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USA Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Cassie, Michael B. Jordan relationship takes center stage in Diddy trial
Cassie, Michael B. Jordan relationship takes center stage in Diddy trial Show Caption Hide Caption Former stylist for Cassie testifies of more alleged abuse by Combs Deonte Nash, a friend and stylist of Cassie Ventura Fine, testified in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal trial of more alleged abuse by Combs against Fine. As the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs stretched into its fourth week, the web of high-profile celebrities name-dropped from the witness stand grew. Deonte Nash, Cassandra "Cassie" Ventura Fine's longtime stylist, took the stand again on Thursday, May 29, to chronicle his friendship with both Ventura Fine and Combs, and to testify to any abuse he witnessed. During cross-examination, Combs' attorney Xavier Donaldson asked Nash about being at the Revolt Conference in Miami in 2015 to style Lil Kim while Ventura Fine was shooting a movie in South Africa. Unprompted, Nash jumped in, saying, "Yes, I did hook her up with Michael B. Jordan. I know where you're going with this." Smiling, he clarified that Ventura Fine was "somewhat" pursuing Jordan, and that they were "dating, talking and getting to know each other." Mia, an ex-assistant of Combs going by a pseudonym who also began testifying Thursday, helped with the set-up, Nash said. Former Diddy assistant Mia says he sexually assaulted her, threw her in a pool: Live updates When defense lawyers began painting the setup as a consolation prize after Ventura Fine had discovered Combs was out with another woman, Nash pushed back. "Uh, uh, uh. That's not how that happened," he told the court, according to ABC. The courtroom moment falls into a pattern as Ventura Fine's relationships with other men come under a microscope. Both prosecutors and defense appear interested in discussing her romantic involvements outside of Combs, whom she dated on and off for 10 years. She and others have testified to jealousy and violence on the part of Combs when he felt Ventura Fine was seeing other men. Witnesses say Sean 'Diddy' Combs broke the law for decades. Why didn't they say anything? Jordan's name appeared on a list of other celebrities shown to potential jurors before opening arguments aimed at filtering out those who might have strong opinions on any of the A-listers mentioned. Also included on the list was Kid Cudi, whom Ventura Fine also briefly dated, and who has testified that he believes Combs broke into his house and set his car on fire as a result of the relationship. Earlier in the trial, Ventura Fine, who is a key witness for the prosecution, touched on her connection to Jordan, revealing that Combs had suspected she was in a relationship with the actor after the pair broke up in 2015. At the time of their split, she was filming "Honey 3: Dare to Dance" in South Africa. Asked about Combs' reaction to an alleged relationship with Jordan, Ventura Fine said she "wasn't there to see it," according to NBC News, but added that he had attempted to get in contact with her. Kerry Morgan testifies on Diddy, Cassie and Michael B. Jordan During cross-examination earlier this month, Kerry Morgan, a former friend of Ventura's, was asked by defense attorney Marc Agnifilo whether Combs was jealous of Jordan. Morgan said Ventura Fine began talking to Jordan shortly before a two-month trip to South Africa. "They were not together, and (Combs) was jealous," Morgan explained. "She was trying to leave him." Obama, Britney Spears, Michael B. Jordan All the celebs mentioned during the Diddy trial Deonte Nash talks Cassie's relationships with NFL players Defense lawyers, burrowing in on Ventura Fine's romantic history, asked Nash about her relationship with former NFL linebacker Andre Branch. "Oh, the cute football player?" he said, seemingly confirming the attachment. He was then asked whether Ventura Fine dated someone named Brandon in the NFL, to which he responded that he did not have details to share. Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, Jay Stahl
USA Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Cleveland native Kid Cudi testifies in Diddy trial, alleges Combs blew up his Porsche
Cleveland native Kid Cudi testifies in Diddy trial, alleges Combs blew up his Porsche Kid Cudi, a Cleveland native, dated Diddy's ex, Cassie Ventura Fine, briefly in 2011. Show Caption Hide Caption Sean Combs' former personal assistant testifies in Diddy trial George Kaplan, Sean Combs' former personal assistant, testified about his work relationship with the embattled hip-hop mogul. Rapper Kid Cudi testified in Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex-crimes trial, alleging Combs broke into his home and locked his dog in a bathroom after learning Cudi was dating Cassie Ventura Fine. Cudi also alleges Combs was responsible for firebombing with his car with a Molotov Cocktail after the home break-in incident. Combs is facing charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution, to which he has pleaded not guilty. Testimony also included details of a raid on Combs' Miami mansion where drugs, weapons, baby oil, and lubricant were found. This story contains graphic descriptions that some readers may find disturbing. Rapper Kid Cudi took the stand in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal sex-crimes trial, leveling bombshell allegations that Combs broke into his home and locked his dog in a bathroom – and that his vehicle blew up in another incident – after the embattled mogul found out he was dating Cassie Ventura Fine. The rapper, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, dated Ventura Fine briefly in 2011. But she told the court last week that when Combs learned of their relationship, he lunged at her with a corkscrew and kicked her in the back. On May 22, jurors heard Mescudi's recollection of Combs' alleged abuse. The incidents are just some of the violent acts prosecutors say Combs undertook during a 20-year scheme to coerce women, including Ventura Fine, to take part in drug-fueled sex parties known as "freak offs" and prevent them from leaving his orbit. Jurors also heard from George Kaplan, a former assistant who alleged he saw Combs physically abuse multiple women during his time working for the rapper. Mylan Morales, a celebrity makeup artist, also told the court she saw injuries on Ventura Fine. Combs, 55, was arrested in September 2024 and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty. Former makeup artist for Cassie recalls fight with Diddy Following Mescudi's testimony, Morales, a celebrity makeup artist who worked for both Combs and Ventura Fine, recalled a violent January 2010 incident. Morales remembered falling asleep on a couch in a suite at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where she was staying with Ventura Fine the weekend of the Grammy Awards. She woke up when Ventura Fine entered the hotel room, and Combs later burst in and demanded to know where Ventura Fine was. He went into the bedroom and shut the door, and Morales told jurors she heard 'yelling and screaming.' 