Latest news with #SHOWTIME
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
American Music Awards 2025: Event date, time, host, performances, presenters, guest appearances, nominees and where to watch
The American Music Awards 2025 will take place on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26. The show celebrates music artists and is based on fan votes. This year includes well-known performers, high-profile nominees and multiple award categories. Event Date, Time and Where to Watch The 2025 AMAs will be held on May 26. The show will begin at 8 p.m. ET or 5 p.m. PT. It will air on CBS and will also be available to stream live through Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. Viewers without cable can still watch the show live with a Paramount+ premium subscription. The basic tier allows on-demand viewing after the show. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Host and Performances Jennifer Lopez will host the 2025 AMAs. She will also perform during the show. Janet Jackson will receive the Icon Award and perform. Rod Stewart will accept the Lifetime Achievement Award and will perform as well. Other artists scheduled to perform include Benson Boone, Blake Shelton, Reneé Rapp, Lainey Wilson, Gwen Stefani and Gloria Estefan. Presenters and Guest Appearances The event will include appearances by various celebrities. Presenters include Alix Earle, Cara Delevingne, Ciara, Dan + Shay, Dylan Efron, Jordan Chiles, Kai Cenat, Megan Moroney, Nikki Glaser, Shaboozey, Tiffany Haddish and Wayne Brady. These guests will present awards and introduce performances. Top Nominees Kendrick Lamar leads the list with 10 nominations. He is followed by Post Malone, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan and Shaboozey. The categories include Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year. Live Events Notable Categories and Contenders Nominees for Artist of the Year include Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, and Taylor Swift. For Album of the Year, top names include Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, and Taylor Swift. Song of the Year contenders include Benson Boone, Kendrick Lamar, and Shaboozey. Collaboration of the Year and Social Song of the Year also feature a wide range of artists. FAQs How can I watch the American Music Awards 2025 without cable? You can stream the show live with the Paramount+ premium tier or watch on CBS through a live TV provider. Who are the top nominees at the 2025 AMAs? Kendrick Lamar has 10 nominations. Other top contenders include Post Malone, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan and Shaboozey.
Mint
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
The Chi Season 7: New episodes, broadcast details and how to stream on OTT
The highly anticipated Season 7 of The Chi premiered May 16 exclusively on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME OTT. New episodes will be available to stream every Friday on the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME OTT platform, with a traditional broadcast following on SHOWTIME each Sunday starting May 18. This season, the power dynamics in Chicago's South Side are shifting. When Douda (Curtiss Cook) loses his grip on power, the women of The Chi begin rising to take back control. The show promises a high-stakes battle where loyalties are tested, rivalries ignite, and the quest for the crown comes at a dangerous price. 'There's only one crown, and it will come at a heavy cost.' Premiere Dates (Streaming on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME OTT / Airing on SHOWTIME): Episode 1, 'Black Friday' – May 16 / May 18 Episode 2, 'The Fall Out' – May 23 / May 25 Episode 3, 'More Life' – May 30 / June 1 Episode 4, 'Mother's Day' – June 6 / June 8 Episode 5, 'Safe Harbor' – June 13 / June 15 Episode 6, 'Do The Chi Thing' – June 20 / June 22 Episode 7, 'Unfinished Business' – June 27 / June 29 Episode 8, 'A Bet Is A Bet' – July 11 / July 13 Episode 9, 'Last Respects' – July 18 / July 20 Episode 10, 'Tha Block Is Hot' – July 25 / July 27 Episodes 11 ('Ready Or Not') and 12 ('Rebirth') – Premiere dates to be announced Created by Emmy-winner Lena Waithe, The Chi is a coming-of-age story set in Chicago's South Side. It follows a community of interconnected residents navigating life, love, danger, and dreams in one of America's most vibrant — and vulnerable — neighborhoods. Season 7 boasts a robust cast led by: Kadeem Hardison, Chris Lee, Brett Gray, Rotimi, Jackie Long, Jill Marie Jones, Vic Mensa, Kandi Burruss, La La Anthony, and more.
