Ex-girlfriends, ex-employees and Kid Cudi: five key witnesses in the Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial | Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs

1. Casandra ‘Cassie’ VenturaCassie Ventura in New York in 2018. {Photograph}: Dia Dipasupil/WireImageVentura, who dated Combs on and off from 2007 to 2018, testified over 4 days within the first week of the trial.Largely seen because the prosecution’s key witness on this case, Ventura testified that in her relationship with Combs, he bodily abused, coerced and blackmailed her into collaborating within the so-called “freak-offs” – the drug-fueled intercourse marathons with male escorts that she mentioned Combs orchestrated.Ventura testified that Combs would direct the sexual encounters, watch, masturbate and typically movie them. She shared graphic particulars concerning the encounters that she mentioned typically lasted days, noting she typically used medicine offered by Combs to “dissociate” and described feeling “nugatory”.Ventura informed the courtroom that Combs managed almost each side of her life, together with her profession and housing, and was often violent along with her. Jurors have been proven the 2016 surveillance footage of Combs assaulting Ventura in a lodge hallway.She alleged that Combs would threaten to launch movies of her from the “freak-offs”, threaten to withhold monetary help and threaten to stifle her profession if she didn’t meet his calls for. She additionally alleged that he raped her after their 2018 breakup.Throughout cross-examination, Combs’s attorneys sought to undermine her credibility, portraying her as a keen and consenting participant within the “freak-offs”. They offered dozens of texts and emails between the couple throughout their relationship, together with express messages, and a few the place Ventura appeared to talk positively concerning the encounters.At one level throughout her testimony, Ventura additionally briefly mentioned her 2023 civil lawsuit in opposition to Combs, which accused him of bodily and sexual abuse and prompted the federal investigation.She testified that the case had settled for $20m. Throughout closing arguments, Combs’s lawyer pointed to the settlement sum, calling her a “winner” to the jury and arguing that this was about “cash” and never “crime”.2. ‘Jane’One other of Combs’s former girlfriends and alleged victims, recognized solely as “Jane”, testified throughout weeks 4 and 5 of the trial.Prosecutors described her as a single mom who met Combs in 2020 and dated him from 2021 till his 2024 arrest.Lots of Jane’s claims echoed Ventura’s. She described the frequent and typically days-long “freak-offs”, or “lodge nights” that she alleged she was pressured by Combs to take part in.Jane mentioned that she initially took half to please Combs, however later felt “obligated” to after he started paying her hire in 2023.She testified that she feared dropping her house, the place she lived along with her son, if she refused Combs. She mentioned Combs threatened to cease supporting her financially, and to leak express movies of her and present them to her little one’s father.Jane mentioned she repeatedly informed Combs she wished to cease taking part, however that he would dismiss her considerations. She additionally described a violent altercation between her and Combs in 2024 that left her with a black eye.Below cross-examination, Combs’s legal professionals portrayed Jane, as they did with Ventura, as a consenting participant. They cited loving and express textual content messages between the 2, and famous that she typically organized the encounters herself. Jane informed the courtroom that she did so to retain some management over who was concerned.Jane additionally informed the courtroom that Combs was nonetheless paying her hire and authorized charges, and admitted that she nonetheless liked him.3. ‘Mia’One other girl, a former private assistant of Combs’s recognized as “Mia”, testified that Combs bodily and sexually assaulted her a number of occasions throughout her employment.Mia testified that she had felt “trapped” within the state of affairs and that she feared retaliation, and described Combs’s conduct in direction of her as “probably the most shameful factor of my life”.“I couldn’t inform him ‘no’ about something,” Mia testified. “There’s no manner I may inform him ‘no’ as a result of then he would know that I believed what he was doing was fallacious after which I’d be a goal.”Protection attorneys advised she fabricated the allegations of sexual assault. Additionally they highlighted social media posts and messages from after the alleged assaults during which Mia praised Combs, calling him a “mentor” and an “inspiration”.4. Child CudiKid Cudi in New York on 7 June 2025. {Photograph}: Michael Loccisano/Getty Photographs for Tribeca FestivalRapper Scott Mescudi, referred to as Child Cudi, testified on 22 Could that Combs broke into his house in 2011 after discovering Mescudi’s transient relationship with Ventura.Mescudi informed the courtroom that he met Ventura in 2008 and briefly dated her in 2011 throughout what he understood to be a break in her relationship with Combs.In December 2011, Mescudi recalled receiving a “actually confused” and “scared” name from Ventura, who mentioned that Combs had came upon about them. The rapper mentioned that he picked her up and so they went to a lodge.He mentioned that he and Ventura then spoke on the cellphone with one among Combs’s staff, who claimed that Combs and an affiliate have been inside Mescudi’s house.When Mescudi returned house, he mentioned, Combs was not there, however some objects in the home have been misplaced, and his canine was locked in a rest room. Mescudi mentioned he known as the police and filed a report concerning the obvious break-in.Weeks later, Mescudi’s automobile was firebombed, which Mescudi believes was Combs – an allegation Combs and his legal professionals deny.5. Capricorn ClarkCapricorn Clark leaves courtroom in New York on 27 Could 2025. {Photograph}: Adam Grey/Getty ImagesClark, a former worker of Combs’s, testified that on the morning of the alleged break-in at Mescudi’s house, Combs confirmed up at her home “livid”, holding a gun, and demanded to know why she hadn’t informed him about Ventura’s relationship with Mescudi.She alleged that Combs, nonetheless holding the gun, then “kidnapped” her and compelled her to go to Mescudi’s home with him, allegedly telling her: “Dress, we’re going to go kill” Mescudi, regardless of her protesting. (Combs’s legal professionals deny that she was kidnapped.)Clark alleged that she was then made to get right into a automobile with Combs and one among his safety guards, who was driving, and that Combs had the gun in his lap.Once they arrived, Clark mentioned, Mescudi wasn’t house. She mentioned she stayed within the automobile and known as Ventura, whereas Combs and his safety guard entered the home.Clark additionally testified that in her employment, Combs threatened her, subjected her to lie detector assessments and as soon as pushed her.Throughout cross-examination, Combs’s attorneys challenged Clark’s kidnapping declare and highlighted how Clark had returned to work for Combs a number of occasions over time.