'I was just frantic and I didn't know what to do,' Morales said, adding Combs then opened the door and stormed out. She didn't see any injuries on Combs, but she said Ventura Fine 'had a swollen eye, and a busted lip, and knots on her head.' She said Ventura Fine seemed 'distraught, upset' but refused to go to a hospital. 'I feared for my life because if he could do that to her...' Morales said, before Combs' lawyers interrupted with an objection, protesting that she was going to speculate on what Combs might do to her. Asked why she didn't call the police, Morales reiterated that she feared for her life, and she never spoke about the incident with Combs or Ventura Fine. Kid Cudi's dog at center of debate between lawyers One strange delay in Combs' daily legal proceedings: There was a long exchange between prosecutors and defense lawyers about Mescudi's dog. The defense wanted to make sure that Mescudi didn't testify about the long-term effects the alleged break-in may have had on the dog or how the dog might have been 'traumatized.' 'There might be some dog lovers on the jury,' defense lawyer Brian Steel explained, adding jokingly 'He's not going to testify about what the dog thought …it's a serious issue.' Combs laughed at exchange, and the lawyers agreed there would be no testimony about how the dog's apparent emotions, but prosecutors could ask about the immediate effects after the break-in. Kid Cudi calls Diddy 'violent' The rapper was calm throughout his testimony, at times even quippy and sarcastic. 'Why did you have safety concerns?' Mescudi was asked by Combs' attorneys about his relationship with Ventura Fine, to which hit back 'Because I knew Sean Combs was violent.' Mescudi described a meeting he had with Combs and Ventura Fine at a private members club known as SoHo house after discovering his car had exploded. Combs said he had no knowledge of the damage, and Mescudi said he felt now and at the time that Diddy 'was lying.' During a long sidebar among lawyers in the courtroom over Mescudi's comments about his dog, the musician sat with his lips pursed, and appeared to grab his knees, letting out a long sigh. Combs had his hands clasped together and was resting his chin in them, staring forward and not making eye contact with Mescudi. Kid Cudi pressed on break-in claims, Cassie break-up During cross-examination, Mescudi said he left his door unlocked the day of the alleged break-in and that there was no forced entry or damage to furniture, just opened Christmas gifts and his dog in the bathroom. He confirmed that Combs was calm on the phone when they spoke after the alleged incident, not cursing at or threatening him. Asked whether he thought Combs would return to his home with a firearm, Mescudi said 'at that point I didn't know. Maybe he would … This crossed a line.' Asked about Ventura Fine's reaction to the alleged break in, Mescudi said his one-time girlfriend was 'just really shook by the circumstance of him finding out about us,' he said. Mescudi confirmed that Ventura Fine had told him about Combs' alleged physical abuse, 'that he would hit her, sometimes kick her.' When asked whether he was in love with her, Mescudi said 'yeah.' 'Ms. Ventura was leading two different lives,' defense lawyer Brian Steel said, to which Combs gave a slight nod. "She played you. That's your words," Steel said, implying that Ventura Fine had made both Combs and Mescudi believe they were the only person she was seeing. Mescudi nodded and said yes. When asked about their breakup, Mescudi said they ended things because of 'the drama.' 'It was just getting out of hand' he said, adding he 'just wanted to give it some space, for my safety and for her safety.' Kid Cudi gives soft-spoken testimony as Diddy sits stoic Mescudi's testimony was mostly soft-spoken as he recalled a brief courtship with Ventura Fine – and the alleged ire it drew from Combs. Mescudi didn't appear affected by the packed courtroom and frequently asked the prosecution to repeat questions. Kid Cudi did quip back at Combs' attorneys during his cross-examination. One lawyer asked whether Mescudi and Cassie had an "intimate relationship" and said they did everything together. That included hiking, to which Mescudi retorted, "Exercised? No, no. We watched a movie or two." Steel said they did drugs together, and Mescudi responded with a mocking, puzzled expression. "When you say drugs, what do you mean?" he asked, adding "we smoked some weed, yeah." Combs, sitting at the defense table, appeared unphased by Mescudi's testimony, staring forward and not reacting to the fellow rapper's statements. He briefly looked at the photos of the car show to the jury and at one point held his hand up to his mouth, appearing to yawn. Kid Cudi recalls home break-in after Combs learned of Cassie relationship Mescudi testified that Combs broke into his home after learning of his relationship with Ventura Fine. The "Pursuit of Happiness" rapper said the incident started after he received a call in December 2011 from Ventura Fine, who sounded 'scared' and told him Combs had found out about them. 'I didn't think she was still dealing with him,' Mescudi said, adding that he picked up Ventura Fine and took her to a hotel because he wanted to make sure she was safe. Later in the day, Mescudi said he received a call from Combs' former assistant Capricorn Clark saying the rapper was inside Mescudi's Los Angeles house. Mescudi said he began driving to his home and called Combs on the way, asking if he was inside. Combs, who sounded 'calm,' responded that he was waiting for Mescudi to arrive and that he wanted to speak to him. Mescudi said that when he arrived at his home his home, no one was inside. But his dog was locked up in the bathroom, whereas Mescudi normally lets his dog roam around the house freely. Some gifts he received from the luxury brand Chanel had also been opened. The rapper told the court he reacted to the alleged break in by getting back in his car and calling Combs again because he wanted to 'confront' and 'fight him.' Combs said he was willing to meet with Mescudi, but after Mescudi reconsidered 'the gravity of the situation,' he decided against it. 