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Who is Cassie, the singer testifying against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs?

By Maria Sherman

New York: Casandra Ventura, the R&B singer and actor known simply as Cassie, has begun testifying in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial.

The music mogul is charged with leveraging his status to coerce women – including Cassie – into abusive sexual encounters and using violence if they refused. He has pleaded not guilty. Cassie sued Combs in 2023 alleging years of rape and abuse. The suit was settled within hours, but was followed by dozens of similar legal claims and touched off a criminal investigation. Here’s what you need to know about the 38-year-old star witness.

Cassie Ventura in May last year.

Cassie Ventura in May last year.Credit: Getty Images for birthFUND

A talented performer

A singer, actor, dancer and model, Cassie’s professional ambitions began in adolescence, when she was signed by the top-tier talent and modelling agency Wilhelmina. Her music career launched shortly thereafter, when she left her home state of Connecticut for New York, where she signed with manager Tony Mottola and first met Combs.

Cassie is perhaps best known for the 2006 hit single Me & U, which secured the No.1 spot on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart and No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 all genres chart. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The song was the lead single of her only studio album, released by Combs’ Bad Boy Records, and was self-titled. She left the label in 2019.

As an actor, she appeared in several television and film projects, including Fox’s Empire, The Perfect Match and Spenser Confidential. She made her acting debut in 2008 in Step Up 2: The Streets and contributed the song Is It You to its soundtrack.

Cassie Ventura takes an oath before testifying in Manhattan federal court.

Cassie Ventura takes an oath before testifying in Manhattan federal court.Credit: Elizabeth Williams via AP

She also appeared in several music videos, including Wiz Khalifa’s Roll Up and Mario’s Just A Friend 2002.

Although she never released her long-teased sophomore album, at one point tentatively titled Electro Love, she did drop a few tracks: the R&B-pop Official Girl with Lil Wayne, Must Be Love with Combs, and Let’s Get Crazy with Akon. And in 2012, Nicki Minaj tapped her for a feature on The Boys from Minaj’s reissued album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded — The Re-Up.

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Cassie is also a wife and a mother after marrying personal trainer Alex Fine in September 2019. Their first daughter, Frankie Stone Fine, was born that year and they welcomed their second daughter, Sunny Cinco Fine, in 2021. She is currently pregnant with their third child, a son.

Cassie Ventura married Alex Fine in 2019. They share two daughters and are expecting a third.

Cassie Ventura married Alex Fine in 2019. They share two daughters and are expecting a third.Credit: Instagram

The Combs connection

Cassie met Combs in 2005 when she was 19 and he was 37. He signed her to his Bad Boy Records label; they started dating within a few years.

In her 2023 civil lawsuit, Cassie alleges Combs trapped her in a “cycle of abuse, violence, and sex trafficking” for more than a decade, including raping her and forcing her to engage in sex acts with male sex workers. Combs settled the lawsuit the next day.

In May 2024, CNN aired footage that showed Combs attacking Cassie in a hotel hallway in 2016. The video closely mirrored an assault described in her lawsuit, which described Combs already punching her that night, and she was trying to leave the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles when he woke and came after her.

In the footage, a man who appears to be Diddy, wearing only a towel, punches Cassie, kicks her, and throws her onto the floor. The lawsuit alleges Combs paid $US50,000 ($77,220) to bury the video at the time.

Later, Combs apologised for the assault on Cassie in his first real acknowledgement of wrongdoing since the stream of allegations began.

Among other things, Cassie alleges Combs raped her when she tried to leave him, and often punched, kicked and beat her, causing injuries including bruises, burst lips, black eyes and bleeding.

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She also alleges that Combs was involved in blowing up rival rapper Kid Cudi’s car when he learned that Cudi was romantically interested in her. She alleges that Combs ran out of his home with guns when he learnt that Suge Knight, a rival producer, was eating at a nearby diner.

On the first day of Combs’ sex trafficking trial, a witness, Daniel Phillip, said he was a professional stripper who was paid $US700 to $US6000 to have sex with Cassie while Combs watched and gave instructions, with the first encounter in 2012.

Phillip told jurors that he stopped meeting with the couple after he saw Combs throw a bottle at Cassie, then drag her by her hair into a bedroom as she screamed.

She is expected to return to the stand on Wednesday (Thursday AEST).

AP

If you or anyone you know needs support, you can contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732), Lifeline 131 114, or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636.

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Original URL: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/culture/music/who-is-cassie-the-singer-testifying-against-sean-diddy-combs-20250514-p5lz04.html