For years, she remained silent.
But now, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura has stepped forward and with her testimony comes a tidal wave of disturbing allegations, emotional breakdowns, and a bombshell revelation about the million dollars settlement she accepted from music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs just one day after filing a lawsuit against him.
The revelation surfaced during Diddy’s ongoing federal s3x trafficking and racketeering trial, which began on May 12.
On her second day on the stand, Cassie detailed not only the harrowing abus3 she says she endured during their 11 year relationship, but also why she agreed to the enormous payout so quickly.
“I wanted to be compensated for the time and the pain and the many, many years of having to try to fix my life,” she told the jury, her voice breaking as she added, “I’m here to do the right thing.”
Cassie filed her lawsuit in November 2023, accusing Combs of rap3, physical abus3, and manipulation, dating back to when she was signed to his label as a young artist.
The case was settled within 24 hours, a resolution that, at the time, stunned the public and fuelled speculation.
Now, the figure behind that swift settlement has been made public: $20 million.
But behind that sum is a far more disturbing story.
Cassie testified that Combs rap3d her in 2018 after a dinner in Malibu meant to bring “closure” to their relationship.
She described his demeanor shifting from warm and romantic to cold and aggressive the moment they returned to her apartment.
“He rap3d me on the living room floor,” she said. “I remember crying and saying no. It was very fast. His eyes went black.”
Even after that night, Cassie admitted she continued to have consensual s3x with Combs on occasion.
“You don’t just turn feelings off that way,” she explained, referencing their decade long relationship.
The lawsuit also accused Combs of orchestrating disturbing “freak offs,” s3x parties where she was allegedly coerced into performing s3xual acts, often under the influence of drugs like ketamine, mushrooms, and ecstasy.
Cassie claimed she suffered UTIs, vomiting, mouth sores, and even humiliation from being urinated on.
“I felt worthless,” she told the court. “It was a mess.”
Beyond the abus3, Cassie also detailed violent confrontations, including an infamous 2016 hotel attack, captured on CCTV and later published by CNN.
Combs allegedly hurled a vase at her, assaulted her, and threatened that she “couldn’t leave him.”
Despite all this, it was only after a near breakdown in 2023, plagued by PTSD flashbacks and thoughts of suicide that she decided to take legal action.
“I told my husband, ‘You can do it without me,’” she said tearfully.
That same year, she began writing a book with her mother as part of her trauma therapy.
The book draft was sent to Combs’ legal team with an ask: $30 million in compensation.
His team allegedly dismissed it.
Cassie’s attorney later claimed Diddy attempted to “silence her” with an eight figure offer before the lawsuit was filed. But Cassie moved forward anyway, stating she was ready to give a voice to other women “who suffer in silence.”
Diddy, now 55, continues to deny all charges. His lawyer previously claimed Cassie was trying to extort him, saying she demanded millions under the threat of writing a damaging tell all, a claim Cassie’s team has firmly rejected.
“Mr. Combs’ decision to settle the lawsuit does not in any way undermine his flat out denial of the claims,” his attorney said after the 2023 settlement, emphasizing that the payment was not an admission of guilt.
Still, the emotional weight of Cassie’s courtroom testimony is hard to ignore.
“I can’t carry this anymore,” she told the court. “The shame. The guilt. I was guided to treat people like they were disposable. I didn’t want to be alive anymore.”
Her decision to speak out and reveal the $20 million settlement may have come after years of silence, but it’s become a defining moment in the ongoing trial of one of music’s most powerful figures.
And this time, she’s determined to be heard.
Featured Image Credit: (Getty Images)(WireImage)(Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)