'I didn't know who he was with,' he said. 'I didn't know what his intentions were.' Mescudi said he called the police and made a report. After the incident, he also said he saw changes in his dog's behavior, as the animal became "jittery and on edge all the time." Kid Cudi alleges Diddy blew up his car with Molotov Cocktail In January 2012, Mescudi said he got a call from his dogsitter saying that his car was on fire. Mescudi told the court that by the time he returned home, law enforcement officers were on the scene and he saw a Molotov cocktail and the major damage to his vehicle. Jurors were then shown photos of the destroyed Porsche. There was a large hole in the roof of the car, and smoke damage on the car doors and interiors. The testimony is setting the stage for an expected argument that Combs orchestrated the explosion. The incident came weeks after Mescudi said he went to Connecticut with Ventura Fine to visit her family for Christmas. During that time, Combs texted him a couple times, wanting to speak and 'get to the bottom of it.' Combs had he was 'in the dark' about his relationship with Ventura Fine, but Mescudi responded: 'You broke into my house. You messed with my dog. I don't really wanna talk to you.' What did Cassie say about Kid Cudi relationship? Cassie testified that she dated Kid Cudi for a "brief period" in 2011. She said she got a burner phone for calling Mescudi so Combs wouldn't find out about the relationship. However, Combs did discover it when he looked through her phone during an alleged freak off. She said he then lunged at her with a wine bottle opener. The opener didn't hit her, and she ran off. Ventura Fine later went to Combs' house to resolve things. She testified that he was "irate" and threatened to release freak off videos of her. He also allegedly kicked her in the back on her way out, leaving a bruise. Ventura Fine later sent an email to her mother and an assistant of Combs, Capricorn Clark, saying Combs threatened to release two "explicit sex tapes" of her, one on Christmas Day and the second soon after. She said Combs also told her he would have someone else physically hurt both her and Mescudi while he was out of the country. Cassie testified that she broke off the relationship with Kid Cudi because it was too dangerous to continue given Diddy's threat to hurt them. Former Combs assistant testifies he saw Diddy abuse Cassie George Kaplan, a former assistant for Combs, testified that he witnessed Combs physically abuse Ventura Fine while they were all traveling to Las Vegas on a plane. He recalled hearing glass break and shatter during the flight and looking back to see Combs standing over Ventura Fine, holding a whisky glass above her. Ventura Fine was on her back with her legs up, trying to create space, and Combs was 'angry,' he said. There was a 'tremendous commotion,' Kaplan testified, and Ventura Fine screamed, 'Isn't anybody seeing this?' Kaplan said no one on the plane did anything to help her, adding that he personally did not intervene because he feared checking on Ventura Fine would jeopardize his career. In another instance in 2015, Kaplan said he walked into the bedroom at Combs' home and found Ventura Fine lying on the bed crying, appearing to have a bruise above her right eye. Kaplan said Combs 'asked me to pick up several over-the-counter lotions,' including witch hazel, which Kaplan later learned they used to create an anti-swelling mixture. Kaplan said he resigned at the end of 2015 because he wasn't 'comfortable or aligned with the physical behavior I had seen' and felt guilty about covering up alleged abuse. Kaplan recalls alleged abuse of model Gina Huynh Kaplan also recalled an incident at Combs' Miami house where the rapper "threw a bunch of green apples" at model Gina Huynh. The apples were in a decorative bowl displayed near the entrance of the house. Combs was "very angry," Kaplan said, throwing the apples "hard" as Huynh was "trying to shield herself." Despite seeing the violence, Kaplan said he left and assumed the behavior was normal for the entertainment industry. The same night, Kaplan said he heard a commotion near the front gate of the home between Huynh and other male voices who were screaming. Huynh reportedly dated Combs on-and-off during the late 2010s. Former Diddy assistant says he 'desperately did not want' to testify The court saw a text message that Kaplan sent to Combs in 2018 that featured a photo of Kim Porter on horseback on a beach. The text read: 'No possible words rn. I am so so sorry and sending all of my condolences. Please hang in there. Love you.' Porter was Combs' on-and-off partner from the 1990s into the 2000s. She died in 2018 of pneumonia, and she's the mother of four of Combs' seven children. When asked how Porter compared to other girlfriends, such as Ventura Fine, Kaplan said, 'she was a special figure to him,' and 'she was vaunted above' the title of mere girlfriend. Kaplan praised Combs' children to the jurors and repeatedly spoke highly of the professional opportunities the rapper gave him in his former role. Still, he said, he only showed up to the courtroom because he was subpoenaed by federal officials. 'I desperately did not want to come here,' he said, and he and Combs nodded to each other as he walked by on this way out. Who is Kid Cudi? Cudi is an award-winning rapper from Cleveland, Ohio, who has released 10 studio albums, beginning with his 2009 debut "Man on the Moon: The End of Day." He has been nominated for five Grammy Awards. He's 41 years old. Outside of his music career, Cudi has also acted in films like "X" and "Silent Night" and shows like "Westworld" and "Knuckles." Does Kid Cudi have a wife? Cudi is not married, but he announced his engagement to menswear designer Lola Abecassis Sartore in November. Why is Diddy on trial? Combs is facing federal sex-crimes and trafficking charges in a sprawling lawsuit that has eroded his status as a power player and kingmaker in the entertainment industry. He was arrested in September 2024 and has been charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all five counts. What is racketeering? 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 claim they have video of. Where can I watch the Diddy trial? 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. Contributing: USA TODAY staff; Reuters 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 1-800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cassie alleges Diddy assaulted and threatened her over Kid Cudi relationship
