Cassie Ventura took the witness stand in Manhattan federal court Tuesday and offered emotional, graphic testimony against her ex-boyfriend, music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs.
The singer, now 38, detailed the deeply troubling nature of their relationship, describing years of alleged abuse, manipulation, and disturbing behavior.
Ventura testified that Combs insisted she call him “Pop Pop” — a nickname she originally used for her grandfather — during what she described as “Freak-Offs.”
These were events where she said she was expected to perform sexual acts, often involving escorts, under Combs’ direction.
“He wanted me to have a nickname for him,” she told jurors. “He asked me what I called my grandfather, and I said I called him Pop Pop.” Reflecting on it now, she said, “I thought it was weird at the time. But now I think it’s just disrespectful.”
In her testimony, Ventura recounted episodes of alleged violence.
She said Combs would become physically abusive over minor triggers, including something as subtle as a facial expression.
“He would bash me on my head, knock me over, drag me, kick me, stomp me on the head if I was down,” she testified, adding, “I also felt at certain times … I knew it wasn’t even about me … \[I would] make the wrong face and the next thing I knew I was getting hit in the face.”
Choking back tears, she described how quickly Combs’ demeanor would change.
“His look would just change over, he would just become a different person,” she said. “The best way to describe it is his eyes just go black. The version that I was in love with is no longer there.”
Ventura said she was introduced to “Freak-Offs” at just 22 years old, explaining that these events were orchestrated to please Combs.
“I was in love and I just wanted to make him happy,” she said. “It basically entails the hiring of an escort and setting up this experience so that I could perform for Sean.”
One of these sessions, she recalled, lasted four days. She noted how physically stressing they were, often requiring recovery time due to drug use and dehydration.
She also told the court that Combs controlled many aspects of her life, from encouraging her to get implants to dictating how she wore her hair.
Ventura, currently pregnant with her third child, is identified by prosecutors as “Victim 1” — a key witness in this high-profile case that continues to unfold.
