Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, the woman who blasted open the floodgates of civil lawsuits and federal investigations against ex-boyfriend Sean “Diddy” Combs, returned to his life via a New York federal courtroom.
Cassie’s 2023 lawsuit led to Diddy’s indictment and trial
The “Me & U” singer, 37, testified for the third consecutive day in the sensationalized Diddy sex trafficking trial. Cassie was the first to file an explosive civil lawsuit against the beleaguered Bad Boy boss in December 2023. And even though Diddy settled the case with Cassie the very next day, it set off in motion more than two dozen similar civil lawsuits filed in rapid succession. Most of them accused Diddy of sexually assaulting them under the cloud of coercion, violence, and blackmail.
The FBI launched a probe soon after Cassie’s lawsuit
Amid this mushrooming scandal, the U.S. Department of Justice launched its investigation based mostly on Cassie’s court documents, claiming that the music mogul forced her to participate in sex parties — which are now called “freak-offs” — with paid escorts and prostitutes in hotels and homes around the country. Oftentimes, Cassie recalled, the sex workers flew in from other states to engage in the debaucherous parties.
Diddy’s attorney suggested that Cassie ruined his career
Now, on the fourth day of the trial, Diddy’s defense attorney Anna Estevao reminded Cassie during cross-examination that she received a $20 million settlement from her lawsuit, according to ABC 13 Houston.
She then asked, “Fair to say his career was ruined after your lawsuit?”
Cassie replied: “I could understand that, yeah.”
Actually, Diddy’s downward spiral accelerated after CNN aired the infamous 2016 video showing Diddy beating, kicking, and dragging Cassie at the now-defunct InterContinental Hotel in the Century City section of Los Angeles. Soon thereafter, agents from Homeland Security raided his palatial estates in L.A. and Miami Beach, Fla., and confiscated a trove of baby oil, sex lubricants, and electronic equipment.
The Justice Department secured indictments against Diddy in September 2024, on the charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. He was arrested that night and placed in federal custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, where he has remained since.
Cassie is now the prosecution’s star witness, who has detailed disturbingly lewd acts that she felt forced to engage in and which have horrified a nation.
Diddy could face up to life in prison if he is convicted on all counts.
Most fans are not sympathetic with Diddy’s predicament
Fans hammered Diddy for having the audacity to even suggest that Cassie ruined his career.
“Uh no. Diddy ruined Diddy’s career. Eventually it all comes out,” one fan said in the comments section of Peoplemagazine’s story.
A second person said, “Oh, cry me a river. Wah Wah Wah.”
The third commenter summarized the sentiments of many by writing: “So… Cassie ruined his career??! Seems to me that he did that all by himself with the choices he made. Let’s not blame the victim — and the victim here is NOT Combs!”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or log onto rainn.org.
