Cassie testifies about humiliation and impact of “freak-off” parties at Diddy sex-trafficking trial 

Cassie Ventura – the ex of disgraced hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs – has testified about feeling “humiliated” and controlled by the rapper.

The first day of Combs’ trial commenced on Monday (May 12) in a lawsuit brought against the rapper by his ex in 2023.

It has now been reported that Ventura has testified against the rapper in court, and shared recollections of alleged physical and emotional abuse experienced at the hands of Diddy. Many of these relate to the so-called “freak-off” sexual encounters that included male escorts.

Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, and has denied all other allegations of misconduct levelled against him. He has also pleaded not guilty to five criminal counts, including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has consistently denied all allegations against him and has asserted that all sexual activity described by prosecutors was consensual.

In court, prosecutors began by asking Ventura about her 11-year relationship with Combs. She met him when she was a 19-year-old aspiring singer and when he was 37. She is now aged 38 and pregnant with her third child.

After they met, Diddy’s record label signed Ventura to his record label and they began a romantic relationship. This, she said in court, felt monogamous at the time, although she is now aware he had other girlfriends.

As reported by BBC News, she added that she “fell in love” with him but soon realised that he wanted to “control” her life – paying for her transport and technology, and allegedly removing it at times as a way to “punish” her. She continued, alleging that he would get violent and “bash on my head, knock me over, drag me and kick me”.

Courtroom sketch artist captures Cassie taking the witness stand in Diddy’s trial. pic.twitter.com/VsLhgvK7TU

— RiichStoneMedia (@RiichStoneMedia) May 13, 2025

As for the infamous “freak-offs”, she alleged that the rapper introduced them into their relationship during the first year and that they involved the rapper hiring male escorts or strippers to have sexual intercourse with her while the rapper watched. She claims she tried it out in an attempt to make Combs “happy”, but added that it led to her feeling “pretty horrible about myself” and “worthless”.

She also told the court that she would take a mix of marijuana, ecstasy and ketamine to help her get through the events, and that the drugs were a way to come to terms with “having sex with a stranger I didn’t really want to be having sex with”.

The strippers were allegedly found on sites like Craigslist, and paid anywhere between $1,500 and $6,000 based on their performance. They would be flown out during vacations, she alleged, and the hip-hop mogul would sometimes have Ventura ask staff to pay for and arrange their travel.

Ventura added that the events would go on for hours, and sometimes days, and that Combs would control every part of the encounters – ranging from the lighting to the outfits she was allegedly made to wear.

“He was controlling the whole situation. He was directing it,” she alleged. “If Sean wanted something to happen, that was what was going to happen… I couldn’t say no.”

Cassie Ventura is expected to continue her testimony later today (May 14), and she could also face cross-examination.

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