After Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura bravely took the stand in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal trial to account years of physical and emotional trauma, her mother also testified to corroborate her story. Regina Ventura testified that Combs’ jealousy went way beyond confronting the pop singer.
Ventura was called Tuesday by federal prosecutors to testify against the Bad Boy mogul. She stated that she knew Cassie and Combs were dating but said it was “harder to get to her” as their relationship progressed. She also stated that Cassie would come home for the holidays with visible bruises which she took pictures of for evidence. Those images were shown to the jury last week during Cassie’s testimony. Things got even more intense in 2011, she said.
Blackmail Threats
Ventura stated that Cassie sent her an email in December of that year saying Combs threatened to release sex tapes of her because he was jealous that she began dating rapper Kid Cudi.
“The threats that have been made towards me by Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs are that he is going to release 2 explicit sex tapes of me. One on Christmas Day, maybe before or right after and another one some time soon after that. He has also said that he will be having someone hurt me and Scott Mescudi [Kid Cudi] physically (he made a point that it wouldn’t be by his hands, he actually said he’d be out of the country when it happened),” read the email which was sent under the alias “Veronica Bang,” according to Ventura.
She said after reading the message, she felt “physically sick” and that she knew Combs was going to try to hurt her daughter. However, the threats didn’t end there. Combs allegedly took his beef about Cassie’s new relationship with Mrs. Ventura herself.
Recoup Money?
Ventura testified that Combs contacted her sometime after she received Cassie’s email, demanding $20,000 in “recoup money” for the funds he spent on Cassie. In fear of her daughter’s safety, Ventura said she and her husband took out a home equity loan to pay him. Ventura said one of Combs’ employees gave her specific instructions on how to wire the money to Bad Boy. However, a few days later, the mother said the money was sent back to her.
Mother Instincts Activate
Years later, Ventura took justice into her own hands on behalf of her daughter after Combs allegedly stole the singer’s phone following a “bitter argument.” Ventura testified that she was visiting the two in Los Angeles when the incident happened and called the police.
She said she yelled, screamed and tried to hit the rapper but could not due to a security guard blocking her way. Combs eventually gave the phone back, Ventura said, but then drove off in Cassie’s car. It’s unclear if authorities got involved.
Combs’ attorneys declined to cross-examine her. Their client is facing charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and engaging in interstate transportation for prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty, and was denied bail.