Casandra Ventura, widely known as singer and model Cassie, took the stand Tuesday in a federal trial involving music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, detailing a disturbing pattern of control, abuse, and coercion during their years-long relationship.
Now heavily pregnant, Ventura is expected to give testimony over several days, pausing frequently due to the emotional nature of the proceedings. On the witness stand, she described how Combs allegedly manipulated nearly every aspect of her life—using violence, fear, and sexually explicit material to keep her submissive.
“He controlled so much of my life,” Ventura told the jury, her voice breaking as she dabbed her eyes. She claimed that Combs possessed compromising sexual videos and had the resources to use them against her if she disobeyed or tried to leave.
Jurors were also shown a hotel surveillance video from March 2016, which reportedly depicts Combs attacking and dragging Ventura through a hallway. The footage corroborates part of Ventura’s testimony and is central to the prosecution’s case.
Adding to the testimony, former hotel security officer Israel Florez described encountering the scene firsthand at an InterContinental hotel near Los Angeles. He told the court that after the violent incident, Combs attempted to bribe him, presumably to suppress the report.
The trial is part of a broader investigation into alleged sex trafficking and abuse linked to Combs, who continues to deny all allegations.
