Cassie revealed that she was allegedly forced to call Sean “Diddy” Combs a stomach-curdling nickname during his so-called "Freak Off" parties.
The shocking detail emerged on Tuesday (May 13) during Ventura’s testimony at Combs’ high-profile sex trafficking and racketeering trial, currently underway in New York.
Combs, 55, has been charged with racketeering and sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion - charges he has denied. He has been held at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Centre since his arrest in September.
Cassie, now 38, met the rap mogul when she was 19 and he was 37. She testified that their relationship, which spanned from 2007 to 2018, was marked by frequent physical violence and psychological control.
When asked how often Combs abused her, she responded: “Too frequently," per the Telegraph.
On the stand, the 'Me & U' musician described in detail how she was allegedly forced to participate in “freak-offs” - voyeuristic sexual encounters involving other men.
According to BBC News, she told the court: “I remember my stomach falling to my butt. Just the nervousness and confusion… I had just turned 22.” Though she didn’t want to be involved, she said she complied because she "loved him" and "wanted to make him happy".
“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 explained, per Sky News, adding that she had to recuperate from lack of sleep, alcohol, drugs "and other substances", and "having sex with a stranger for days".
Among the disturbing allegations was that Combs made her call him “Pop Pop”—a name she had originally used for her grandfather. “He asked me what I called my grandfather,” Ventura testified. “I did it, but now I think it was disrespectful," The Daily Beast reported.
According to reporter Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press, who posted a court transcript, Ventura confirmed the nickname when questioned about an email between her and Combs.
The courtroom also heard that the 'I'll Be Missing You' rapper allegedly assaulted her repeatedly, resulting in injuries including busted lips, bruises, and swollen eyes.
“He would bash me on my head, knock me over, drag me, kick me, stomp me in the head if I was down,” she said. “I’d get knots in my forehead… bruises all over my body.”
Ventura said she feared Combs would release videos of the “freak-offs” if she refused to participate, stating: “I didn’t know what ‘no’ could be, or what ‘no’ could turn into. Sean controlled a lot of my life, whether it was career, the way I dressed, everything. I just didn’t have much say in it at the time.”
She also alleged that her ex-partner would punish her by taking away her possessions - her home, car, jewelry, laptop, and phone.
In one particularly graphic claim, Ventura testified that he once directed an escort to urinate in her mouth, which she said made her feel like she was “choking".
Jurors were also shown a now-viral surveillance video from 2016 that appeared to show Combs attacking Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel.
In 2024, Combs publicly addressed the video, admitting, “It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you got to do that... I was f**ked up - I hit rock bottom - but I make no excuses. My behavior on that video is inexcusable.”
The 'Long Way 2 Go' artist had previously filed a civil lawsuit against Combs in 2023, accusing him of rape and abuse. The case was settled out of court shortly after.
The rapper’s legal team began their defense by admitting that he is a domestic abuser, while maintaining his innocence on the more serious charges.
Ventura, who is currently eight months pregnant with her third child with husband Alex Fine, may remain on the stand for several more days as the trial continues.