Cassie Testifies in Diddy Sex Trafficking Trial: “He Directed Everything — I Couldn’t Say No”

Warning: This article contains descriptions of alleged abuse and sexual exploitation that some readers may find distressing.

The courtroom has become a battleground of testimony, and at its center stands Casandra “Cassie” Ventura — the former singer and longtime girlfriend of Sean “Diddy” Combs — who is speaking publicly, under oath, about what she says happened behind the velvet curtains of their high-profile, often glamorized relationship.

With a baby on the way and years of alleged trauma behind her, Cassie is telling her story. And it’s not the story the world thought it knew.

• A Relationship That Started with a Dream and Ended in Darkness

Cassie was 19, fresh-faced and full of ambition, when she crossed paths with the hip-hop icon. He was 37, already a powerhouse. Within months, she was signed to his label — and quickly drawn into what she described as a suffocating, one-sided relationship that blurred the lines between romance and ownership.

“He controlled everything,” she told jurors. “From how I looked to where I went to who I was.”

• Cassie testified that Combs provided for her materially — but used that support to manipulate her emotionally.• She described a pattern of coercion, control, and, eventually, alleged violence — including beatings that left her with black eyes and busted lips.• And then, she said, came the “freak-offs.”

• The “Freak-Offs”: Alleged Exploitation Across Borders

According to Cassie, what began as a twisted attempt to please Combs quickly spiraled into repeated episodes of humiliation.

• She was directed to find male escorts, strippers, and dancers, often through Craigslist or professional stripper services.• These men were allegedly paid between $1,500 and $6,000 in cash depending on their “performance.”• The encounters, she said, took place in Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, and Ibiza, often while on vacation or during music events.• She testified that Combs had some of the men flown in, disguising them as "new employees" to hotel or travel staff.

“If Sean wanted something to happen, that was what was going to happen,” she said. “I couldn’t say no.”

One of the men involved, Daniel Phillip, previously testified and had his photo shown to jurors during the trial.

• Directed, Orchestrated, and Dismissed

Cassie alleged that Combs choreographed every aspect of the encounters — from her outfits and footwear to the lighting and sex acts performed.

“He was directing it,” she said. “He chose the heels I wore and made sure they stayed on for hours.”

• She said that even when she picked out the men, it was only because he told her to.• There was a specific pattern of acts, repeated over and over.• And when she tried to express how it made her feel? Cassie claimed she was met with cold dismissal — or worse, fear of losing his affection.

“I felt horrible,” she said. “But he didn’t care. I stopped pushing back because I didn’t want him to get angry.”

• What's at Stake in This Trial

Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges, which include:

• Racketeering conspiracy

• Sex trafficking

• Transportation to engage in prostitution

Prosecutors are working to establish that Combs ran an organized pattern of sexual exploitation — often across state and international lines — and used his power and resources to coerce others into participating.

• A Sisterhood Watching Closely

Cassie’s testimony isn’t just a bombshell — it’s a siren call.

This is not just a celebrity scandal. It’s a conversation about power, consent, and control that too many women recognize in whispers but rarely see spoken aloud in courtrooms.

And while the trial is far from over — with cross-examination looming — the impact of Cassie’s words has already landed.

She may have been silent for years.But now, the world is listening.

And for the women watching — from bedrooms, break rooms, and beauty salons — her courage just opened a door they thought would always stay locked.