Kid Cudi's relationship with Sean "Diddy" Combs' former girlfriend Cassie took center stage during Combs' ongoing criminal trial. Casandra "Cassie" Ventura Fine, who serves as one of the government's key witnesses in Combs' federal sex-crimes case, testified in Manhattan court on May 14 that her romance with Cudi (real name: Scott Mescudi) angered Combs and sparked a violent outburst. Cudi was first mentioned in Ventura Fine's bombshell 2023 civil lawsuit against Combs, with Cassie citing an alleged incident in which Combs threatened to "blow up" the rapper's vehicle, seemingly in retaliation for his relationship with Ventura Fine. Ventura Fine, who'd been dating the hip-mogul since she was 19, said in court that she began seeing Cudi in 2011 after their professional relationship turned romantic. She did not disclose the relationship to Combs at the time. During a "freak off" — a type of party featuring sexual performances that Combs has been accused of orchestrating — Combs discovered Ventura Fine's relationship with Cudi after going through her phone and seeing emails between Cassie and Combs' assistant, Capricorn Clark, that detailed plans to bring Ventura Fine's toiletry bag to Cudi's house the following day. Per Ventura Fine's account, Combs became angry and lunged at Cassie with a wine bottle opener between his fingers, but she said she managed to escape and went to another hotel, where she contacted Cudi using a burner phone. During a conversation with Combs following the alleged incident, Ventura Fine testified she wanted to "resolve" the conflict, but the rapper was "irate, so angry." She added that Combs threatened that he was "going to hurt Scott and I," including releasing explicit "freak off" videos that featured her. While exiting Combs' home, Ventura Fine said Combs kicked her in the back, causing her to fall to the floor. She claimed she sustained a "large bruise" as a result of Combs' violence. Additionally, when she returned to her hotel room, Cassie said she found urine on the floor, knocked over furniture and a toilet full of excrement. The court was shown large photos of the bruises Ventura Fine had on her lower back and thigh, taken not long after the alleged incident. Diddy on Trial newsletter: Step inside the courtroom with USA TODAY as Sean 'Diddy' Combs faces sex crimes and trafficking charges. Subscribe to the newsletter If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: (4673) and and en Español Contributing: Patrick Ryan, KiMi Robinson and Jay Stahl, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cassie, Kid Cudi: Singer says relationship angered Diddy
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Diddy trial replay: Cassie says she felt suicidal over Sean Combs' alleged abuse, rape
Editor's note: This page reflects the news from Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial on Wednesday, May 14. For the latest updates from Diddy's trial, read USA TODAY's live coverage for Thursday, May 15. This story contains graphic descriptions that some readers may find disturbing. Casandra Ventura Fine testified for the second day in a row about the alleged sexual, physical and psychological abuse she endured at the hands of former partner Sean "Diddy" Combs. Ventura Fine said Combs repeatedly threatened to release videos of her participating in his alleged drug-fueled "freak offs." She said on the stand: "He said that it would ruin everything that I had worked for, that it would make me look like a slut. That I would be shamed." Last May, a 2016 hotel surveillance video exclusively shared by CNN showed Combs kicking, hitting and dragging Ventura Fine – better known as Cassie, the hitmaker behind the song "Me & U." Now, as Combs, 55, faces charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution, Ventura Fine, 38, is confronting him in court as the prosecution's star witness. Combs has pleaded not guilty. Ventura Fine in court testified that in early 2023, around the time before she went to rehab for opioid addiction and began trauma therapy, she experienced suicidal ideation. "I was spinning out" at the time, Ventura Fine testified, "I didn't want to be alive anymore at that point." She recalled a time when she went home to her husband Alex Fine and children, "I remember telling him, 'You can do this without me.'" Ventura Fine said during testimony that it all just felt "too painful" and that "I tried walking out the door into traffic and my husband wouldn't let me." Diddy on trial newsletter: Step inside the courtroom as music mogul faces sex-crimes and trafficking charges. Another major revelation came from 2018, after Cassie and Combs were no longer together and she had started dating her now-husband, Alex Fine. She said she and Combs met up for dinner, during which he was friendly and kind. Afterward, he drove her back to her home and walked her inside. "And then he raped me in my living room" Cassie alleged. She said she cried and told him "no" during the alleged rape. Prosecutors asked how she felt in that moment: 'It was like someone taking something from you.' Jurors were shown an email that Ventura Fine sent on Dec. 23, 2011, to her mother and Combs' assistant Capricorn Clark. Ventura Fine said Combs had threatened to "release two explicit tapes of me," sharing one tape two days later on Christmas Day and the other at a later date. Ventura Fine said he also vowed to hurt both her and rapper Kid Cudi, but not with his hands, and that he would be out of the country when it happened. The court saw photos of the large bruises she had on her lower back and thigh, taken at the time. Ventura Fine had returned home to Connecticut to visit her mom for Christmas. She told her mom the bruises were from the first time Combs had assaulted her, even though the assaults had been going on for years. "I was terrified (to tell her mom)," Ventura Fine testified to jurors. "It's not normal, constantly being bruised up by the person you love." Ventura Fine's 2023 lawsuit against Combs accused the hip-hop mogul of threatening to blow up Cudi's car. The lawsuit was settled for $20 million, paid by Combs and his companies. Mescudi came to visit Ventura Fine in Connecticut, but she broke off their relationship because she said it was