New York City – May 17, 2025: Cassie Ventura, the ex-girlfriend of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, delivered powerful testimony in a New York criminal court Friday, saying she would give back a $20 million legal settlement if it meant she could erase her involvement in the “freak-off” parties Diddy allegedly forced her to participate in during their decade-long relationship.
Ventura, 38, broke down in tears on the stand, describing the sessions as humiliating, drug-fueled, and violent. She said the events often lasted days and included male escorts, and that they caused her physical harm and derailed her music career.
“I would have agency and autonomy,” Ventura told the court. “I would give the money back in a second.”
Defense Challenges Motives Amid Abuse Claims
Diddy, 55, has pleaded not guilty to racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. If convicted, he could face life in prison.
The trial’s media spotlight intensified Friday as defense attorney Anna Estevao implied Ventura’s lawsuit was financially motivated, noting she had moved into her parents’ home with her family before filing the claim in late 2023. Ventura strongly rejected that suggestion, reiterating that her motivation was justice, not money.
Her 2023 lawsuit was settled in just one day, with the $20 million figure becoming public knowledge during this week’s proceedings.
Another $10M Settlement From Hotel Assault Case
In a bombshell revelation, Ventura also testified she’s expecting a $10 million settlement from InterContinental Hotels after an incident where Diddy was captured on camera hitting, kicking, and dragging her through a hallway in 2016. The harrowing security footage was played at length earlier this week and is considered a cornerstone of the prosecution’s evidence.
Texts Reveal Cycle of Abuse and Reconciliation
Jurors were shown dozens of messages exchanged between the couple, including ones sent just days after the 2016 beating. In one, Ventura wrote to Combs: “I’m not a rag doll. I’m somebody’s child.”
However, subsequent texts revealed expressions of love and reconciliation, which the defense used to argue the relationship was toxic but not criminal. The prosecution countered that the cycle of abuse followed a familiar pattern of coercion, trauma bonding, and control.
More Witnesses Corroborate Abuse Claims
The prosecution also called Dawn Richard, a singer from Diddy’s MTV group Danity Kane, who testified that she witnessed him assault Ventura at a Los Angeles mansion in 2009. Richard told the court: “She fell down. She was in the fetal position.” She added that Combs warned her not to talk, stating: “Where I’m from, people go missing.”
US Homeland Security Agent Yasin Binda also testified, revealing that cash, narcotics, and baby oil were found in Diddy’s hotel room during his arrest in New York.
Related Reading:
- Diddy Sex Trafficking Case: What We Know So Far
- Celebrity Abuse Cases and Their Legal Outcomes
- Timeline of Allegations Against Sean Combs
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