Mint
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
The Chi Season 7 returns with new episodes: Broadcast details and how to stream on OTT
The highly anticipated Season 7 of The Chi premiered May 16 exclusively on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME OTT. New episodes will be available to stream every Friday on the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME OTT platform, with a traditional broadcast following on SHOWTIME each Sunday starting May 18. This season, the power dynamics in Chicago's South Side are shifting. When Douda (Curtiss Cook) loses his grip on power, the women of The Chi begin rising to take back control. The show promises a high-stakes battle where loyalties are tested, rivalries ignite, and the quest for the crown comes at a dangerous price. 'There's only one crown, and it will come at a heavy cost.' Premiere Dates (Streaming on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME OTT / Airing on SHOWTIME): Episode 1, 'Black Friday' – May 16 / May 18 Episode 2, 'The Fall Out' – May 23 / May 25 Episode 3, 'More Life' – May 30 / June 1 Episode 4, 'Mother's Day' – June 6 / June 8 Episode 5, 'Safe Harbor' – June 13 / June 15 Episode 6, 'Do The Chi Thing' – June 20 / June 22 Episode 7, 'Unfinished Business' – June 27 / June 29 Episode 8, 'A Bet Is A Bet' – July 11 / July 13 Episode 9, 'Last Respects' – July 18 / July 20 Episode 10, 'Tha Block Is Hot' – July 25 / July 27 Episodes 11 ('Ready Or Not') and 12 ('Rebirth') – Premiere dates to be announced Created by Emmy-winner Lena Waithe, The Chi is a coming-of-age story set in Chicago's South Side. It follows a community of interconnected residents navigating life, love, danger, and dreams in one of America's most vibrant — and vulnerable — neighborhoods. Season 7 boasts a robust cast led by: Kadeem Hardison, Chris Lee, Brett Gray, Rotimi, Jackie Long, Jill Marie Jones, Vic Mensa, Kandi Burruss, La La Anthony, and more. Stream new episodes of The Chi every Friday on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, or catch them Sundays on SHOWTIME. Viewers can also try the service for free at
See - Sada Elbalad
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
French Actor Gérard Depardieu Found Guilty of Sexual Assault, Given 18-Month Suspended Prison Sentence
Yara Sameh French actor Gerard Depardieu was convicted of sexual assault against two women and received an 18-month prison sentence from a Paris court. The verdict stems from sexual assault charges filed by two women, a set decorator and an assistant director, who worked on the shoot of 'The Green Shutters' in 2021. The prosecutor had requested an 18-month suspended sentence following a four-day trial during which Depardieu refuted all accusations. Prosecutors also requested the court to fine the actor and obligate him to undergo psychological treatment, as well as have him registered in the sex offenders file. Simone Kessell as Lottie in Yellowjackets, episode 10, season 3, streaming on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, 2025. Photo Credit: Kailey Schwerman/Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. The assistant director reported in her complaint that Depardieu had touched her buttocks in the street, then touched her breasts a few days later on location and touched her buttocks again on another occasion. Depardieu, meanwhile, said 'I may have grazed it with my back in the corridor, but I didn't touch (her buttocks),' Depardieu was quoted saying in Le Monde. The set decorator has accused Depardieu of having sexually assaulted and harassed her during filming by making several crude comments. She alleges that one day, as she walked past him sitting in a corridor, he grabbed her, pulled her toward him, blocked her with his legs and kneaded her on the waist, hips and chest, while making obscene comments. But Depardieu had different version of their encounter. He said he only grabbed her hips 'so as to not slip.' As part of a separate case, the famous French actor has been, since Dec. 16, 2020, indicted over allegations of rape and sexual assault filed by actress Charlotte Arnould in 2018. Last August, the Paris public prosecutor's office requested in a final indictment that Depardieu be referred to the departmental criminal court to stand trial for rape by digital penetration and sexual assault that allegedly occurred on Aug. 7 and 13 of 2018. The examining magistrate now has to decide what direction to give to the proceedings. Depardieu, who has triggered a watershed moment for the #MeToo movement in France, was also accused by 13 women of sexually inappropriate behavior in a report published by French investigative news website Médiapart in April 2023. In spite of the accusations and verdict that Depardieu is facing, the actor was offered a role by Fanny Ardant, the well-known French actress-turned-filmmaker who took a stand for him during the trial. Ardant's film, titled 'Elle regardait sans plus rien voir,' has reportedly begun filming in Portugal last month. read more New Tourism Route To Launch in Old Cairo Ahmed El Sakka-Led Play 'Sayidati Al Jamila' to Be Staged in KSA on Dec. 6 Mandy Moore Joins Season 2 of "Dr. Death" Anthology Series Don't Miss These Movies at 44th Cairo Int'l Film Festival Today Amr Diab to Headline KSA's MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2022 Festival Arts & Culture Mai Omar Stuns in Latest Instagram Photos Arts & Culture "The Flash" to End with Season 9 Arts & Culture Ministry of Culture Organizes four day Children's Film Festival Arts & Culture Canadian PM wishes Muslims Eid-al-Adha News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers Lifestyle Pistachio and Raspberry Cheesecake Domes Recipe News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War
Boston Globe
13-05-2025
- Boston Globe
Singer Cassie set to testify in Sean ‘Diddy' Combs sex trafficking trial. Follow live updates.