too dangerous to continue, given Combs' alleged threat to hurt them. Cassie testified about her brief relationship with rapper Kid Cudi in 2011, which began after they started working together on music. Ventura Fine said she didn't initially tell Combs about Kid Cudi, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, but Combs went through her phone during a "freak off" and found out about the relationship. He allegedly became enraged after he saw emails, lunging at Cassie with a wine bottle opener between his fingers, she testified. However, she said she managed to escape and went to another hotel where she contacted Cudi using a burner phone. As she left Combs' house, Cassie testified that he "kicked me in the back on my way out, and I fell to the floor." When she got back to her hotel room, someone had urinated on the floor, knocked over the furniture and defecated in the toilet without flushing it. "It was disgusting," she said. Ventura Fine alleged that, during a trip to Cannes during their relationship, Combs kicked her off a boat and accused her of taking drugs from him. Combs subsequently sat next to her at a movie premiere at the famed film festival in the French city and allegedly squeezed her legs in a painful manner. On the flight back to New York, Ventura Fine said Combs played "freak off" videos, which she thought she had deleted, in front of other people. "I just felt trapped," Ventura Fine said of being shown the footage. Prosecutors displayed a text thread in which Ventura Fine attempted to reel in the alleged "freak offs" with Combs. Relaying to Combs that many of the typical escorts they hired were unavailable, she told the music mogul that he was the only person she wanted to have intercourse with during their relationship. Combs pushed forward by booking a new escort, despite concerns from Ventura Fine. "It's just one more person knowing our secret," she wrote. Some of the texts discussed Valium, which she testified she would take if she had anxiety. In the same text exchange, she told Combs he was an extraordinary man and that she couldn't wait until they had a baby of their own, while wishing him a happy Father's Day. The message was "completely separate" from the prior "freak off" texts, Ventura Fine said. She also texted Combs that "nothing good comes out of (freak offs) anymore." She told him "you treat me like Ike Turner," by which she said meant he was abusive and controlling. "As much as I was built up, I was put down quite a bit," Ventura Fine testified. More: Who's on the Sean Combs' freak-off jury and what did Diddy do? What we know now Ventura Fine also testified about an August 2017 incident, telling the court that while preparing to go to the OVO Music Festival, two friends, identified as Mia and Deonte, witnessed Combs enter her room and attack her in her sleep. Deonte and Mia jumped on Combs' back, and he threw her into the bed frame, Ventura Fine said, which caused a gash on her eyebrow. The court then saw a photo of her face with the gash and some blood. Combs had a plastic surgeon whom Ventura Fine went to after the incident, she said, revealing she had a permanent scar on her eyebrow. In texts shown to the jury, Ventura Fine sent Combs a photo of the gash and wrote: "So you can remember." Combs replied that Ventura Fine didn't know when to stop during arguments, and she wrote back that she didn't know what she'd done to deserve it. Ventura Fine described the medical issues she would suffer from after a "freak off," including sores on her mouth, stomach problems and frequent, "very painful" urinary tract infections. She said Combs was aware that she would get UTIs, and it got to the point where the antibiotics she used to treat them no longer worked. Cassie also said that after a "freak off," she and Combs would receive IV fluids, massages and food to recover. She also used opiates after the sessions, and she said she was previously addicted to the drugs. Asked about going to sex clubs, venues allegedly frequented by Combs where multiple people have sex, Ventura Fine said: "I was always terrified and would drink quite a bit." At times, she and Combs would go with escorts, including one named Jules. While she said she didn't want to have sex with him, she called the escort "a safe place" for her among the "freak offs." Ventura Fine said she would drink alcohol and take various drugs for sex clubs, including ecstasy, MDMA and GHB. The venues were confusing for her, she said, revealing she was clouded by the drugs at that point. Testifying that she "was vocal" about not wanting to go, Ventura Fine said Combs would try to turn the energy around, becoming playful instead of scary, pushing her to go by saying it would be "a fun thing to do," and that they wouldn't go for long periods. The court on May 13 saw a report from Israel Florez, a former security guard who was working at the hotel at the time of the 2016 assault in Los Angeles. Florez detailed being called up to the sixth floor and finding Combs in just a towel, alongside Ventura Fine. Surveying the damage, Florez said he recognized Combs and advised him to respect Ventura Fine and return to his room. Combs began yelling at her before allegedly offering him a stack of cash as a bribe, saying: "you take care of this and I take care of you." Florez said he then helped escort Ventura Fine downstairs, but requested she stand by in case they needed to ask more questions. However, by the time he returned from his manager's office, she had left. Ventura Fine, who testified for over four hours on May 13, strolled confidently into the courtroom clad in a light gray dress and jacket. After sitting down, she took a sip from a water bottle and touched up her lipstick with a tissue before taking off her jacket and flipping her hair forward over her shoulders. As she rewatched the video of Combs dragging her down a hotel hallway, footage that has become central to the trial, she spoke quietly and sometimes trailed off at the end of her sentences. Still, she remained calm and composed during her testimony. Ventura Fine testified that she did not fight back when Combs hit her at the InterContinental Hotel in 2016. She said that she fought back earlier in the relationship but learned that doing so "would make it worse for myself." Fighting back would make Combs "stronger and want to push me harder," Ventura Fine added. Ventura Fine also told the jury that the first instance of physical violence in her relationship with Combs occurred around 2007 or 2008. She recalled that they were eating at a restaurant with a group of people, and she saw Combs briefly flirting with someone else. Afterwards, in their vehicle, 'he just shook me up and scared me quite a bit,' she alleged. 