Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura is a major witness in his sex trafficking trial
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team is blaming Cassie Ventura’s 2023 lawsuit for the downfall of his decades-long career.
According to courtroom testimony on May 14, Diddy’s attorney Anna Estevao claimed the explosive abuse lawsuit filed by Ventura had devastating consequences for the music mogul.
“Fair to say his career was ruined after your lawsuit?” Estevao asked during cross-examination. Ventura replied, “I could understand that, yeah.”
Ventura, 38, had sued Combs under New York’s Adult Survivors Act just before its deadline, accusing him of rape, physical abuse, and coercing her into drug-fuelled sex acts with male escorts — some of which were allegedly filmed and used as blackmail.
The lawsuit was settled within 24 hours for a $20 million payout, a figure Ventura confirmed for the first time on the witness stand.
Despite the swift settlement, the case opened the floodgates for multiple other lawsuits and sparked a wide-reaching federal probe.
Combs was arrested in September 2024 and has pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transporting individuals for prostitution. He now faces life in prison if convicted.
Ventura, who is eight months pregnant and married to trainer Alex Fine, has returned to court for her third straight day of testimony as cross-examination has finally begun.
She’s detailed years of alleged abuse, including a 2016 hotel attack caught on surveillance video showing Combs kicking her near an elevator.
He remains in custody at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center.
