Casandra “Cassie” Ventura says she was abused by Sean “Diddy” Combs during the 11 years they spent in an on-again, off-again relationship, but that she still loved him and thinks he loved her.
Starting in 2006, when the Bad Boy Records founder took the promising 19-year-old singer under his wing as his protégé, the two began dating, even while he was involved with other women.
Over the years, their turbulent relationship was riddled with fights, jealousy and alleged beatings, she testified during his federal sex trafficking trial that began on Monday, May 12.
Combs also allegedly forced her to take part in orchestrated, days-long, drug-fueled sex sessions with male escorts that were so draining she said she needed days to recover.
Seeking compensation for the pain Combs allegedly caused her, she filed a bombshell, 35-page lawsuit alleging years of sexual and physical abuse, sex trafficking and coercion.
The former couple settled the suit within a day for $20 million. But before long, Combs faced a torrent of similar lawsuits as well as an indictment that landed him in jail without bail since September 2024.
On Friday, May 16, in Manhattan federal court, as Combs looked on, one of his attorneys, Anna Estevao, asked Ventura point blank if she hated him.
“I don’t hate him,” Ventura replied.
Asked if she still has love for Combs, Ventura replied, “I have love for the past, and what it was.”
During the course of the trial, Combs passed notes to his attorneys and at times, reacted to what Ventura was saying on the stand by shaking his head or pushing his chair forcefully away from the defense table.
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Arrested in September 2024, Combs pleaded not guilty to five criminal counts including one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Combs could face up to life in prison if he is convicted on all counts. Since his 2024 arrest, he has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
