The ongoing trial of hip-hop mogul Sean Combs, popularly known as P. Diddy, which began last week in Lower Manhattan, has cast a spotlight on the darker side of his lifestyle. Combs, who faces serious charges including sex trafficking and racketeering, has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn since September 2024.

His trial has garnered public attention, with U.S. media reporting a steady presence of influencers at court proceedings.

One of the key witnesses in the case is model and singer Cassandra Ventura, better known as Cassie. A former girlfriend of the music producer, Ventura, was the first to file a lawsuit against Combs, accusing him of physical and sexual abuse during their more than a decade-long relationship. The allegations were further substantiated when CNN released surveillance footage of Combs assaulting her in a hotel hallway.

At the trial, Ventura gave explicit details of how the music entrepreneur raped and abused her. Her emotional testimony revealed disturbing details about the freak-offs, the marathon sex sessions which Combs often had with her.  Below are five key revelations from her testimony:

Taking the stand on the third day of the trial, the heavily-pregnant Ventura told the court that in August 2018 that  Combs raped her on her living room floor after a dinner meant to serve as a final goodbye. She had discovered his infidelity and wanted to end the relationship. At that time, she was already dating her current husband and saw the dinner as a “closure conversation.”

“I just remember crying and saying no,” she told the court, adding that it happened so fast and he just got up and left when it was over.

In 2023, Ventura said she reached a breaking point and contemplated taking her own life because of persistent flashbacks and trauma. She recounted telling her husband, Alex Fine, that he could raise their children without her:  “You can do this without me, you don’t need me,” and attempted to leave the house.

She told the court he stopped her, and she later sought therapy.

When Ventura filed a lawsuit against Combs in 2023, it was settled within 24 hours. At the time, the amount was not disclosed. However, during the trial, it was revealed that Combs paid her $20 million, although she had initially demanded $30 million.

Ventura said she remained in the abusive relationship out of fear. Combs allegedly threatened to release videos of their sexual encounters, including sessions involving male prostitutes, which he enjoyed watching and recording.  She gave instances of his blackmail, such as in 2011, after he learnt about her affair with rapper Kid Cudi.

On one flight, she claimed he showed her clips she believed had already been destroyed.

“I just felt trapped,” she said.

On her first day on the stand, Ventura explained in detail what Combs referred to as “freak-offs.” According to her, these were drug-fueled sex sessions with male prostitutes that could last several days and made her feel “disgusting” and “humiliated” at the end of the day. It also involves her having sex in multiple international locations with a series of male escorts. She testified that Combs controlled everything, from her wardrobe and how much baby oil she wore to the specific sex acts she performed.

“When you’re in love with someone, you don’t want to disappoint them,” she testified.

She said Combs also directed escorts to urinate on her, including into her mouth, adding that those episodes sometimes caused her to choke.

When she displeased Combs, she said, “He would become a different person. His eyes would ‘go black.’ The version of him I was in love with was no longer there.”

Combs has denied all allegations. His legal team maintains that Ventura and other women were willing participants in the encounters.