Cassie to Testify Publicly Against Diddy in Upcoming Sex Trafficking Trial

As the high-profile sex trafficking case against music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs heads to trial, a major development has emerged: the artist’s former partner, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, will testify in court under her real name this May.

According to court documents filed on Friday, April 4, federal prosecutors confirmed that “Victim-1” in the case is indeed Ventura, who dated Combs between 2007 and 2018. The filing ends speculation over whether she would testify anonymously. The news was first confirmed by People, with Rolling Stone also previously identifying her in January.

Three other alleged victims are also expected to testify, but they have requested to remain anonymous. Prosecutors have asked the court to allow them to use pseudonyms to protect their privacy.

“This case has already received an exceptional amount of media coverage, which will presumably only increase as trial proceeds,” the prosecution stated in its filing.
“Allowing these measures will prevent unnecessary public exposure, media harassment, and emotional harm for the other victims involved.”

Ventura’s upcoming testimony marks a pivotal moment in the legal battle against Combs. In November 2023, she filed a civil lawsuit accusing the Bad Boy Records founder of rape, physical abuse, and sex trafficking.

The case was settled out of court shortly after it was filed, but it paved the way for multiple other alleged victims—both women and men—to come forward with similar accusations.

In recent months, Combs has faced mounting legal pressure, with several lawsuits alleging that he abused, trafficked, or sexually assaulted individuals over the span of two decades. Some of the plaintiffs claim they were teenagers when the abuse occurred.

Video Footage and Public Backlash

Public outrage intensified earlier this year when surveillance footage surfaced showing Combs physically assaulting Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel in 2016. The video, which was widely circulated online, appeared to corroborate parts of Ventura’s original claims.

Combs later issued a public apology, calling his actions “inexcusable” and admitting he was in a bad state at the time. However, he did not mention Cassie by name. Reports later revealed that the couple may have been legally prohibited from referencing each other publicly due to the terms of their prior legal settlement.

The 55-year-old producer and entrepreneur has been in custody since September 2024, following his arrest on charges including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He has repeatedly been denied bail, and more lawsuits have continued to surface since his arrest.

As the trial date approaches, attention is expected to intensify around the case, which has become one of the most high-profile legal sagas in the entertainment industry in recent memory.