Warning: This article discusses allegations of sex trafficking, abuse, and assault that may be distressing for some readers.
During her testimony, Casandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura disclosed the financial settlement she received from Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs to resolve her 2023 lawsuit against him, explaining her reasons for accepting the compensation.
Sean Combs, who was indicted by a grand jury and arrested in September last year, is currently facing trial on charges including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation for prostitution. The rapper has denied all charges.
The trial for the 55-year-old began on May 12, with several individuals called to testify, including Cassie, whose real name is Casandra Ventura, Combs’ former partner.
In November 2023, Ventura filed a sexual abuse lawsuit in a Federal District Court in Manhattan, accusing Combs of “frequently beating” and raping her in 2018, allegations that Combs “vehemently denied” at the time.
Just a day later, it was announced that Ventura and Combs had reached a settlement.
The lawsuit described Combs as a “serial domestic abuser,” who regularly inflicted physical harm on Ventura, leaving her with injuries, and allegedly manipulated her with drugs and alcohol, leading to addictions. These incidents reportedly began when he signed her to his record label.
Ventura expressed in a statement that she was “finally ready” to share her “story” and “speak up about the trauma [she had] experienced and that [she] will be recovering from for the rest of [her] life.”
Combs’ lawyer dismissed these allegations as “baseless and outrageous,” accusing Ventura of attempting to extort the rapper by threatening to write a damaging book about their relationship for $30 million, which the lawyer described as “blatant blackmail,” according to Ben Brafman, who spoke to UNILAD.
In response, Ventura’s lawyer, Doug Wigdor, claimed that Combs had offered Ventura “eight figures to silence her and prevent the filing of this lawsuit,” which she allegedly rejected to give a voice to other women suffering in silence.
However, on May 14, during her second day of testimony in Combs’ sex trafficking trial, Ventura revealed she ultimately accepted a $20 million settlement from Combs and withdrew the legal action, offering reflections on her decision.
Ventura confirmed she had been considering writing a book about her experiences when she filed the lawsuit.
She stated on the stand, as quoted by The Washington Post, “I wanted to be compensated for the time and the pain and the many, many years of having to try to fix my life.”
When asked about her current testimony, she explained her motivation as “To do the right thing.”
Reflecting on her involvement in the alleged “freak-off” parties Combs reportedly organized, during which she and others were allegedly abused, she declared, “I can’t carry the shame, the guilt. I was guided to treat people like they were disposable.”
UNILAD has reached out to representatives of Sean Combs for a statement.
If you need confidential advice about drugs, you can contact American Addiction Centers 24/7 at (888) 830-7624 or visit their website for more information.
If you’re affected by any issues discussed in this article, you can reach The National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7, or chat online at online.rainn.org. For Spanish speakers: rainn.org/es.