The jury in the case of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs heard how the mother of his ex, Cassie Ventura, was scared for her daughter’s safety so took out a loan to try to pay off the rapper
Cassie Ventura’s mother revealed the extent she went to to protect her daughter after admitting she was “scared” of what Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs might have done.
As the case against the disgraced rapper, 55, continues, a court has heard the testimonies of more witnesses, including the mother of Combs’ ex. Taking to the stand in the Manhattan court house, Regina Ventura testified that in December 2011, her daughter emailed her and Combs’s assistant while she was flying home for Christmas.
The email allegedly told them how Combs had been threatening to release explicit videos of Ventura after he discovered she had been dating rapper Kid Cudi. In the email, Ventura is also said to have threatened he would “be having someone hurt” her and Cudi.
Ventura Sr also claimed Combs demanded $20,000 to reclaim what he said he spent on his ex. Ventura Sr said she took out a home equity loan with her husband to get the money for Combs.
She described doing it because she was “scared about my daughter’s safety”. It’s claimed she received instructions from Combs’s bookkeeper about how to wire the money and sent it to him. However, it’s said the money was returned to her several days later.
After returning home, Ventura Sr is also said to have learned of the alleged violence by the rapper towards her daughter and took photographic evidence.
The court also heard on Tuesday how the disgraced rapper once warned an employee “you can’t put hands on women” following an altercation. The claim came during the cross-examination of David James, the former assistant to Combs.
James spoke of a time he was in an altercation with one of Combs’ chefs and how the Bad Boy Records founder later confront him about the situation. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo asked James about the incident while he was on the stand at the lower Manhattan court room.
Follow the Mirror’s live blog of the case here.
James acknowledged the moment, admitting he got into an altercation with one of Combs’ then-chefs, a woman, at Combs’ Star Island home in Florida. He testified that he had grown upset by the chef as she tired to tell him where the musician had to be.
James said he “grabbed her two wrists and squeezed her wrists and told her to stay in her … lane.” After the altercation was reported to human resources within Combs’ Bad Boy Entertainment company, the incident got back to the star. He then confronted James.
According to James, when he told Combs what had happened in the incident, the star told him: “You can’t be putting your hands on women.” James then said he was warned he would have to be fired if it happened again.
James then claimed Combs told him to write a note to the chef and to give her a gift. James testified that he followed Combs’ advice and was later forgiven by the woman.
The evidence came as James also testified that he saw the rapper take drugs and provided him with baby oil, lubricant and condoms for his hotel rooms. James told the court that Combs would stay with women, including ex girlfriend Cassie Ventura.
The court hearing entered its seventh day on Tuesday. The 55-year-old hip hop mogul faces a number of charges, including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution.
The case comes after was arrested in September last year. Combs continues to strongly deny all allegations made against him. He has been in prison since his arrest and has seen a number of bail requests rejected since his incarceration.
James’ testimony comes after singer Dawn Richard, who was part of the MTV show Making The Band that was produced by Cobs, appeared in the witness box on Monday. Ventura’s former friend Kerry Morgan also took to the stand on Monday, while Ventura herself had provided evidence last week.
The case continues.
If you’ve been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999
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