On May 16, 2025, Cassie Ventura, 38, concluded four days of testimony in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal trial in Manhattan, where the hip-hop mogul faces charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation for prostitution.
Ventura, Combs’ former girlfriend from 2007 to 2018, accused him of a decade filled with psychological abuse, physical violence, and coercion, characterising their relationship as a “toxic dynamic” that left her feeling trapped.
"I think if I were the prosecutor, I would have a little bit of heartburn": Trial attorney and legal analyst @MistyMarris and CNN senior legal analyst @ElieHonig on Cassie Ventura's testimony this week in the Sean "Diddy" Combs trial. pic.twitter.com/rgSrsd8Aoh
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) May 18, 2025Allegations of “Freak-Offs”
Ventura testified that Combs forced her into drug-fueled sex parties, termed “freak-offs,” using threats, surveillance, and the risk of leaked explicit footage to ensure compliance, according to the Los Angeles Times. She claimed Combs’ access to weapons and violent outbursts silenced her, with prosecutors highlighting these as part of a criminal enterprise. The defence argues these were consensual.
A pivotal moment came with 2016 hotel surveillance footage, presented by prosecutors, allegedly showing Combs assaulting Ventura, bolstering her claims of repeated abuse. The footage, previously reported by CNN in 2024, aligns with a 2016 incident Ventura described, though its authenticity in court remains under scrutiny.
Cassie Ventura has finished testifying — claiming Friday she felt like "basically a sex worker," while accusing Diddy of stunting her career and threatening to expose "freak off" videos https://t.co/lqrQAXAH2c
— TooFab (@TooFab) May 16, 2025Combs, 55, arrested in September 2024, has pleaded not guilty. His team concedes abusive behaviour but frames it as personal, not criminal. Ventura’s testimony, central to the prosecution’s racketeering case, contrasts with the defence’s focus on mutual dynamics.
Cassie Ventura's graphic testimony of "freak offs" with Sean "Diddy" Combs helped lay the foundation for the federal government's case that will unfold in the coming weeks, legal experts say. https://t.co/gZdYrjKMuc
— NBC News (@NBCNews) May 17, 2025Ventura’s allegations, supported by prior lawsuits and 2024 footage of Combs’ 2016 assault, underscore systemic abuse claims, per USA Today. The trial, ongoing in Manhattan, could lead to a life sentence for Combs, testing societal views on accountability for abuse.
