Cassie Ventura has openly discussed her past relationship with Diddy, including the moment he first kissed her.
This week marked the start of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ trial, beginning on May 12. Cassie, whose full name is Cassandra Ventura, has shared her experiences about their former relationship.
She has detailed the alleged abuse she endured while with Combs, as well as the nature of the ‘freak off’ parties he hosted.
Prosecutors believe these gatherings were where some of the illegal activities occurred.
Combs was detained last September in New York and is facing multiple charges, such as racketeering and sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.
During her court appearance on May 13, Cassie recounted how Diddy kissed her on her 21st birthday in Las Vegas after a VMA event in August 2007.
She shared her emotional reaction at that moment, revealing that she cried after the kiss.
She stated: “There was a 17-year age difference.
“I was really confused at the time, you know, new artist. I was pretty naive.”
When asked if she desired the kiss, she replied ‘no’ and added, ‘not on my birthday.’
Despite the incident, Cassie admitted that she was drawn to being around the influential music producer.
She remarked: “I wanted to be around Sean for the same reasons as everyone else at the time — this exciting, entertaining, fun guy who also happened to have my career in his hands.”
Cassie also addressed the nature of their relationship, asserting that Combs was consistently abusive toward her.
In response to questions from Assistant United States Attorney Emily Johnson, she described his unpredictable moods and the anger he would express.
She explained how this affected her, saying: “Greatly. The next thing I knew I was getting hit in the face. There was also psychological abuse. He’d tell me to watch my mouth, change my face.”
Allegations of violence against Diddy have surfaced, particularly following a 2016 incident caught on CCTV that purportedly showed him assaulting Cassie in a hotel hallway.
If you are facing domestic violence, know that support is available. The national domestic violence helpline provides confidential assistance 24/7 at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233). Further local resources are listed here.