The trial of disgraced rapper Sean 'Diddy' Combs has begun in New York City, with the world tuning in daily to see how it will play out.
Diddy is facing a slew of federal charges, including two counts of trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, all of which he has pleaded not guilty to.
Cassie takes a stand
© Getty ImagesAhead of the trial, prospective jurors were given a list of names of people who may or may not be referenced in the case; notably, there is no suggestion that the people named were involved in any wrongdoing or criminal activity.
On the list was his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, who had an on-and-off-again relationship with the rapper from 2007 until 2018. She has bravely taken to the stand in recent days to share her testimony, less than two years after she filed a lawsuit against him in November 2023 alleging years of abuse.
Her 2023 case against Diddy was settled out of court, and she has taken to the witness stand again to share her experience.
Cassie's former partners
© Getty ImagesAlso on the aforementioned list was Sinners actor Michael B. Jordan, who briefly dated Cassie while she was on a break from Diddy. Her friend Kerry Morgan spoke in court about their relationship, revealing: "What I remember was that she was speaking to Michael B. Jordan and they hung out together. And [Diddy] was jealous of it."
Another former partner of Cassie's, rapper Kid Cudi, was mentioned in the list, and witnesses alleged that Diddy had threatened violence against him for his relationship with the actress.
He was mentioned in the 2023 filing, which alleged that Diddy was "so angry" when their relationship was revealed, and that "around that time, Kid Cudi's car exploded in his driveway." While Cudi confirmed the story to The New York Times, Diddy denied it.
© WireImageIn the current trial, Cassie revealed that she broke up with Cudi for fear of retaliation from Diddy, who allegedly threatened her with a wine opener.
She added that there was "too much uncertainty if we continued to see each other," and that "Sean said he was going to hurt the both of us."
Past and present
© Kevin MazurR&B megastar Usher was on the list, as Danity Kane member Dawn Richard stated that he had witnessed Diddy's alleged assault of Cassie at a restaurant in 2010. According to Dawn, "She immediately bent over, [Diddy] told her to leave… No one intervened." She added that singer Ne-Yo was also an alleged witness.
The girl group Danity Kane was formed on Diddy's TV show Making the Band, and Dawn sued him for assault and battery in September 2024. His lawyer stated that the rapper was "shocked and disappointed" by her claims.
One of Diddy's most vocal supporters, rapper Kanye West, was named on the list, likely due to his public comments about his friend. "FREE PUFF," he wrote on X in February. Kanye also released a song with Diddy in March called "Lonely Roads Still Go To Sunshine" featuring his teen daughter North West, whom he shares with Kim Kardashian.
© GC ImagesPop superstar Britney Spears was on the list, with Cassie sharing that the "Toxic" singer had accompanied Diddy to her 21st birthday party. A-list rapper Drake was also mentioned, with Cassie alleging that Diddy had assaulted her ahead of her performance at Drake's OVO Fest in Canada.
Yung Miami, a rapper who dated the disgraced musician between 2021 and 2023, was on the prospective jurors list, and previously shared insight into their relationship on her REVOLT series Caresha Please.
"I can't speak on something that I don't know," she stated. "I can't speak on these allegations because I wasn't around at the time. I don't know that person, and that wasn't my experience."
© Lester Cohen/BBMA2016Other celebrities that were mentioned were actor and comedian Mike Myers, Destiny's Child member Michelle Williams, choreographer Laurieann Gibson and songwriter Dallas Austin.
George Kaplan, Diddy's former assistant, is currently testifying in the trial, which will likely play out for months to come.
To learn more about the infamous parties Diddy threw, watch below...
