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Casandra Ventura, the R&B singer and model who dated Diddy off-and-on for 10 years, returned to the witness stand today, testifying in excruciating detail about her relationship with the hip-hop mogul and his alleged pattern of violence and sexual abuse, including beatings that she said left her bruised and shaken.
- Ventura, who is visibly pregnant, alleged Diddy raped her on her living room floor in 2018, echoing allegations she made in a November 2023 civil lawsuit that she confirmed was settled for $20 million. “I remember crying and saying no,” Ventura told the court. “His eyes were black. He wasn’t himself.” Diddy has denied raping her.
- She recounted the aftermath of Diddy’s attack on her at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016 — an assault that was recorded by a security camera. She said he pounded on her apartment door after the incident, “kicking and yelling.” She recalled covering up her black eye and swollen lip before attending a movie premiere.
- She testified Diddy blackmailed her, threatening to release videos of their drug-fueled “freak offs” if she didn’t do as he said. “It is horrible and disgusting. No one should do that to anyone,” she told jurors. “I wasn’t supposed to be on those videos. I didn’t want to be in them.” She said she participated in “hundreds” of “freak offs.”
- The “freak offs” happened so often that she would get urinary tract infections and sores on her tongue, she testified. She said she developed “an addiction to opiates” that would help her feel “numb” after marathon sex sessions with male escorts. “I felt so tired, achy, dehydrated, not really eating too much,” she said. “I felt empty, gross, like I did a job.”
- Ventura told jurors she broke off a romantic relationship with Scott Mescudi — better known as rapper Kid Cudi — in 2011 after Diddy threatened them. “Sean said he was going to hurt the both of us,” and at one point Diddy threatened to blow up Mescudi’s car, she testified. Diddy has denied involvement.
The view from inside
By Adam Reiss, Chloe Melas and Doha Madani
Ventura, wearing a light gray turtleneck dress and black coat, walked into the courtroom this morning without looking at Diddy. She answered questions about his alleged abuse in a somber, matter-of-fact tone. In general, Ventura kept her composure, though she broke down crying in the afternoon as she described her trauma, suicidal ideation and “personal shame.”
Diddy, meanwhile, sat at the defense table in a gray sweater over a white shirt. Notably, the rapper didn’t have as many family members in attendance today — just his mother, Janice Combs, and his three sons. Yesterday, all six of his adult children (including his twin daughters) came to support him, even gathering in a prayer circle outside at one point.
In the afternoon, after the court’s lunch break, jurors were shown still images of the “freak offs” on individual screens. The room fell silent as the images were displayed, and the eight men and four women on the panel seemed rapt: One man raised his eyebrows, another took notes on a pad, and a woman nodded affirmatively.
In other news: Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey grew exasperated this morning as she accused Diddy’s defense team of withholding exhibits that it planned to use during cross-examination of Ventura. “We don’t want a trial by ambush,” Comey said during the heated exchange.
Marc Agnifilo, Diddy’s lead attorney, insisted his team doesn’t need to put its cards on the table before questioning a prosecution witness. Judge Arun Subramanian ultimately denied prosecutors’ request for the defense to turn over what it expects to use during cross-examination.
What’s next
Tomorrow: Ventura will be back on the stand for cross-examination. NBC News’ team will live-blog everything that happens.
