Cassie Ventura’s mother says she paid $20Okay to Diddy over sex-tape threats – National | Globalnews.ca

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The mom of Cassie Ventura testified on Tuesday in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex-trafficking and racketeering trial, revealing that she paid the hip-hop wealthy person US$20,000 after he threatened to unencumber particular intercourse tapes of her daughter.

Combs turned into offended that Cassie used to be courting somebody else, her mom, Regina Ventura, testified on the trial on May 20.

Regina stated that she felt “physically sick” when she gained an electronic mail from her daughter in overdue 2011 announcing that Combs used to be making plans to unencumber two particular movies of her and ship somebody to harm her and rapper Kid Cudi, the person Cassie used to be seeing, whose complete title is Scott Mescudi.

Day 7

Regina used to be at the stand for approximately 15 mins and spoke back the prosecutor’s questions on her daughter’s courting with Combs.

She stated that her daughter had despatched her an electronic mail earlier than Christmas in 2011 to let her know that Combs used to be threatening to unencumber intercourse tapes.

“I did not understand a lot of it. The sex tapes threw me,” Regina informed the Manhattan federal court docket.

Regina stated she then gained a requirement from Combs for $20,000 “to recoup money he had spent on her because he was unhappy she was in a relationship with Kid Cudi.”

“He was angry that he had spent money on her and she went with another person,” she stated.

Regina testified that she had to make use of a house fairness mortgage to make the fee to Combs and stressed it to an account related to Bad Boy, Combs’ corporate.

“I was scared for my daughter’s safety,” she added.

Days later, she stated, the cash used to be returned, and Cassie and Combs started courting once more in a while after.

During her testimony, the jury used to be proven 4 pictures of Cassie with bruises on her frame, together with on her thigh and higher again. Regina stated she took the photographs of her daughter on Christmas Eve 2011 when she first informed her that Combs had crushed her.

Combs’ legal professional Marc Agnifilo declined to cross-examine Regina. As she left the witness stand, she stared instantly at Combs, who appeared without delay forward.

Before the jury arrived on Tuesday, Agnifilo attempted to steer Judge Arun Subramanian to disallow the testimony, announcing it used to be “purely prejudicial” as it illustrated the extensive distinction between the monetary standing of the Ventura circle of relatives and Combs. The pass judgement on allowed it, announcing the threats to unencumber intercourse tapes and hurt Cassie made it an example of “potential extortion.”

Combs’ private assistant felt his ‘life was in danger’

Earlier Tuesday, David James, Combs’ private assistant from 2007 to 2009, informed the court docket that he surrender when he discovered that his existence were put at risk after he used to be pressured to pressure a automobile through which Combs sat within the again seat with 3 handguns on his lap.

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James stated his task from time to time required him to be sure that lodge rooms the place Combs stayed beneath the title “Frank Black” have been stocked with the rapper’s comforts, together with recent undies, an iPod, applesauce, vodka, child oil, Viagra and condoms.

He informed the jurors that Combs didn’t commute mild and his Louis Vuitton steadily carried $10,000 in money “and sometimes much more.”

James recalled a time in 2008 when Combs requested him to convey an iPod from his Miami house to a lodge room. Upon getting into, James stated he noticed Cassie at the mattress with a white comforter pulled as much as her neck and an unfamiliar bare guy with lengthy hair strolling around the room.

He stated that he by no means spoke to Cassie or Combs about what he noticed and that he by no means had conversations with them about their private affairs.

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Diddy trial: Ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura fought what ‘only the demon himself could have done’

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Another time, he stated Combs summoned him to his place of business to turn him a video he had recorded at a birthday celebration of James dancing wildly and informed him: “OK. I’m going to keep this footage in case I ever need it.”

James admitted that he used to be top on ecstasy at a New Year’s Eve birthday celebration within the video and he took it as a danger to stay him in line.

“He thought it would be embarrassing for me,” James added.

James additionally described being required to take lie detector checks two times when Combs used to be looking for out who stole money in a single example, and an eye fixed in some other.

“It was very intimidating,” James stated. “I had never taken a lie detector test before.”

He stated Combs used to be on medication just about each day, frequently taking Percocet via day and ecstasy via night time. When he stocked Combs’ lodge rooms, he stated, medication have been in a bag dropped off via safety, together with the tablet supposed to appear to be then-president Barack Obama.

