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Tag: Diddy trial

  • Diddy Threatened to Release Cassie’s Sex Tapes, Says Former Stylist

    Diddy Threatened to Release Cassie’s Sex Tapes, Says Former Stylist

    • Hip-hop mogul threatened release to internet, stylist says
    • Combs fails in bid to have judge declare a mistrial
    • Defense says Combs was not involved in alleged arson

    Sean “Diddy” Combs routinely beat his ex-girlfriend and during fits of rage threatened to release sex tapes of her to the internet, a stylist testified on Wednesday at the hip-hop mogul’s sex trafficking trial.

    Deonte Nash, who worked as a stylist for Combs and Combs’ former girlfriend Casandra Ventura from 2008 to 2018, alleged that Combs repeatedly beat Ventura and threatened to release the tapes while raging at her for not being obedient.

    “He told her she fucked up and he was going to put her sex tapes on the internet,” Nash said, recounting an alleged incident in 2013 or 2014.

    Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five counts including racketeering and sex trafficking. He faces up to life in prison if convicted on all counts.

    Last week, Scott Mescudi – the rapper known as Kid Cudi – testified that his car was set on fire in 2012, shortly after Combs learned that Mescudi had a romantic relationship with Ventura.

    Prosecutors say the alleged arson of Mescudi’s car was one of several violent or illegal acts that Combs or his associates undertook to prevent women from leaving his orbit and keep his abuse quiet.

    On Wednesday, a lawyer for Combs told the judge outside the jury’s presence that prosecutors’ questions to a Los Angeles arson investigator implied that Combs had a role in the destruction of fingerprint evidence, arguing the questions were grounds for a mistrial.

    U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian swiftly denied the request, saying none of the testimony was unfair to Combs. He told jurors to disregard the questions and answers about the fingerprints.

    Testimony in Combs’ trial in Manhattan federal court is in its third week. Prosecutors say Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, coerced women, including Ventura, over two decades to take part in days-long, drug-fueled sexual performances with male sex workers known as “Freak Offs.”

    Combs’ lawyers have acknowledged that he was at times abusive in domestic relationships, but said the women who participated in Freak Offs did so consensually.

    Over four days of emotional testimony during the first week of trial, Ventura recounted years of alleged physical and emotional abuse by Combs.

    Ventura, a rhythm and blues singer known as Cassie, said she hated the Freak Offs. She said she participated because she loved Combs and because she feared how he would react if she didn’t.

  • Diddy Trial: Cassie’s Mother Testifies in Court

    Diddy Trial: Cassie’s Mother Testifies in Court

    Cassie’s mother, Regina Ventura, testified about threats and violence experienced by her daughter during her decade-long relationship with Sean “Diddy” Combs.

    Ventura took the stand after several days of gruelling testimony by her daughter, Casandra Ventura, the singer known as Cassie, who detailed harrowing abuse by Combs and his coercive, drug-fueled sex marathons known as “freak-offs.”

    Combs, 55, is facing federal charges of sex trafficking and leading an illegal sex ring that enforced its power with crimes including arson, kidnapping and bribery.

    Prosecutors on Monday asked Ventura about an email her daughter, a key witness in the trial, had sent her on December 23, 2011.

    Cassie, 38, testified last week that Combs in late 2011 had become enraged when he discovered she had been seeing rapper Kid Cudi, whose real name is Scott Mescudi.

    Mescudi may testify at the trial in coming days.

    Combs subsequently threatened to release videos of her participating in his sex parties as retaliation, Cassie told her mother in the email.

    Ventura read the email aloud: “The threats that have been made to me by Sean Puffy Combs are that he is going to release two explicit tapes of me.”

    “He also said he will be having someone hurt me and Scott Mescudi physically.”

    Ventura said she felt “physically sick” to learn of the threats. “I did not understand it, the sex tape threw me.”

    Combs’s defense attorneys sought to undermine Cassie’s testimony on the sex parties, alleging she took part voluntarily.

    Ventura said Tuesday that Combs, who was already very wealthy at the time and whose fortune is now estimated by Forbes magazine at $700 million, demanded $20,000 to recoup money he had spent on her.

    The money was eventually paid, Cassie’s mother said, justifying it as ensuring her daughter’s “safety.”

    Ventura was also asked Tuesday about photos of Cassie showing bruises on her body, again at the same time in late 2011.

    “She was bruised. We wanted to make sure we’d memorialized (that) she was beaten by Sean Combs,” she said.

    Combs’ lawyer Xavier Donaldson questioned another witness at length on Tuesday — Sharay Hayes, nicknamed “The Punisher,” a stripper who had been hired by the couple many times.

    Hayes said that in his opinion Cassie never showed any “discomfort” as Combs directed them to have sex while he watched, but that it was Combs giving the instructions.

    Combs made hundreds of millions in the music, fashion, media and liquor industries and is often credited with helping to bring hip-hop into the mainstream.

    But the rap producer and global superstar once famous for his lavish parties now appears visibly aged after months in prison.

