The trial of Diddy, which began this week, has uncovered numerous high-profile celebrity names following a significant testimony from his former girlfriend.
Sean Combs, known in the music world as Diddy, is currently facing a series of charges, including racketeering, sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion. He denies all accusations and has entered a plea of not guilty.
After his arrest in September last year, Combs has been detained while awaiting a potential eight-week trial in Manhattan’s federal court, which started on Monday (May 12).
Thus far, much of the attention has been on explosive claims made by Combs’ former long-term girlfriend, Casandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura, with whom he had a decade-long on-and-off relationship until 2018.
Among the allegations are claims of physical abuse and insights into the ‘freak offs’ that Ventura states she was coerced into participating in. A significant number of A-list celebrities have already been named in the case.
Variety reports that as many as 190 well-known figures from Hollywood and the music industry may be mentioned, though their exact connections to the trial remain uncertain.
Among those mentioned so far include rapper Kid Cudi, whom Ventura cited in relation to an alleged incident involving Combs.
During her court testimony, Ventura claimed that Combs “lunged at her” with a wine opener after discovering her relationship with Scott Mescudi, Kid Cudi’s real name, through her emails in 2011.
She further alleged that Combs expressed a desire to “hurt” Cudi and made threats to blow up his car.
Rolling Stone reported that in January 2012, Cudi’s Porsche was set ablaze with an incendiary device.
Ventura referenced this alleged incident in her 2023 lawsuit against Combs, with a representative for the “Day ‘n’ Nite” artist affirming to The New York Times that “this is all true.”
“I had broken off the relationship with Scott Mescudi, too much uncertainty if we continued to see each other,” Ventura stated.
No criminal charges have been filed against Combs in relation to the car incident.
According to Variety, actor Michael B. Jordan is another name included, likely due to his past dating history with Ventura.
However, the publication suggests Jordan is unlikely to serve as a witness in the proceedings.
Ventura narrated that at the start of her relationship with Combs, he was still involved with his ex-girlfriend, Kim Porter.
She told the court that Combs allegedly wanted to avoid “looking bad” due to the children he shared with Porter, whom he dated from 1994 to 2007. She added that their affair “was not public for many years.”
“He just didn’t want it to look bad, but also knew it was because of his children and personal things like his family,” Ventura stated.
Porter, who passed away from pneumonia in 2018, had three children with Combs, including a 27-year-old son and two 18-year-old twin daughters, who have regularly attended the court sessions.
West’s name surfaced during the trial as a potential reference, though the connection is not clear.
In March, West, also known as Ye, collaborated with Combs on a song featuring his 11-year-old daughter North, whom he shares with Kim Kardashian.
Subsequently, West shared a phone discussion with Combs, where the producer advised West to be wary of individuals attempting to “end” him.
Ventura mentioned Suge Knight, the founder of Death Row Records, on the first day of her testimony, recounting the historic hip-hop rivalry between the two in the 90s.
Knight, real name Marion Hugh Knight Jr., reportedly maintained a longstanding feud with Combs as they led competing record labels.
Ventura further alleged an incident where Combs, in black attire and a face mask, armed himself to confront Knight after being tipped off about his presence at a nearby diner, as reported by The Independent.
“I was screaming and crying: ‘Please don’t do anything stupid.’ I didn’t know what they were going to do,” Ventura recalled in court, noting that Combs returned 30 minutes later.
Ventura recounted a 2013 incident where she planned to attend the OVO Festival, organized by Drake in Toronto.
The night before, she alleged that Combs forcibly entered her apartment and “attacked” her while she was “asleep.”
“Sean came in. I was asleep. He was trying to attack me. We went into the master bedroom. My friends were jumping on his back trying to stop him,” she detailed.
“I cut my eyebrow on the corner of the bed. Sean threw me onto the bed frame. I had a significant gash. I didn’t go to the ER; it was a Sunday. Sean had security take me to a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills.”
She styled her hair to conceal the injury the following day, attending the festival where she was seen with rapper French Montana.
Drake and French Montana have not been implicated in any wrongdoing.
Dawn Richard, a former member of the Combs-founded band, Dainty Kane, has also alleged to be among his victims and filed a lawsuit against him for sexual assault and battery in September 2024 prior to his arrest.
She claimed to have suffered verbal abuse and reported witnessing Combs abuse Ventura, as per The Guardian.
Combs has denied Richard’s allegations, with his attorney dismissing them as “false.”
Her case remains ongoing, according to US Magazine.
