The trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs wrapped up its first week late Friday afternoon in Manhattan federal court. Cassie Ventura, his former girlfriend and the prosecution’s star witness, finished up her testimony after four days on the witness stand in the high-profile sex trafficking case.
Over the last week, federal prosecutors have begun to lay out their case that, for decades, Combs abused, threatened and coerced women to participate in marathon sexual encounters called “freak offs” and used his business empire, along with guns, kidnapping and arson, to conceal his crimes. The 55-year-old hip-hop mogul is facing charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution.
Testifying for more than 20 hours this week, Ventura — who is eight months pregnant — told the court her decade-long relationship with Combs was frequently marked by violence and physical abuse, describing in detail the drug-fueled “freak offs” that would take days to recover from. Jurors were also shown a 2016 surveillance video of Combs hitting, kicking and dragging Ventura in the hallway of a Los Angeles hotel.
The defense team presented hundreds of text messages between Ventura and Combs from throughout their relationship in an attempt to show that Ventura was a consensual participant in the “freak offs,” sometimes even planning them herself.
Two more witnesses testified Friday after Ventura, including a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations who took part in searches related to the Combs investigation and his September 2024 arrest, and singer Dawn Richard, who was part of the singing group Danity Kane formed by Combs. Richard testified that she witnessed Combs physically assault Ventura on multiple occasions.
Combs has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could face life in prison. He is being held without bail in a Brooklyn jail. A jury of 12 New Yorkers and six alternates will decide his fate. The trial is expected to last at least eight weeks.
Follow the live blog below for the latest updates on the trial, culled from various reporters and news organizations in the courtroom, including the Associated Press, CNN, the New York Times and NBC News.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Find more resources here.