'I was just shocked,' she added, noting that security was there. In a later incident, Ventura Fine said that she punched Combs in the face after he called her a slut, which was the first time she recalls hitting him. Combs allegedly responded by attacking her and stomping on her face. Ventura Fine claimed Combs tried to break into her apartment after the violent 2016 incident, saying she heard "chaos outside the door," with kicking, banging and Combs' voice yelling. He was unable to get inside. She later went to Combs' security guard D-Roc's house, who, along with his wife, she said, always made her "feel safe." The same night, Ventura Fine claimed she went to Diddy's house to get fitted for the premiere of her movie "The Perfect Match." The jury was shown a photo taken in Combs' bedroom of her wearing her premiere gown and large sunglasses "to cover up my eye," she said, explaining "I got hit in the face." The jury was then shown a red carpet photo where a bruise was visible on Ventura Fine's shoulder and another of her at the afterparty where, now in a shorter dress, a bruise on her right shin was visible. Cassie returned to the witness stand and testified about Combs kicking, hitting and dragging her across a hallway floor in a violent 2016 incident at the now-closed luxury InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles. After Ventura Fine left the hotel, Combs sent a series of texts to her including "call me," "yo pls call me," "call me for my kids" and "help." The court was also shown a selfie that Cassie took in an Uber on her way back to her apartment from the hotel. Federal prosecutors asked her to describe the photo, and she said it was "a selfie of my fat lip." In the selfie, Cassie had large sunglasses on and she said, "I had a black eye underneath. I was trying to cover it." Cassie said she wasn't sure if police ever showed up to the hotel, but she didn't care – she just wanted to be home. In more texts with Combs, she wrote "I have a premiere on Monday for the biggest thing of my life" in reference to a movie premiere she had. Cassie starred alongside friend Terrence J in "The Perfect Match" around the time the footage was taken. Several members of the embattled rap mogul's family, including his adult children, have turned out to in New York this week as his criminal trial gets underway. From stepson Quincy Brown to Combs' biological sons and daughters and former partners, here's a look at his loved ones who have been spotted at the courthouse. Barbs flew in a tense exchange between defense attorneys and prosecutors before testimony began May 14. Prosecutors said the defense had not finished submitting all their marked evidence, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey arguing, "Our goal is for this not to be a trial by ambush." "I want all of the exhibits, and I want them now," she said, clarifying that she meant that not just for Ventura Fine, but for all of the witnesses. The judge called for a "ceasefire," but he also scolded Comey. "This is being raised while the jury is literally sitting in the box," Subramanian said, adding the matter should have been handled three weeks ago. Sean 'Diddy' Combs could lose his freedom – and his vast empire of mansions, art and cars Before the jury entered the courtroom May 13, Combs' defense team attempted to prevent Cassie's husband, Alex Fine, from being present for witness testimony. One of the embattled mogul's lawyers, Teny Geragos, said they may call him as a witness. Ultimately, he was let inside the courtroom for support. 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 claim they have video of. 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. This article discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at If you or someone you know is struggling with mental and/or substance use disorders, you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's free and confidential treatment referral and information service at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). It's available 24/7 in English and Spanish (TTY: 1-800-487-4889). If you are a survivor of sexual assault, RAINNoffers support through the National Sexual Assault Hotline at (4673) and and en Español Contributing: Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Diddy trial: Cassie says Sean Combs attacked her over Kid Cudi
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Diddy trial recap: Cassie's mom said she wired Diddy $20K, was sick over alleged threats
This page reflects the news from Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial on Tuesday, May 20. For the latest updates from Diddy's trial, read USA TODAY's live coverage for Tuesday, May 21. This story contains graphic descriptions that some readers may find disturbing. A stream of witnesses in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal sex-crimes trial gave emotional testimony on the one-time mogul's alleged physical, sexual and emotional abuse as prosecutors lay out their case. Regina Ventura, the mother of Combs' ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura Fine, told the court on May 20 she was "physically sick" over the rapper's alleged abuse and said she was once pressured to send him $20,000 after he raged at her daughter. "I was scared for my daughter's safety," Ventura told jurors. David James, who worked for Combs from 2007 to 2009, also took the stand on May 20, telling the court he feared for his life in one intense incident. James came face-to-face with Suge Knight at a Los Angeles restaurant, and when Combs found out, he and a group of men allegedly tried to find Diddy's longtime music rival while armed with multiple guns. Diddy on trial newsletter: Step inside the courtroom as music mogul faces sex-crimes charges Scott Mescudi, better known as rapper Kid Cudi, is also expected to take the stand this week. Combs allegedly threatened the musician after he and Ventura Fine dated briefly over a decade ago. Combs, 55, was arrested in September 2024 on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Homeland Security Special Agent Gerard Gannon, the final witness of the day, told the court that on March 24, 2024, he was part of a team that searched of Combs' Miami mansion. Nearly 90 agents were involved in the search, which happened while Combs and his family were not in the home. Gannon