Pop singer testifies Sean 'Diddy' Combs abused girlfriend

Pop singer Dawn Richard told a jury in Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex trafficking trial on Friday that she often saw the hip-hop mogul beat his then-girlfriend Casandra Ventura, who earlier testified that Combs physically and emotionally abused her throughout their 11-year relationship.

Richard recounted an incident at Combs’ Los Angeles home in 2009 when Combs beat Ventura and dragged her upstairs by the hair. Richard then said she heard breaking glass and screaming.

“He came down the stairs screaming, belligerent, asking where his food was, and proceeded to hit her over the head and beat her on the ground in front of us,” Richard told the jury in Manhattan federal court during a fifth day of testimony.

Richard said Combs called her and others who witnessed the assault into the studio the next day, gave them flowers, and said their careers would be harmed if they reported the incident.

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has been held since September in a Brooklyn jail when not in court. If convicted on all counts, he could face a minimum of 15 years in prison and potentially life behind bars.

The 38-year-old Ventura, a rhythm and blues singer known as Cassie, told jurors earlier that Combs coerced and blackmailed her into taking part in days of drug-fuelled sex parties he called "Freak Offs"—central to the prosecution’s case.

She said she suffered years of physical and emotional abuse during their tumultuous relationship.

Richard is expected to resume her testimony on Monday. The trial, which has drawn intense media coverage because of Combs' wealth and influence in the music industry, could last up to two months.

Richard has a pending civil lawsuit against Combs, accusing him of subjecting her to inhumane working conditions, including groping and assault. The lawsuit says Richard saw Combs brutally beat Ventura on many occasions.

Before Richard's testimony, jurors were shown photos of items found during a search of Combs’ hotel room on the day of his arrest last September. The items included bottles of baby oil, lubricant, bags of cocaine, and other drugs, some prescribed to people other than Combs.

Combs placed his hand on his forehead and spoke to his lawyers while jurors were shown bags of pink powder that a law enforcement witness said tested positive for MDMA and ketamine. A prosecutor handed jurors bags of drugs and cash.

DEFENCE CHALLENGES CREDIBILITY OF RAPE ALLEGATION

For much of Friday's testimony, a lawyer representing Combs sought to undercut Ventura's claim that he raped her in 2018, showing jurors text messages indicating Ventura had consensual sex with Combs a month after the alleged rape.

The lawyer, Anna Estevao, showed Ventura texts from September 2018 in which she and Combs discussed potentially meeting up and hugging after not seeing each other for some time.

"You don't say anything to the effect of, 'Last time we saw each other you raped me?'" Estevao asked.

"Right," Ventura responded.

Ventura had previously told jurors Combs raped her in her home after they had broken up.

"I just remember crying and saying no, but it was very fast," she said, as her voice trailed off.

During follow-up questioning by a prosecutor on Friday, Ventura said she had no doubt that Combs raped her. She also acknowledged having consensual sex with him a few weeks later.

Combs, previously known as Puff Daddy and P Diddy, founded Bad Boy Records and is credited with helping turn artists like Mary J Blige, Faith Evans, Notorious BIG, and Usher into stars in the 1990s and 2000s.

'TO DO THE RIGHT THING'

Part of the criminal case stems from Ventura's November 2023 civil lawsuit against Combs. She testified that he agreed, after 24 hours, to settle for $20 million.

Asked on Wednesday why she decided to testify against Combs, Ventura said she could no longer bear the emotional burden of years of abuse and "came here to do the right thing."

Ventura told jurors she would give back the $20 million from her settlement if it meant never having to participate in Freak Offs again.

After her testimony, Ventura's lawyer Douglas Wigdor read a statement to reporters that said: "For me, the more I heal, the more I can remember, and the more I can remember, the more I will never forget."

Meanwhile, singer Justin Bieber's representative issued a statement saying Bieber was not a victim of Combs but supports others who were and are seeking justice, according to TMZ and People on Friday.

Videos of Combs and Bieber spending time together had prompted online speculation that Combs may have abused Bieber.