There were 34 witnesses in the sex crimes trial of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. They gave disturbing and graphic testimony about years of alleged abuse and sex trafficking. Combs was found not guilty of the most serious accusations of sex trafficking and racketeering, but he was found guilty in July of moving persons across state lines for prostitution.
This Friday, a judge will give his punishment. For the sentencing decision, the court can look at all the evidence that was provided at the trial. Combs could spend years in jail.
Here is a list of the most important witnesses and the most damaging things they said during the trial:
The Ex-Girlfriends Cassie (Casandra Ventura): The R&B singer who dated Combs from 2007 to 2018 when he signed her was a key witness. During four days of testimony, she said that Combs beat her and made her have “disgusting” intercourse with male sex workers during “freak-offs” that lasted for days. She also said that Combs raped her when she tried to break up with him.
Important Evidence: The prosecution produced security camera evidence from a 2016 incident at an Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles where Combs was seen beating, kicking, and dragging Cassie. A hotel security said that Combs paid $100,000 to keep the footage secret until CNN showed it in May 2024.
Jane (a fake name): A model who dated Combs from 2021 until he was arrested last year. She said that she told Combs many times that she didn’t want to have sex with other guys, but he kept pushing her, partially because he paid her rent, which made her feel “obligated.”
Last year, Jane said, Combs put her in a chokehold, slapped her in the face, and had her meet a sex worker. He told her, “You’re not going to ruin my night like this.” Both Jane and Cassie said in court that Combs said he would disclose their sex films if they didn’t do what he wanted.
Personal Assistants and Close Friends
Brendan Paul was Combs’s personal assistant until March 2024. He said he bought drugs for the billionaire, like cocaine, ketamine, ecstasy, and marijuana. His job ended when he was arrested at a Miami airport for having cocaine, which he claims he got from Combs’ room.
David James: He used to be a personal assistant from 2007 to 2009 and said he worked up to 20 hours a day and was in charge of supplying hotel rooms with baby oil, condoms, Viagra, and other supplies. He also said that he saw Combs with three weapons as they drove to face Suge Knight, a rival in the music business, in 2008.
“Mia” (pseudonym): A former personal assistant who said Combs attacked her at his 40th birthday party in 2009, kissed her without her consent, made her perform oral sex on another occasion, and raped her in 2010. Defense lawyers showed texts she wrote Combs years later that were full of love, but she said, “I was still brainwashed.”
Dancers and sex workers from other countries
Sharay Hayes, who plays “The Punisher,” A stripper reported that Cassie used a birthday striptease to get him to come to his first “freak-off.” He remembered that Combs paid him $100 to have sex with Cassie while he watched. He didn’t know who the secret hip-hop entrepreneur was until he saw a hotel room TV screen that said, “Mr. Sean Combs.”
Daniel Phillip was an exotic dancer who did “freak-offs” from 2012 to 2014. He stated he was paid between $700 and $6,000 to have sex with Cassie while Combs watched and told them things like, “You need to rub more baby oil on each other.” He said that he saw Combs hurl a bottle at Cassie and pull her hair.
People who saw threats and violence
Scott Mescudi, also known as Kid Cudi, is a rapper. He said in court that Combs stormed into his house in late 2011 after finding out that he and Cassie were dating. A few weeks later, someone set Cudi’s Porsche on fire. Cudi stated he knew Combs was “involved” and that Combs was lying when he swore he wasn’t.
Capricorn Clark, a former employee of Combs, said that Combs arrived to her house on the day of the break-in with a gun and told them to “kill Cudi.” She remembered Combs threatening her life if she didn’t convince Cudi that Combs had nothing to do with it after the event.
Dawn Richard is a singer in the Bad Boy Records groups Danity Kane and Diddy – Dirty Money. She said she saw Combs hit Cassie and swing a skillet at her in 2009. She also said that Combs made a death threat to her if she didn’t shut up. (Combs’ lawyers said that she was doing it because she was going to sue him.)
Deonte Nash, a celebrity stylist who didn’t want to testify for the prosecution even though she had said nice things about Combs in the past, said that Cassie “quite often” had bruises on her legs, arms, and neck, and that once she had a big, bloody cut above her eye after Combs hit her.
The jury didn’t find Combs guilty of all the charges, but the judge will take this long testimony into account when deciding on the final prison sentence.