In a Manhattan courtroom, Casandra Ventura, known professionally as Cassie, delivered a heart-wrenching testimony that laid bare the trauma she endured during her decade-long relationship with hip-hop mogul Sean Combs, also known as Diddy. Her voice trembled as she recounted the so-called “freak-offs,” drug-fueled sexual encounters orchestrated by Combs that she alleges were marked by coercion, violence, and degradation. Ventura, now 38 and visibly pregnant with her third child, described a world of manipulation and fear, where her attempts to assert her own boundaries were met with dismissal or retribution. Her testimony, given on May 13, 2025, forms a cornerstone of the federal sex trafficking and racketeering case against Combs, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Ventura detailed how these “freak-offs” took place in luxury hotels across the globe, in cities including New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Ibiza, and Turks and Caicos. She testified that she was often tasked with booking the hotel rooms, a responsibility sometimes shared with Toni Fletcher, an employee of Combs’ Bad Boy Entertainment. The rooms, Ventura said, were booked under pseudonyms such as “Frank Black” and “Frank White” to obscure their activities. What unfolded in those suites, she revealed, was a scene of chaos and violation. Baby oil coated walls and door handles, a detail corroborated by federal investigators who seized over 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant during raids on Combs’ residences in Miami and Los Angeles. Ventura described linens stained with blood, explaining that Combs expected her to participate in these encounters even during menstruation. Urine-soaked sheets were another grim hallmark, as Combs allegedly directed male escorts to urinate on her, an act she found humiliating but felt powerless to refuse. “It was a turn-on for him, so it happened,” Ventura said, her words heavy with resignation.
The prosecution probed further, asking Ventura to recount the physical and emotional toll of these events. She spoke of days-long marathons that left her dehydrated, sleep-deprived, and emotionally shattered. Drugs, including ecstasy, cocaine, and ketamine, were provided to keep her compliant, she said, and the encounters were often filmed by Combs, who used the recordings as leverage to ensure her silence. Ventura testified that she feared the videos could be leaked online, a threat that hung over her like a guillotine. The “freak-offs” became a job, she said, one that consumed her life and left little room for her music career or personal recovery. “I felt disgusting. I felt humiliated,” she told the jury, her voice breaking as she described the psychological weight of performing for Combs’ gratification.
Ventura’s testimony also illuminated the broader pattern of control and abuse she alleges Combs wielded. She described frequent violent outbursts, including beatings that left her with black eyes and bruises. A 2016 hotel surveillance video, shown to the jury, captured Combs assaulting Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel hallway, an incident he later publicly apologized for, admitting his actions were “inexcusable.” Yet Ventura’s allegations extend far beyond that moment, painting a picture of a relationship marked by psychological manipulation and physical intimidation. She recounted how Combs dictated her appearance, career choices, and even her interactions, isolating her from opportunities and support systems.
The trial, which began on May 12, 2025, is expected to last several weeks, with Ventura’s testimony spanning multiple days. Combs, 55, faces a potential life sentence if convicted on all counts, which include racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. His defense team has argued that his actions, while flawed, do not constitute criminal behavior, framing the “freak-offs” as consensual acts within a “swingers” lifestyle. They have sought to portray Ventura’s allegations as exaggerated, pointing to the complexity of their long-term relationship.
Ventura’s courage in testifying under her real name, rather than anonymously, has resonated widely, amplifying her role as a pivotal figure in Combs’ legal reckoning. Her 2023 civil lawsuit against him, settled quickly for an undisclosed sum, sparked a wave of similar accusations from others, setting the stage for the federal case. As she spoke, her husband, Alex Fine, was permitted in the courtroom for parts of her testimony, a small gesture of support amid the grueling process. For Ventura, the act of speaking out is both a personal reclamation and a public stand, one that underscores the enduring impact of domestic violence and coercion. Her words, raw and unflinching, offer a stark reminder of the human cost behind the headlines, urging a broader reckoning with power and accountability in the entertainment industry.
