Photos released by government shows what was in Diddy’s hotel room
Prosecutors released photos of evidence collected in Sean “Diddy” Combs hotel room before his arrest.
This story contains graphic descriptions that some readers may find disturbing.
A stream of witnesses in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal sex-crimes trial have given emotional testimony on the one-time mogul’s alleged physical, sexual and emotional abuse.
Following bombshell testimony from Danity Kane alum Dawn Richard and Cassie Ventura Fine’s former best friend Kerry Morgan, jurors reconvened in Manhattan court on May 20 to hear more accounts from those in Combs’ orbit.
Richard, a former member of Combs’ platinum-selling girl group, told the court on May 19 that she saw Combs beat Ventura Fine at his Los Angeles home, grabbing her hair and dragging her up a flight of stairs. Meanwhile, Morgan testified that Combs once attacked her in Cassie’s California home, choking Morgan and hitting her in the head with a wooden hanger.
Combs’ former personal assistant David James also took the stand to reflect on his employment with Combs, including candid conversations with Ventura Fine on her relationship with the Grammy-winning rapper. Ventura Fine’s mother, Regina Ventura, is expected to testify as well.
Combs, 55, was arrested in September 2024 on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Former personal assistant implied Diddy kept footage of him
Recalling a New Year’s Eve party when he was invited to celebrate at Combs’ house, James said he took ecstasy out of his boss’ bag without permission and consumed it alongside Ciroc, an alcohol brand Combs had heavily promoted.
“I was feeling pretty good,” he said. “I’m normally pretty straight edge, but I was dancing … I was just vibing. I was enjoying myself.” A few days later, when Combs was reviewing footage of the party with James there, he said his boss asked: “Yo playboy, was that you dancing around the party?” He said yes and confirmed he has taken ecstasy.
“OK, I’ll keep this footage in case I ever need it,” James recalled Combs telling him. When asked by prosecutors what he believed Combs meant by it, James said he assumed that Combs would release it one day if he ever wanted to embarrass him.
David James details hotel night in Miami
James testified that in his job as personal assistant, he was often asked to set up hotel rooms for Combs.
“I don’t think Mr. Combs ever stays alone,” he said, recalling one night in Miami in 2008 in which he was asked to bring an iPad to Combs’ hotel room. When he knocked on the door, there was no answer, so he let himself in, James said.
He testified that he saw Ventura Fine on the bed with the comforter up to her neck, “not moving.” Noting that she always slept on her side, James said it seemed unusual to him that she was on her back. There was also a naked man with long hair and “a very large abdomen” in the room, who scurried away when James entered, he said. He also said he heard water running and that Combs was in the shower.
Asked whether he ever spoke to Combs or Ventura Fine about what happened he said, “I didn’t think it was my business. I don’t have conversations with Cassie or Mr. Combs about their personal affairs.”
Cassie’s mom Regina Ventura to take the stand
One witness expected to take the stand for prosecutors is Regina Ventura, Ventura Fine’s mother.
Ventura Fine opened up in her own testimony about what her mother did and didn’t know about her relationship with Combs – and the alleged abuse she faced.
After Combs found out about Ventura Fine’s relationship with Kid Cudi in 2011, Ventura Fine told her mother and Combs’ assistant, Capricorn Clark, about Combs’ threats of releasing explicit footage of her in retaliation using an alias email. Ventura Fine said Combs also vowed to hurt both her and the rapper. The court saw photos of the large bruises she had on her lower back and thigh, taken at the time.
At the time of the threats, Ventura Fine had returned home to Connecticut to visit her mom for Christmas. She told her mom the bruises were from the first time Combs had assaulted her, even though the alleged assaults had been going on for years. She “was terrified” to tell her mom, Ventura Fine said.
To close out the May 19 hearing, James began his testimony on the events he witnessed from 2007 to 2009.
James told the court that one comment stood out in his mind when he thought back on the initial job interview process. A female staff member at the time told him, “This is Mr. Combs’ kingdom. We’re all here to serve it.”
Morgan testified that her friendship with Ventura Fine ended after Combs assaulted her in April 2018.
Cassie’s former friend said she was listening to the singer’s music in Ventura Fine’s Hollywood Hills house before Combs came in and allegedly choked Morgan, adding that Combs was yelling and accusing Ventura Fine of cheating on him. She said the rapper “boomeranged” a wooden hanger at her head, which hit her behind the ear.
When her friend first started seeing the rapper, Morgan said she saw Combs assault Ventura Fine several times, once dragging her by the hair during a trip to Jamaica.
Morgan was also at Ventura Fine’s apartment the night of the 2016 hotel assault caught on surveillance video and said she returned with a black eye. Thirty minutes later, Combs was pounding on the apartment door with a hammer, Morgan said. “I was terrified,” she told the court, describing Ventura Fine as “numb.”
“I don’t think she cared if he came in and killed her,” she added.
Asked why she didn’t call the police after allegedly seeing Combs attack Ventura Fine multiple times, Morgan said her former friend “didn’t want me to.”
However, the model said she tried to pressure Ventura Fine to leave Combs when the former friends would speak about Diddy and Cassie’s relationship.
When prosecutors asked how Ventura Fine would respond, Morgan said that she “said she couldn’t.” The reasons she would give were her job, her car and her apartment. Combs controlled everything, Morgan claimed.
Under cross-examination, Richard told the court about a dinner around 2009 where she allegedly saw Combs punch Cassie. She told the court that music industry heavyweights such as Usher, Jimmy Iovine and Ne-Yo were in attendance.
Richard said she frequently saw Combs physically abuse Ventura Fine between 2009 and 2011, recalling injuries on her face, arms and knees. She also said she was “shocked” and “scared” after Combs threatened her, warning that “if we said anything, we could go missing” and “we could die.”
During a pointed cross-examination with Nicole Westmoreland, one of Combs’ lawyers, Richard admitted to giving different versions of events to officials and not mentioning certain details during interviews with prosecutors.
For example, she said in court that she saw Combs use cocaine and witnessed his alleged drug dealer, identified as “One Stop,” sell drugs, but previously gave different answers to prosecutors.
Richard agreed there were lapses, but she explained: “I have to go back to memory that I didn’t want to come back to.”
Combs is facing federal sex-crimes and trafficking charges in a sprawling lawsuit that has eroded his status as a power player and kingmaker in the entertainment industry.
He was arrested in September 2024 and has been charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all five counts.
Racketeering is the participation in an illegal scheme under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Statute, or RICO, as a way for the U.S. government to prosecute organizations that contribute to criminal activity.
Using RICO law, which is typically aimed at targeting multi-person criminal organizations, prosecutors allege that Combs coerced victims, some of whom they say were sex workers, through intimidation and narcotics to participate in “freak offs” — sometimes dayslong sex performances that federal prosecutors claim they have video of.
The trial will not be televised, as cameras are typically not allowed in federal criminal trial proceedings.
USA TODAY will be reporting live from the courtroom.
Contributing: USA TODAY staff
If you are a survivor of sexual assault, RAINN offers support through the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text “START” to 88788.