The federal trial against Sean "Diddy" Combs is officially underway.
In a case that has rocked the music and entertainment world, the 55-year-old hip-hop mogul is facing a slew of federal charges including racketeering, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
During opening statements on May 12, prosecutor Emily Johnson laid out the allegations for the jury, warning all 12 jurors to brace themselves for evidence involving what she described as days-long, drug-fueled orgies — allegedly masterminded by Combs himself, according to NBC News.
Central to the prosecution's case are the infamous "freak-off" parties, with prosecutors painting a harrowing image of what these alleged sordid events entailed. According to a September 2024 indictment obtained by E! News, these so-called events were “extended sex acts with male commercial sex workers.”
“Freak Offs were elaborate and produced sex performances that Combs arranged, directed, masturbated during, and often electronically recorded,” the indictment reads. “Freak Offs occurred regularly, sometimes lasted multiple days, and often involved multiple commercial sex workers.”
Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Testifying for a second day, R&B singer Casandra Ventura — better known as Cassie — took the stand as the prosecution's star witness and shared disturbing allegations regarding the relationship she had with Combs.
How Cassie Says The 'Freak-Offs' Started
Cassie detailed beatings and sexual violence she says she experienced during the relationship and described the toll it took on her mental and physical health. She told the jury that Combs controlled her life and coerced her into "humiliating" sex acts.
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She recounted how she was introduced to the so-called "freak-offs" where, according to her testimony, she had sex with male escorts while Combs watched, directed, and recorded.
Ventura, who is about eight months pregnant, spoke softly and took deep breaths before answering prosecutors’ questions. At times she was visibly emotional. She told prosecutors that Diddy” first introduced voyeurism into their relationship during its first year.
According to Ventura, the initial experience involved her “hiring an escort and setting up” a scenario where she would “perform” for Combs while he watched her with another person.
She testified that what began as a proposal from Combs eventually escalated into a regular expectation. Orchestrating what Combs referred to as “freak offs” — sex performances that could last between 36 hours and four days — “became a job” for her.
“I had the contacts to set it up in the hotel room and all of that,” she said. “At the beginning Sean set it up.”
Ventura recalled her initial reaction to Combs’ proposal. “My stomach churned,” she said.
“I didn’t have a concept of how that would be a turn on, but I accepted the responsibility,” Ventura continued. “I was confused, nervous, but also loved him very much and wanted to make him happy. It wasn't something that I wanted to be doing, especially as regularly as it became, but again, I was in love and wanted to make him happy.”
She added, “At some point, I felt I didn't have much of a choice.”
Cassie also revealed that she would take a concoction of drugs in order to make it through the "freak-offs".
The Impact It Had On Her Body
Ventura also opened up about the alleged impact the "freak-offs" had on her body.
She told the court she experienced urinary tract infections, mouth sores, and stomach issues as a result of the encounters.
“When we were having frequent ‘freak offs’ — they were back to back — and sometimes I would do a ‘freak off’ with the infection,” Ventura said during her second day of testimony. “I tried to flush it out with water. I got to the point where [the antibiotic] CIPRO didn’t work anymore. It was a mess.”
“It was really painful for a long time,” she continued. “I can’t believe I actually dealt with that.”
Text messages presented in court showed an exchange between Ventura and Combs in which she told him she had sores on her tongue. He responded: “I’m sorry.”
On Wednesday, prosecutor Emily Johnson asked Ventura directly: “Who paid you $20 million?”
“Sean and his companies,” Ventura responded.
The $20 million figure refers to the high-profile settlement Ventura reached with Combs in November 2023, just one day after filing a lawsuit accusing him of raping her, physically abusing her, and forcing her to have sex with male prostitutes while he watched and masturbated.
At the time, Combs “vehemently” denied the “outrageous” allegations. But the lawsuit was swiftly settled the very next day in a then-undisclosed agreement.
Now, that history is taking center stage in a federal courtroom, as Ventura faces cross-examination and prosecutors attempt to build a case they claim reveals years of abuse, coercion, and exploitation.
Combs, through his legal team, continues to deny all allegations.