Recapping Week One: Powerful Testimony Marks the Start of Diddy's Trial (Part 3) (5/19/25)

The first week of Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial in New York featured emotionally charged testimony from his former partner, singer Cassie Ventura. Over four days, Ventura detailed an 11-year relationship marked by coercion, physical abuse, and manipulation. She described being forced into drug-fueled "freak-offs"—group sex encounters with paid escorts—often filmed and allegedly used by Combs for blackmail. A 2016 hotel surveillance video showing Combs assaulting Ventura was presented as evidence. Ventura also recounted an incident where Combs allegedly threatened to suspend someone over a balcony, illustrating a pattern of intimidation and control.

The defense acknowledged Combs' history of violence and substance abuse but argued that these actions did not constitute sex trafficking. They portrayed the events as part of a consensual lifestyle, aiming to separate personal misconduct from criminal enterprise. Additional testimony from singer Dawn Richard supported Ventura's claims, recalling a 2009 incident where Combs allegedly assaulted Ventura over a domestic dispute. The prosecution contends that Combs operated a criminal network involving staff who facilitated the alleged abuses. The trial, expected to last several more weeks, continues to draw significant public attention.


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