The second when James noticed the 3 weapons on Combs’ lap — he testified that he used to be fascinated with Combs’ try to confront his song business rival Suge Knight at a Los Angeles diner in November 2008 — he knew he needed to surrender, which he did in a while thereafter. (Cassie additionally testified concerning the diner incident previous within the trial.)

“I was real shook up by it,” James testified. “This was the first time being Mr. Combs’ assistant that I realized my life was in danger. I told them I want to leave but give six months’ notice so I could train the next assistant.”

Taking over the cross-examination, Agnifilo requested James why he didn’t supply extra main points at the incident with Knight.

James stated that he used to be advised “not to say anything that would incriminate himself.”

He testified that Combs’ safety element frequently incorporated a 2d automobile when he used to be travelling. James stated Combs’ staff used to be “suspicious” of any individual “pulling up on him to shoot him.”

James stated that folks would attempt to ask Combs for his autograph in public, which he wouldn’t signal. He stated team of workers would signal the pieces and ship them out on Combs’ behalf.

“I don’t think ‘gracious’ is a word I would use to describe him,” James stated.

More testimony about freak-offs

Before Tuesday’s lunch smash, Sharay Hayes, an unique dancer referred to as “The Punisher,” testified that Combs and Cassie introduced him into the freak-offs international. He stated a lady — Cassie the use of the pseudonym of “Janet” — known as and informed him it used to be her birthday and that her husband stated she will have to rent a dancer.

Hayes, 51, stated he arrived at a Manhattan lodge room anticipating to accomplish a striptease for a small staff of other people however as a substitute discovered the girl who employed him — whom he later discovered used to be Cassie — on my own with an another way bare guy who concealed his face with a burqa-like fabric. That guy, he stated, grew to become out to be Combs.

Hayes recalled seeing bottles of child oil in bowls of water and getting passed a stack of $800 in money. Later, after Combs watched him have a sexual come across with Cassie, he stated he used to be passed an extra $1,200. He stated he used to be keen on Combs however didn’t understand it used to be him within the room till a next come across at some other lodge the place the message at the TV display stated: “Essex House would like to welcome Mr. Sean Combs.”

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs ex-girlfriend Cassandra Ventura testifies in his ongoing intercourse trafficking trial

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Hayes stated that Cassie informed him to not recognize Combs, to check out no longer to take a look at him or keep up a correspondence with him right through the come across.

He testified that during a dozen or extra sexual performances with the couple, Hayes by no means had the sense that Cassie used to be uncomfortable with it, including that he believed it appeared consensual.

Prosecutor Meredith Foster requested Hayes whether or not Cassie’s focal point used to be on him or Combs.

Hayes stated that there used to be a constant consciousness of Combs and his belief.

A federal agent describes a raid of Combs’ house

Jurors additionally noticed portions of 2 AR-15 rifles that federal brokers discovered final 12 months whilst looking out Combs’ mansion on Star Island, a star enclave off of Miami.

Special agent Gerard Gannon, of Homeland Security Investigations, testified that brokers executing a seek warrant for the valuables in March 2024 used an armoured car to bust via Combs’ safety gate and had groups on boats close by.

In addition to guns, he stated they discovered platform top heels and pieces that prosecutors say Combs often used right through his freak-off intercourse marathons, together with underwear, intercourse toys, child oil, lubricant and condoms.

What Combs is on trial for

U.S. prosecutors allege that for 20 years, at the back of the scenes, Combs used to be coercing and abusing ladies with assist from a community of colleagues who helped silence sufferers via blackmail and violence.

Combs faces an indictment that comes with descriptions of freak-offs, that are outlined within the court docket document as “elaborate and produced sex performances that Combs arranged, directed, masturbated during, and often electronically recorded.”

Numerous witnesses have come ahead to accuse Combs of terrorizing other people into silence via choking, hitting, kicking and dragging them, in line with prosecutors. One indictment alleges that Combs dangled somebody from a balcony.

Although dozens of women and men have alleged in proceedings that Combs abused them, this trial will spotlight the claims of 4 ladies.

Combs is charged with intercourse trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to interact in prostitution. He has denied all of the fees in opposition to him and has rejected a plea deal, opting for to visit trial as a substitute.

If discovered to blame within the New York court docket, he may face existence in jail.

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Day 6 testimony

Day 5 testimony

Day 4 testimony

Day 3 testimony

Day 2 testimony

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Global News might be overlaying the Diddy trial in its entirety. Please test again for updates. 

— With recordsdata from The Associated Press