine. 'No one intervened.' Richard says, after witnessing several incidents of Combs' violence towards Cassie, she encouraged her to walk away from the music mogul. 'I told her she should leave.' She testified that Combs warned her to stay out of their relationship. Richard told jurors the hip-hop mogul threatened her life to keep her quiet about the violence she witnessed. 'He said, 'You could go missing.'' When asked what she thought he meant by that, Richard responded, 'That people could die.' 'I was shocked but also scared, I couldn't believe this would be the beginning of a journey for us.' Days before Combs' arrest last year, Richard sued Combs in a lawsuit of her own accusing him of sexual abuse.