pinned What to know about the trial so far: .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied The charges against Diddy: Combs has pleaded not guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. The witnesses and the evidence: The prosecution on Monday showed the jury security video of Combs beating and kicking Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016. The trial's first witness, Israel Florez, who was working hotel security at the time, testified about responding to a report of a woman in distress and witnessing Combs tell Cassie: 'You're not going to leave.' Florez said he told Combs, 'If she wants to leave, she's going to leave.' The members of the jury: Twelve jurors — eight men and four women — and six alternates were chosen just before opening statements began Monday. They include a massage therapist, an investment analyst and a deli clerk. The jurors' identities are known to the court and the prosecution and defense sides, but won't be made public. Who is Cassie? — 9:44 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Cassie, a key prosecution witness expected to testify Tuesday, met Combs in 2005 when she was 19 and he was 37. He signed her to his Bad Boy Records label and, within a few years, they started dating. Advertisement In her 2023 lawsuit, Cassie alleges Combs trapped her in a 'cycle of abuse, violence, and sex trafficking' for more than a decade, including raping her and forcing her to engage in sex acts with male sex workers. Combs settled the lawsuit the next day. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Among other things, Cassie alleges Combs raped her when she tried to leave him and often punched, kicked and beat her, causing injuries including bruises, burst lips, black eyes and bleeding. She also alleges that Combs was involved in blowing up rival rapper Kid Cudi's car when he learned Cudi was romantically interested in her, and she alleges that Combs ran out of his home with guns when he learned Suge Knight, a rival producer, was eating at a nearby diner. Model Cassie Ventura (L) and Sean "Diddy" Combs pose ringside At "Mayweather VS Pacquiao" presented by SHOWTIME PPV And HBO PPV at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 2, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Getty Images for SHOWTIME On the media's request to view sexually explicit material in the trial — 9:40 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Judge Arun Subramanian says he's inclined to grant a request by media organizations to view what a defense lawyer described as pornographic videos that will be shown to the jury as evidence in the case. Advertisement But he's giving the parties another day to make submissions on the matter. The judge says he needs to balance privacy issues of the witnesses and defendant with the rights of the public to know what's happening during the trial. The judge has taken the bench — 9:25 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press And almost immediately, the question came up of how to handle the media request to view sexually explicit exhibits. Combs' appearance in court — 9:25 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Since his September arrest, Combs has been held at a federal jail in Brooklyn. Judge Arun Subramanian has granted Combs permission to wear regular clothes in court, instead of jail garb. He is allowed up to five button-down shirts, five pairs of pants, five sweaters, five pairs of socks and two pairs of shoes without laces. On Monday, he sported a gray sweater and a white button-down shirt. Because hair dye isn't allowed in jail, his normally jet black mane is now mostly gray. Under federal court rules, no photos or video of the trial will be allowed. Courtroom sketches are permitted. Sean Diddy Combs, center, motions a heart sign to his family in attendance as he is escorted out of lock-up by US Marshals, on the first day of trial, Monday, May 12, 2025, in New York. Elizabeth Williams/Associated Press Testimony on Tuesday morning — 9:20 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Testimony will continue with the cross examination of a male stripper who says he was hired by Combs and his girlfriend — R&B singer Cassie — to have sex with Cassie while Combs watched and sometimes directed what should happen. A defense lawyer said he expects to question the witness, Daniel Phillip, for about an hour. Combs' family, including his mother and children, have arrived at court — 9:15 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied Janice Combs (L), mother of Sean Combs, arrives at at Manhattan's Federal Court in New York City on May 13, 2025. LEONARDO MUNOZ/AFP via Getty Images Phillip set to retake the stand Tuesday — 9:10 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Daniel Phillip is set to retake the stand when court reconvenes on Tuesday. Advertisement Phillip told jurors that Combs was coy about his identity when they first met in 2012 at a Manhattan hotel. The rap star wore a ball cap, obscured his face with a bandana and claimed to be in the importing and exporting industry, Phillip said. The witness testified that it wasn't until a subsequent encounter at a different hotel when Combs revealed who he was, answering the door in a suit and peacoat. Judge rejects claim that Combs was treated differently because of his race — 9:01 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press The judge presiding over the racketeering and sex trafficking trial of hip-hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs said last week there was no evidence to back up his lawyers' claim he was treated differently because of his race. Judge Arun Subramanian said Combs had shown no evidence of discriminatory effect or intent based on his race, when his lawyers made their arguments in Manhattan federal court in February. In a separate written opinion, the judge also refused to suppress evidence in the case. The lawyers had written that the prosecution was unprecedented because, 'most disturbingly, no white person has ever been the target of a remotely similar prosecution.' The judge agreed with arguments by prosecutors that the extent of criminal conduct by Combs from 2004 to 2024 — when he was alleged to have overseen a racketeering enterprise that enabled him to sexually abuse women — was enough to separate the case against him from other prosecutions. 