We’re less than a month away from P. Diddy getting his day in court to defend himself against federal charges that include sex trafficking and racketeering. One piece of evidence that likely will be addressed at the trial is the leaked video of Diddy assaulting Cassie Ventura, and she has apparently made a big decision regarding her role in the legal proceedings: She’s going to testify, and not anonymously.
Four alleged victims are planning to take the stand when Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial begins on May 5. Ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura has identified herself as “Victim 1,” TMZ reports and is "prepared to testify under her own name."
The three other individuals have asked that their identities remain confidential during the trial to prevent harassment or other consequences, though prosecutors handed over their names to Diddy’s legal team in March, so the defense does know who the accusations are coming from.
Cassie Ventura is being viewed as a “pioneer” of sorts, as she seemingly kick-started the legal troubles that led to Diddy’s arrest in September 2024. Ventura -- who sings simply under the stage name Cassie -- filed a lawsuit in November 2023, accusing her ex-boyfriend of alleged rape, violence and human trafficking. The lawsuit was quickly settled, but it led to several others being filed against the music mogul.
P. Diddy has maintained his innocence against the charges. He released an apology following the release of the hotel security cam footage, which was dismissed by Cassie's team as "disingenuous."
Terrence Howard Shares Why He Has 'No More Communication' With P. Diddy
The news regarding Cassie Ventura comes soon after Terrence Howard shared a story of his experience with the rapper. According to the Academy Award nominee, Diddy asked him for weeks to help him with his acting, but when he showed up, Howard said Diddy was just "looking at me." After he obliged the record producer's request to play some music, Howard said his assistant approached him with a feeling he'd gotten from the mogul. The actor said:
So then my assistant was like, ‘He wants to hang out with you next week.’ And I was like, ‘For what?’ He’s like, ‘I think he’s trying to fuck you.’ That’s what my assistant said. I was like, ‘Oh, OK. Now, I get it. So, now, no more communication.’
Of course, with only one side of that story to go on, we don't know if there were ulterior motives in Diddy's request for an acting coach but, suffice it to say, Terrence Howard is one of many celebrities not trying to associate themselves with the rapper at this time.
LeBron James And More Deny Diddy Party Accusations
LeBron James, Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Gloria Estefan were mentioned in a new lawsuit against Diddy, with Manzaro Joseph claiming he was drugged and assaulted. Manzaro alleged that the ordeal was witnessed by the aforementioned celebrities. Representatives for all of the above have strongly denied the accusations. A previous case in which Jay-Z was accused of assault was dismissed in February.
It's not just those being named in lawsuits, though, who are trying to distance them P. Diddy and his infamous "freak offs." Kevin Hart hosted a Diddy party in the past, but he refused to comment when asked about details (specifically the thousand bottles of lubricant seized from Puff Daddy's homes).
It's also thought that Jennifer Lopez might get roped into the drama, as she dated the rapper from 1999 to 2001. I guess we only have to wait a few weeks now to see who else other than Cassie Ventura and the three anonymous accusers will be involved in the federal trial.