said law enforcement found the upper receivers of AR-15 weapons, as well as gun magazines. Agents also found sex toys, lubricant and baby oil in the home, all parts of the alleged drug-fueled freak offs Combs conducted for years. Sharay Hayes, a 51-year-old former exotic dancer who went by the nickname "The Punisher," took the stand after Cassie's mother. Hayes said he was hired to have sex with Ventura Fine in New York every few months, sometimes for multiple days at a time. Combs would often give directions, he said, and Ventura Fine was once visibly startled after Combs dropped a stack of money onto the bed during an encounter. After the two allegedly had sex, Combs would then go to another room, and Ventura Fine would follow, Hayes said. When she returned in a bathrobe, Hayes said it 'gave me a clear indication that we were done." Combs would direct them to have oral or penetrative sex, mostly interacting with Ventura Fine, Hayes told jurors. Asked whether he thought she was enjoying herself, Hayes said he wasn't sure, but he did note that Cassie would often wince or sigh at Combs' directions. There 'appeared to be frustration with the frequency of directions,' he explained. He said he 'did not' ever hear Ventura Fine say no to a direction from Combs, and that while he did not use illegal drugs or alcohol, he was offered the substances. He said neither Combs nor Ventura Fine appeared to be intoxicated. 'It created some discomfort that could affect me and my performance,' Hayes said about Combs' directions, saying he took Cialis, Viagra or similar medication. 'It was a lot of pressure,' Hayes said about getting and maintaining an erection. Hayes said he was first hired in 2012 by Ventura Fine, who told the dancer at the time it was her birthday, using the alias "Janet." Hayes said he was told over the phone he would be performing a "strip tease for a small group of friends" at Trump Tower in New York. Ventura Fine greeted him at the hotel room door in a bathrobe and a wig, Hayes said, and invited him inside. "She explained to me that she didn't want me to actually dance," Hayes said, revealing that instead, she wanted him to "create a sexy, exotic scene," in which they would apply baby oil to each other and "her husband would eventually come out to watch." Ventura Fine then handed him $800 in cash and told him not to acknowledge or look at her husband, adding that all furniture in the room was covered in sheets, and there were several bottles of baby oil around. "She started pouring it on herself, and I did similar," he said, adding that out of the corner of his eye, he saw a naked man come into the room wearing a cover on his face that only showed his eyes. The interaction lasted about 25-35 minutes, he said, before Cassie allegedly handed him an additional $1,200 in cash. He said he was called about a dozen times to create similar scenes. Hayes explained that he didn't realize the man was Combs until one instance at the Essex House Hotel, also located in New York. While Hayes was waiting for the scene to start, he turned on the TV, and there was a welcome screen that said, "The Essex House would like to welcome Mr. Sean Combs." Combs' defense team chose not to question Cassie's mother in court. During cross-examination, Combs' lead lawyer Marc Agnifilo said, "Good afternoon, Ms. Ventura." "Good afternoon," Ventura replied. Then, Agnifilo told the star witness's mom that "I don't have any questions for you, thank you." In August 2016, Ventura went to Los Angeles for Cassie's birthday. "Cassie, Casandra, was out with Sean and he stole her phone," Ventura alleged in court. During the visit, Ventura testified that she got into a physical fight with the embattled music producer. "We had a bitter argument outside her apartment," Ventura said. She testified that a Combs security guard D-Roc, whose legal name is Damion Butler, was also there between them. Ventura recalled that "we were arguing about the phone. I wanted the phone back. I was yelling, screaming and trying to hit him." After returning Cassie's phone, Ventura said Combs took her daughter's vehicle. During Ventura's testimony, prosecutors showed jurors photos of bruises on Cassie's body from Christmas Eve in 2011. "She was bruised, and I wanted to make sure we memorialized it," Ventura said of taking the photos. When asked by prosecutors how her daughter got the bruises, Ventura alleged "she was beaten by Sean Combs." The photos were taken in Cassie's bedroom in Ventura's Connecticut home, and it was the first time Cassie told her mom about the alleged violence in their relationship. Ventura also recalled an intense confrontation from April 2011 when she was visiting Cassie in LA. They were at Combs' house with a group of people, including Mia, a former Combs assistant who is also a witness in the federal sex-crimes trial. Combs was upset that Mia was laughing, and Mia looked "shaken and afraid" while leaving the room, Ventura testified. Ventura Fine's mother, Regina Ventura, said she first met Combs in 2006. Prosecutors quickly asked her about an email her daughter mentioned while on the stand last week. In the message, sent on Dec. 23, 2011, Ventura Fine confessed to her mother that Combs was threatening to release a sex tape of her on Christmas Day. Around the same time, Ventura Fine told her mother about the alleged physical abuse she was facing from Combs. Ventura told the courts, "I was physically sick" over the threats to hurt her daughter and the tapes. Then, Ventura said she was told she needed to wire $20,000 to Combs: "He was angry that he spent money on her (Cassie) and that she had been with another person." Ventura took money from her home equity loan and wired the funds to Combs' company. She said the money came back four to five days later. When asked by federal prosecutors why she wired the money, Ventura said "I was scared for my daughter's safety." Ventura testified that she was ordered to "pay Sean Combs because he demanded it." James, on May 20, recalled an incident when Ventura Fine's bracelet from the luxury jewelry brand Cartier went missing. He was pressured to take a polygraph test and let Combs' other employees search his belongings as they looked for the jewelry. It wasn't the first time James said he felt he had to defend himself: On two other occasions, James testified he felt he had to take lie detector tests. The first came after the aide said Combs had a significant amount of cash go missing. "It was very intimidating," James told the court, but he felt he couldn't say