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This is Cassie Ventura's tale.In court on May 13, the singer, who is currently expecting her third child with husband Alex Fine, testified against her former partner in his sex trafficking trial.
Her testimony also comes a day after opening statements from prosecutors, who detailed in graphic detail the 38-year-old's connection with the music entrepreneur, whom she dated intermittently for over ten years prior to their 2018 breakup.
According to what Ventura claimed on the stand, she and Combs had "violent arguments," which "usually resulted in physical abuse." "Sean controlled a lot of my life," she testified, "whether it was career, sex, everything. And I didn't have much say; I was super young. I didn't know if he would be upset enough to be violent or not want to be with me at all." She also mentioned alleged sex acts, saying, "Over time, if I didn't do it, materials would be hung over my head, or it would become public." She also went on to describe how she was introduced to the concept of "freak-offs."
"In the first year of our relationship, he proposed a sexual encounter he called voyeurism, a sexual encounter with a third party," Ventura said. "I don't remember how it came about. It entails hiring an escort and setting up so I can perform for Sean."
"It involved Sean watching me with another person," she continued, "and he would direct us in what we were doing."
Ultimately, Ventura stated, hiring escorts became a "job" for her, but she wanted to make Combs "happy."
"It was always in the back of my mind that I would somehow be hurt by him," she said on the stand. "Sean is a really polarizing person. He was very charming; it was hard to decide in that moment when he was telling you what he wanted. I just didn't know what would happen."
Combs' relationship with the singer of "Me & U" was brought to light during opening statements on May 12; the singer's testimony follows that day. Prosecutor Emily Johnson detailed incidents during the proceedings in which the rapper, who has entered a not guilty plea to all five of the allegations against him, allegedly mistreated his ex-girlfriend.
According to NBC News, Johnson testified in court that "he threatened her and said if she defies him again, he will release video of her having sex with male escorts." "Relics from the most embarrassing evenings of her life."
A 2016 video of the rapper abusing her came to light in May of last year. CNN released hotel surveillance footage showing Combs pursuing the singer down a hotel corridor before snatching her, dragging her to the floor, and kicking her multiple times.
The footage appeared to match up with an alleged incident detailed in the singer’s lawsuit filed against the Grammy winner.
