Singer and model Cassie Ventura testified in court on Wednesday, May 14th, revealing that she received a $20 million settlement from Sean “Diddy” Combs in 2023, just 24 hours after filing her bombshell sexual assault lawsuit against the music mogul.
During her second day on the witness stand at Combs’ trial, Cassie was questioned about the lawsuit that triggered a wave of similar legal complaints from other alleged victims. Despite the substantial financial settlement, the “Me & You” singer told the jury that the overwhelming guilt and shame she carried compelled her to testify. “I can’t carry this anymore,” she stated emotionally. “I can’t carry the shame, the guilt… I was guided to treat people like they were disposable. What’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong. And I’m here to do the right thing.”
Cassie’s lawsuit was filed five years after her relationship with Combs ended. She subsequently met and married Alex Fine, with whom she has two children. However, she testified that she continued to be haunted by flashbacks of the alleged abuse she endured during her time with Combs. Overcome with emotion, Cassie told the jury that she experienced suicidal thoughts and had made a prior attempt to end her life. She recounted a harrowing incident in March 2023, where she attempted to walk into oncoming traffic while her family was asleep inside their home.
“I was spinning out. I didn’t want to be alive anymore at that point,” Cassie explained, according to People. “I couldn’t take the pain I was in anymore and just tried to walk out the front door into traffic.” She recalled telling her husband, “You can do this without me, you don’t need me anymore.”
Her husband, Alex Fine, intervened and prevented her from harming herself that day. Shortly thereafter, Cassie sought treatment in rehab for her trauma. She filed the lawsuit against Combs several months later.
Cassie is scheduled to return to the witness stand today to face cross-examination from the defense. Combs is currently facing five counts including sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution, and racketeering. While these charges are not directly related to Cassie’s specific allegations of physical, mental, and sexual abuse, the prosecution called her to the stand to illustrate an alleged pattern of deviant violence and abuse that Combs purportedly displayed over the years. Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
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