    He has pleaded not guilty to all charges but faces life in prison if convicted.

    The defense contends that while Ventura’s relationship with Combs was complicated and included domestic abuse, it did not amount to sex trafficking.

  • Diddy’s Ex, Cassie, Tells Jury He Controlled Her Life and Humiliated Her with ‘Freak Offs’

    Diddy’s Ex, Cassie, Tells Jury He Controlled Her Life and Humiliated Her with ‘Freak Offs’

    The prosecution’s star witness testified about the alleged physical and emotional abuse she endured at the hands of the rapper during so-called “freak-offs”, or sexual encounters the couple had with male escorts.

    Family and friends have come to court in large numbers to support Mr Combs, whose legal team has not yet questioned Ms Ventura.

    Mr Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution.

    Ms Ventura fell ‘in love’ with Mr Combs

    Prosecutors began by questioning Ms Ventura – one of their two central witnesses in the case – about her 11-year, on-and-off relationship with Mr Combs.

    Now 38 and pregnant with her third child, she met Mr Combs when she was a 19-year-old aspiring singer and he was 37.

    His record label would later sign Ms Ventura as an artist, and shortly afterwards their romantic relationship began.

    At the time, she testified, she felt like they were in a monogamous relationship, though she knows now that he had other girlfriends.

    She said she “fell in love” with the “larger-than-life entrepreneur and musician”. But it was not long before she noticed another side to him, she said.

    Mr Combs wanted to ‘control’ every part of her life, Ms Ventura says

    Mr Combs wanted to “control” her life, Ms Ventura said. She said he paid for her home, her cars, her phone and other technology that he would sometimes take away to “punish” her.

    “Control was everything, from the way that I looked… to what I was working on,” Ms Ventura said.

    Eventually, she claimed, the control turned violent. Mr Combs would “bash on my head, knock me over, drag me and kick me” frequently, Ms Ventura testified, sometimes through tears.

    She alleged that she was left with swollen lips, black eyes and knots on her forehead.

    Ms Ventura felt ‘humiliated’ by ‘freak-offs’

    Prosecutors spent hours on Tuesday asking Ms Ventura about so-called “freak-offs”.

    Ms Ventura told the court how Mr Combs introduced her to the sexual events during the first year of their relationship. They would hire a male escort or stripper to have sex with Ms Ventura while Mr Combs watched.

    Ms Ventura told the court that she first tried the encounters to make Mr Combs “happy”. But she said they humiliated her, and sometimes lasted three to four days.

    “I felt pretty horrible about myself,” she told the court, wiping away tears. “It made me feel worthless.”

    Ms Ventura told the court she never wanted to have sex with anyone but Mr Combs, and claimed she would take myriad drugs – marijuana, ecstasy and ketamine – to help her perform to Mr Combs’ satisfaction, but also to “disassociate”.

    The drugs were “a way to not feel it for what it really was”, she said, “having sex with a stranger I didn’t really want to be having sex with”.

     

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    Mr Combs flew male escorts in for freak-offs, court hears

    As prosecutors pressed Ms Ventura about the “freak-offs”, she told the court of how Mr Combs would direct her to find male escorts, strippers or dancers to have sex with while he watched.

    She alleged that Mr Combs would pay the men anywhere from $1,500 to $6,000 in cash, depending on their performance.

    They found the men through stripper companies and sites like Craigslist. Some of their photos were displayed to the jurors, including Daniel Phillip, who finished his testimony earlier on Tuesday.

    Ms Ventura and Mr Combs had the enounters in cities around the world, including Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas and Ibiza, Spain, Ms Ventura testified.

    Sometimes, men would be flown in during vacations, she alleged, and Mr Combs would direct her to ask staff to pay for and arrange their travel, calling them new employees.

    Among other charges, prosecutors are trying to prove that Mr Combs engaged in sex trafficking – human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation – and transportation to engage in prostitution.

     

    Mr Combs ‘directed’, Ms Ventura says

    As prosecutors pressed Ms Ventura for graphic details, one key element emerged: Ms Ventura claimed that Mr Combs controlled every part of the encounters.

    He chose the outfits she wore – down to the extremely high heels she kept on for hours – as well as the sexual acts that transpired and the lighting, Ms Ventura told jurors.

    “If Sean wanted something to happen, that was what was going to happen,” she said. “I couldn’t say no.”

    Sometimes, Ms Ventura said, she would take the lead on which male escorts to hire because Mr Combs was “very busy”, but she only did so at his direction, she said.

    She said freak-offs had a very specific “pattern” of sexual acts each time.

    “He was controlling the whole situation,” she alleged. “He was directing it.”

    At times, Ms Ventura said, she tried to tell Mr Combs that she felt “horrible”. But when he dismissed her concerns, she said, she relented, worried he would get angry or question their relationship.

    Ms Ventura is expected to continue her testimony on Wednesday, when she could also face cross-examination.

    (BBC)