Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs allegedly used tapes of ‘depraved’ sex acts to blackmail his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, who has today given evidence against the hip hop mogul in a New York court
What charges does Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs face?
A New York court has heard how Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs allegedly used tapes of ‘depraved’ sex acts to blackmail his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura.
Combs faces a string of serious allegations, including kidnapping, arson, drug trafficking, sex crimes, bribery and obstruction of justice, which could see him facing a life term if convicted. He has pleaded not guilty.
Cassie, 39, and Combs were involved in an 11-year-long on-and-off relationship between the years 2007 and 2018. On the first day of the hip-hop mogul’s criminal trial, the court heard how Combs, 55, kept Cassie drugged “half of every week” and forced her to perform sex acts on male escorts at “freak-off” parties, which he filmed.
Assistant US Attorney Emily Johnson spoke of how Combs allegedly used lies, drugs, threats and violence in order to control model, dancer and singer Cassie, as well as another woman referred to only as “Jane”.
READ MORE: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial LIVE: Ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura claims she was ‘frequently’ assaulted
Ms Johnson stated: “He told her he could destroy her career by releasing the videos of her performing sex acts on dozens of male escorts. They were souvenirs of the most humiliating nights of her life.”
Giving evidence today (May 13) at the Federal District Courthouse in Lower Manhattan, New York City, Cassie alleged that Combs’ ‘freak offs’ stemmed from his interest in voyeurism. She told the court how they would hire an escort and entail her “setting up this experience so that I could perform for Sean.”
She continued: “Eventually it became a job for me, pretty much, so I knew if it was something he wanted me to do, I had the contacts to set it up and get a hotel room and all of that, but in the beginning, Sean set it up. He was in charge.”
Speaking from the stand, Cassie described how she’d had an off feeling when Diddy first proposed a ‘Freak Off’. She recalled: “I also felt a sense of responsibility. It was him sharing something like that with me. I was confused, nervous but also loved him very much and wanted to make him happy so, I knew it wasn’t something I wanted to be doing especially as regularly as it became, but again, I was just in love and wanted to make him happy.”
She continued: “It got to a point where I just didn’t feel like I had much of a choice, didn’t really know what ‘no’ could be or what ‘no’ could turn into. And I just didn’t feel like I had much say in it at that time, being really super young, naive, total people pleaser, I didn’t know if he would be upset enough to be violent or if he would write me off and just not want to be with me at all.”
Cassie also detailed the physical abuse she allegedly suffered at the hands of Combs, whom she described as a “larger than life” entrepreneur. Asserting that she was “frequently” assaulted by Combs, Cassie claimed he would “bash on my head, knock me over, drag me, kick me.” When asked how often these alleged assaults occurred, she responded: “Too frequently.”
Cassie told the court feared that “blackmail materials” would get leaked to the public, and had even held onto broken laptops, iPads, and phones as she said that she didn’t know what could be on them.
Commenting on the cycle of abuse allegedly endured by the model and singer, as well as others, Ms Johnson said earlier this week in court: “Half of every week, Cassie was in a dark hotel room, high and awake for days performing sex acts she did not want to do on male escorts. These sexual performances lasted multiple days, and they involved multiple escorts.”
During one ‘freak off’, the term used for Combs’ sex parties, Cassie was allegedly forced to participate with an open wound on her face. After learning Cassie had been seeing another man, Combs allegedly “beat her, kicking her in the back and flinging her like a rag doll”.
Remarking upon how Combs called himself “the king and expected to be treated like one”, Ms Johnson told jurors: “You are going to hear about 20 years of crimes, but he didn’t do it alone. An inner circle helped him commit crimes and cover them up.”
Ms Johnson went on to advise the jury that they would see Combs’ violence for themselves, including footage of Cassie and Jane “pretending they enjoy themselves during Freak Offs”. One video shows Combs “brutally beating Cassie during a Freak Off at an LA hotel.”
After footage of this hotel assault aired on CNN last year, Combs issued an apology and stated that he took “full responsibility” for his actions. He said, “I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now.” Daniel Phillip, a second witness, told the court about alleged “Freak Offs” he’d been involved in at a New York hotel or at Diddy’s personal residence.
Male revue manager, Phillip, has claimed he received payment to have sex with Cassie, and has alleged that Combs would direct him as they had sex. Combs allegedly instructed Phillip and Cassie to use more baby oil throughout their encounters, and allegedly asked Phillip to pick up the items before they met.
Phillip also told the court that on one occasion, Cassie instructed him to urinate on her while Combs watched and masturbated. Combs allegedly filmed the pair on his phone and a camcorder on one or two occasions. During one Freak Off, Phillip claims he heard what sounded like Cassie being beaten in another room. “I was shocked,” he stated, claiming that Combs had “started dragging her by her hair into the bedroom,” after Cassie was allegedly on a computer.
Phillip told the court: “In my mind, it was going through my head if I tried to do something, I might lose my life.” When asked why he didn’t make a police report, Phillip replied: “I was concerned for my life.” It has been alleged that Combs had photographed Phillip’s driving license, and Phillip was worried that he had an “in” with the police.
Teny Geragos, defending, acknowledged Combs’ violent past, including the 2016 hotel assault on Cassie. She told the court: “What Combs did to Cassie on this videotape is indefensible. It is not evidence of sex trafficking. It is evidence of domestic violence.”
Ms Geragos asserted that the musician is “a very flawed individual but still not a racketeer, trafficker or somebody transporting for prostitution”.
The trial continues.
For confidential support, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit womensaid.co.uk If you or your family have lost a friend or family member through fatal domestic abuse, AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse) can offer specialist and expert support and advocacy. For more info visit www.aafda.org.uk
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
Do you have a story to share? Email me at [email protected]. Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .
READ MORE: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs forced girlfriend into depraved sex acts with escorts, court hears