Diddy trial: Cassie testifies about 'violent arguments,' 'freak off' parties

The trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs continues in Manhattan on Tuesday, with testimony coming from a key witness. 

Cassie Diddy testimony

Cassie Ventura, better known as Cassie, began testifying Tuesday in the federal trial against Sean "Diddy" Combs.

Live updates:

Follow along with live updates from FOX 5 NY here. Because the trial is in federal court, a livestream is not available. 

Big picture view:

Cassie, noticeably pregnant on the witness stand, was emotional from the start. She would take deep breaths and sometimes paused as she spoke.

Cassie is married to Alex Fine, who may later be called to testify, and is pregnant with their third child. 

Violent arguments:

She testified that Combs became increasingly controlling during their relationship and sometimes was violent. 

"If they were violent arguments, it would usually result in some sort of physical abuse and dragging, just different things," Cassie said. Asked how frequently Combs became violent with her, Cassie softly responded: "Too frequently."

'Freak off' testimony:

"Freak offs" were the highly orchestrated sex parties which she said stemmed from Combs’ interest in voyeurism.

"Freak offs became a job where there was no space to do anything else but to recover and just try to feel normal again," she said.

She said the longest "freak off" she was involved in lasted four days, and noted that others took anywhere from 36 to 48 hours and often required periods of recovery from dehydration, fatigue and drug use.

She said she didn’t feel like she could say "no" to Combs, who she said assaulted during their turbulent relationship, hitting her in the head, stomping on her and dragging her numerous times.

"Sean controlled a lot of my life, whether it was career, the way I dressed, everything, everything," Cassie testified, later adding, "Sean is a really polarizing person, also very charming."

Who is Cassie?

The backstory:

Cassie is an R&B singer, model, dancer, and actress who broke into the industry in 2005. She met Combs then when she was 19 and he was 37. He signed her to his Bad Boy Records label and, within a few years, they started dating and were in an on-and-off relationship from 2007 to 2018. 

Dig deeper:

On November 16, 2023, Cassie filed a lawsuit against Diddy, accusing him of years of abuse, violence and sex trafficking. Cassie alleged the abuse began when the relationship started and included a 2018 rape and repeated incidents of domestic violence. Combs settled the lawsuit the next day. 

Big picture view:

She is considered to be a key prosecution witness in the trial. 

Diddy Cassie hotel video

Video perspective:

In May 2024, CNN released hotel surveillance video from 2016 showing Diddy attacking Cassie — grabbing, punching and kicking her in a hallway. After the video surfaced, Diddy issued a public apology, admitting to the incident.

The video will serve as a key piece of evidence in the trial. 

Diddy trial 

Meanwhile:

Diddy’s trial officially began this week on Monday. Jurors heard opening statements and testimony from a former hotel security officer who responded to a call for a "woman in distress" that coincides with the hotel surveillance video, and from a professional stripper who testified he was paid to have sex with Cassie while Combs watched. 

READ MORE: Diddy trial begins: Cassie video shown, male escort testifies

Big picture view:

Combs is accused of using his music empire to run a racketeering operation that forced women into sex and of turning violent when they refused. 

The other side:

Combs’ lawyers have conceded that he could be violent, but say prosecutors are trying to turn sex between consenting adults into a prostitution and sex trafficking case.

Lawyers said Monday that his violent outbursts, often fueled by alcohol, jealousy and drugs, might have warranted domestic violence charges, but not sex trafficking and racketeering counts.

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