no. "Not if I wanted to keep my employment with Mr. Combs." On another occasion about six to eight months later, one of Combs' watches went missing. The lie detector test operator would later tell James, "You look very nervous," he testified. James said it was because he had taken some alcohol and clothing from Combs' homes without him knowing. James testified that he ended his employment with the rapper following a November 2008 incident that made him fear for his safety. James said that he and Combs' longtime friend known as D-Roc were sent to pick up food for Combs at a diner, where they encountered Suge Knight, one of Diddy's top competitors in the music industry. According to James, D-Roc walked over to Knight and identified himself as "Biggie's boy," to which Knight asked, "What (are) you doing in my city?" Knight was referring to Los Angeles, where he came up in hip-hop. James said he and D-Roc ordered food, but while waiting, they saw four black SUVs pull up, and someone walked over and handed Knight a gun, James said. After returning to Combs' house, Combs made James drive him and D-Roc back to the diner, and the rapper had three handguns in his lap, James said. But when they arrived, the black SUVs were no longer there, and they soon went home. James testified that he was "really shook up" by the experience and that this was the first time he felt that "my life was in danger" while working for Combs. James, who ended his employment with Combs in May 2009, also recalled seeing Cassie crying and telling him not to go back to the diner. On the stand, James alleged that part of his job was picking up drugs for Combs and the ex-mogul's friends, including prescriptions for the opioid Percocet from the pharmacy and one instance where he picked up large amounts of cocaine from a yacht in St. Tropez. In another instance, James testified that he got ecstasy from Combs' medicine bag for one of his friends. The rapper had several different types of ecstasy pills, including "one in the shape of a former president's face," James said, later clarifying that it was shaped like former President Barack Obama. During the testimony, Combs took notes on his lap and nodded his head when James was speaking about him being an involved businessman Recalling a New Year's Eve party when he was invited to celebrate at Combs' house, James said he took ecstasy out of his boss' bag without permission and consumed it alongside Ciroc, an alcohol brand Combs had heavily promoted. "I was feeling pretty good," he said. "I'm normally pretty straight edge, but I was dancing … I was just vibing. I was enjoying myself." A few days later, when Combs was reviewing footage of the party with James there, he said his boss asked: "Yo playboy, was that you dancing around the party?" He said yes and confirmed he has taken ecstasy. "OK, I'll keep this footage in case I ever need it," James recalled Combs telling him. When asked by prosecutors what he believed Combs meant by it, James said he assumed that Combs would release it one day if he ever wanted to embarrass him. James testified that in his job as a personal assistant, he was often asked to set up hotel rooms for Combs. "I don't think Mr. Combs ever stays alone," he said, recalling one night in Miami in 2008 in which he was asked to bring an iPad to Combs' hotel room. When he knocked on the door, there was no answer, so he let himself in, James said. He testified that he saw Ventura Fine on the bed with the comforter up to her neck, "not moving." Noting that she always slept on her side, James said it seemed unusual to him that she was on her back. There was also a naked man with long hair and "a very large abdomen" in the room, who scurried away when James entered, he said. He also testified he heard water running and that Combs was in the shower. Asked whether he ever spoke to Combs or Ventura Fine about what happened he said, "I didn't think it was my business. I don't have conversations with Cassie or Mr. Combs about their personal affairs." One witness expected to take the stand for prosecutors is Regina Ventura, Ventura Fine's mother. Ventura Fine opened up in her own testimony about what her mother did and didn't know about her relationship with Combs – and the alleged abuse she faced. After Combs found out about Ventura Fine's relationship with Kid Cudi in 2011, Ventura Fine told her mother and Combs' assistant, Capricorn Clark, about Combs' threats of releasing explicit footage of her in retaliation using an alias email. Ventura Fine said Combs also vowed to hurt both her and the rapper. The court saw photos of the large bruises she had on her lower back and thigh, taken at the time. At the time of the threats, Ventura Fine had returned home to Connecticut to visit her mom for Christmas. She told her mom the bruises were from the first time Combs had assaulted her, even though the alleged assaults had been going on for years. She "was terrified" to tell her mom, Ventura Fine said. Morgan testified that her friendship with Ventura Fine ended after Combs assaulted her in April 2018. Cassie's former friend said she was listening to the singer's music in Ventura Fine's Hollywood Hills house before Combs came in and allegedly choked Morgan, adding that Combs was yelling and accusing Ventura Fine of cheating on him. She said the rapper "boomeranged" a wooden hanger at her head, which hit her behind the ear. Under cross-examination, Richard told the court about a dinner around 2009 where she allegedly saw Combs punch Cassie. She told the court that music industry heavyweights such as Usher, Jimmy Iovine and Ne-Yo were in attendance. Richard said she frequently saw Combs physically abuse Ventura Fine between 2009 and 2011, recalling injuries on her face, arms and knees. She also said she was "shocked" and "scared" after Combs threatened her, warning that "if we said anything, we could go missing" and "we could die." Combs is facing federal sex-crimes and trafficking charges in a sprawling lawsuit that has eroded his status as a power player and kingmaker in the entertainment industry. He was arrested in September 2024 and has been charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all five counts. 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 claim they have video of. 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. Contributing: USA TODAY staff; Reuters 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 1-800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Diddy trial recap: Cassie's mom said she wired Diddy $20K
