Cassandra Ventura, better known as Cassie, has shared her account of the alleged ‘freak off’ parties organized by Diddy.
The artist, whose real name is Sean Combs, faced arrest at Manhattan’s Park Hyatt hotel in New York last September. He has been accused of racketeering and sex trafficking through force, fraud, or coercion, charges that he has consistently denied.
Combs has been held at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center in the months leading up to his trial, which commenced on Monday (May 12), with the prosecution delivering their opening statements.
Following these remarks, Cassie testified on Tuesday (May 13), offering insights into the alleged ‘freak off’ events.
Describing ‘freak-offs’, Cassie explained they were ‘sexual encounters’ involving voyeurism where Combs would observe her engaging in sexual activities with another man.
In her testimony, Cassie recounted her initial introduction to these ‘freak-off’ parties.
“I remember my stomach falling to my butt,” she recounted. “Just the nervousness and confusion… I had just turned 22.”
According to Cassie, the gatherings involved hiring an escort, with Combs directing the encounters from the sidelines, as reported by the BBC.
She conveyed in court that although she was reluctant, she participated because she ‘loved him [Diddy] very much’ and wanted to please him.
Cassie elaborated: “The freak offs became a job. There was no time to do anything else but do them then try to recover. The longest was four days, significant periods of time.”
She further described her fear of refusing the rapper, noting that the prospect of physical violence was always present.
Additionally, Cassie expressed her anxiety about angering him, detailing how Diddy allegedly used video recordings of the ‘freak offs’ to coerce her into further participation.
Cassie also testified about arguments that reportedly escalated to violence, describing incidents where she was dragged and stomped on the head.
When questioned about the frequency of Combs’ violent behavior, she replied: “Too frequently.”
She recounted instances where Combs would ‘bash on my head, knock me over, drag me, kick me.’
A viral CCTV video, released last year, was shown to the jurors, seemingly depicting Combs assaulting her at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016.
Cassie informed the court that a ‘freak-off’ had taken place that day, a concept she was introduced to in the first year of their relationship.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, please know that you are not alone. You can talk in confidence 24 hours a day to the national domestic violence helpline on 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) 24/7. You can find a list of local resources here.