Cassie Ventura just dropped another bombshell in court, and this time it involves rapper Kid Cudi, a burner phone, and a very angry Diddy.
On day three of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ explosive sex crimes trial in Manhattan, Cassie told the jury that she once briefly dated Kid Cudi back in 2011, and what followed was pure chaos, fear, and violence.
According to Cassie, her relationship with Diddy was at one of its many low points in 2011. That’s when she met Scott Mescudi, better known as Kid Cudi, and the two began seeing each other quietly. “I wasn’t in the greatest place with Sean,” she testified, referring to the off-and-on dynamic they’d had since 2007. During that time, she said she was dealing with repeated sexual abuse and violent outbursts from Diddy. So, when she found someone who made her feel safe, she gave it a shot.
But things quickly spiraled when Diddy found out.
It all blew up after one of Diddy’s infamous “freak offs,” the term he allegedly used for events where he forced Cassie into non-consensual sex acts with other men. During one of these, Diddy stumbled across an email about a toiletry bag sent between Cassie and someone on Kid Cudi’s team. And that was enough to send him over the edge.
Cassie testified that he grabbed a wine opener, slipped it between his fingers like a weapon, and lunged at her. She immediately bolted out of the hotel and used a burner phone, yes, an actual burner phone, to call Kid Cudi. She said she kept that phone hidden so Diddy wouldn’t find out she was talking to someone else.
At one point, she made her way to Cudi’s house to get some distance. But soon after, she agreed to return and talk things over with Diddy. Bad idea. According to her, when she arrived, he was already in a rage. That’s when the violence escalated.
“He was irate,” she told the jury. “Sean kicked me in the back. I fell on the floor, and then he left.” She said she had a large bruise on her back and other bruises from the beating. But it didn’t stop there.
When she made it back to her hotel, it looked like a war zone. Clothes everywhere, urine on the floor, feces left in the toilet, it was completely trashed. The destruction, she says, was Diddy’s doing. And the threats didn’t stop with her.
She testified that Diddy warned her he’d hurt her and Kid Cudi. At one point, he allegedly told her that when they were overseas, he was going to have Cudi’s car blown up and “wanted his friends to see it.” That chilling threat didn’t sound so empty a few years later.
In 2023, Kid Cudi confirmed to The New York Times that his car really did explode in his driveway. He didn’t say much more, and his reps haven’t commented publicly. But the timing is hard to ignore.
It wasn’t just threats and intimidation. Cassie says Diddy also weaponized humiliation. She testified that he threatened to release “Freak Off” videos if she didn’t stop seeing Cudi. Feeling trapped, violated, and terrified, she ended the relationship for both their safety. She wasn’t just scared for herself anymore, she was scared of what might happen to someone else she cared about.
And there’s more. During the trial, jurors saw multiple pieces of evidence supporting her claims, graphic videos from these so-called “Freak Offs,” text messages, and emails between Cassie and Diddy. One particularly disturbing detail? She said Diddy made her call him “Pop Pop”, a nickname she used for her grandfather, just to humiliate and control her further.
The whole thing paints a horrifying picture of a decade-long relationship built on fear, manipulation, and violence. Combs, for his part, has denied all wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transporting individuals across state lines for prostitution.
Still, the jury, and the public, is getting a detailed, firsthand account of what Cassie says life with Diddy was really like. Her testimony is emotional and graphic and paints a portrait of a woman who lived in constant fear of retaliation. And her relationship with Kid Cudi, short-lived as it was, just became a pivotal chapter in the growing case against Combs.
As this trial unfolds, more disturbing details continue to surface, and Cassie’s willingness to speak out is shaking the foundation of one of hip-hop’s most powerful figures. It’s no longer just about past allegations, it’s about years of intimidation and control, and a survivor finally saying enough is enough.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org. If you’ve been sexually assaulted, help is available 24/7 at the National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE or rainn.org.
Jamie Wells has a knack for getting the inside scoop on Hollywood’s biggest stars and up-and-coming talent. With a sharp eye for industry trends and an ear for viral moments, Jamie covers everything from red-carpet events to behind-the-scenes drama in movies, TV, and celebrity culture.