'It's the severity of what Combs allegedly did — not his race — that mattered,' the judge wrote. Sean Diddy Combs, left, stands as his defense attorney, Teny Geragos, gives her opening statement to the jury on the first day of trial in Manhattan federal court, Monday, May 12, 2025, in New York. Elizabeth Williams/Associated Press Another topic the attorneys and the judge may discuss — 8:47 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Another possible topic for discussion between attorneys and the judge this morning could arise over an argument by media organizations that some recordings to be shown to the jury involving sexual activity should not be sealed. Advertisement The media outlets include ABC, CBS, NBC, The Associated Press, Business Insider, National Public Radio, Newsday, The New York Times, the New York Post, Reuters, New York Magazine and The Washington Post. The plan was for the jury to view the recordings, but not the public. The media outlets say a viewing of the recordings is necessary because they could play a 'central role' in determining the guilt or innocence of Combs. Lawyers for him say the sexual activity is a glimpse into the swingers lifestyle and not evidence of crimes. A lawyer for R&B singer Cassie, who's expected to testify Tuesday, opposed the media request, saying the news organizations cited no legal precedent for unsealing 'videos depicting coercive sex acts.' The allegations against Combs — 8:25 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Lawyers for the three-time Grammy winner say prosecutors are wrongly trying to make a crime out of a party-loving lifestyle that may have been indulgent, but not illegal. Prosecutors say Combs coerced women into drugged-up group sexual encounters he called 'freak-offs,' 'wild king nights' or 'hotel nights,' then kept them in line by choking, hitting, kicking and dragging them, often by the hair. The prosecutor said Combs last year brutally beat another woman — identified only as Jane — when she confronted him about enduring years of freak-offs in dark hotel rooms while he took other paramours on date nights and trips around the globe. The sex parties are central to Combs' sexual abuse, prosecutors say. Combs' company paid for the parties, held in hotel rooms across the US and overseas, and his employees staged the rooms with his preferred lighting, extra linens and lubricant, Johnson said. Combs compelled women, including Cassie, to take drugs and engage in sexual activity with male escorts while he gratified himself and sometimes recorded them, Johnson said. Advertisement The jury isn't expected in Manhattan federal court this morning until 9:30 a.m. — 8:20 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press But the lawyers are supposed to meet a half hour earlier to resolve any last-minute legal issues in advance of testimony from the government's star witness: R&B singer Cassie. She's likely to begin testifying by midday. Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, was intertwined with the hip-hop power broker for 11 years. Her lawsuit and allegations of sexual abuse in 2023 ignited the scrutiny that led to federal charges. Defense conceded Combs had violent outbursts, but say no federal crimes occurred — 8:11 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press The public knew Combs as a larger-than-life music and business mogul, but in private, he used violence and threats to coerce women into drug-fueled sexual encounters that he recorded, a prosecutor said Monday in opening statements at Combs' sex trafficking trial. 'During this trial you are going to hear about 20 years of the defendant's crimes,' Assistant US Attorney Emily Johnson told the jury. Those crimes, she said, included kidnapping, arson, drugs, sex crimes, bribery and obstruction. Combs' lawyer Teny Geragos, though, described the closely watched trial as a misguided overreach by prosecutors, saying that although her client could be violent, the government was trying to turn sex between consenting adults into a prostitution and sex trafficking case. Geragos conceded that Combs' violent outbursts, often fueled by alcohol, jealousy and drugs, might have warranted domestic violence charges, but not sex trafficking and racketeering counts. Things to know about the trial so far — 7:52 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Witnesses began testifying this week in the trial for one of the biggest music moguls and cultural figures of the past four decades. Advertisement The trial is expected to last at least eight weeks in all. Here's a look at some of the details: The witnesses: The trial's main players R&B singer Cassie set to testify in Sean 'Diddy' Combs sex trafficking trial — 7:48 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press The R&B singer Cassie could testify as soon as Tuesday in Combs' sex trafficking trial, as the Bad Boy Records founder faces charges that he orchestrated a deviant empire of exploitation that forced women into drugged-up sex parties called 'freak-offs.' Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, has been at the center of Combs' stunning downfall. She sued him in 2023, alleging years of abuse. A surveillance video made public last year showed Combs beating her at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016. CNN aired the video last year, leading Combs to apologize. The video, which was played for jurors, shows Combs wearing only a white towel, punching, kicking and dragging Cassie in a hotel hallway. Israel Florez, a former security officer at the hotel, testified Monday that he came across Combs while responding to a call about a woman in distress, and found Combs sitting in a chair with 'a devilish stare.' Florez said Combs offered him a stack of money and said 'Don't tell nobody.' Cassie Ventura, left, and Sean "Diddy" Combs appear at the premiere of "Can't Stop, Won't Stop: A Bad Boy Story" on June 21, 2017, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Chris Pizzello/Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
