May 16, 2025 – Day 5 of testimony in the Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial

• Star witness: Cassie Ventura, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ex-girlfriend and one of his accusers, testified for nearly 20 hours over four days in his federal criminal trial. She described the physical abuse she said she endured during their relationship and detailed how Combs orchestrated drug-fueled sex performances he called “Freak Offs.” She became emotional as she said she would give back her $20 million civil settlement to have never endured a “Freak Off.”

• Other testimony today: Dawn Richard, a former member of Danity Kane, a musical group formed by Combs, testified that she saw Combs attack Ventura in 2009. The special agent who handled the logistics for Combs’ arrest also testified.

• Federal charges: Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges that include racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. If convicted on all counts, he could face up to life in prison.

• Editor’s Note: If you or someone you know is struggling with intimate partner violence, there are resources available, including the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Our live coverage of the Sean “Diddy” Combs trial has ended for the day. Follow the latest updates or read through the posts below.

Prosecutors called two more witnesses before the end of today’s testimonies after Cassie Ventura, Sean “Diddy”Combs’ ex-girlfriend, finished her time on the stand this afternoon.

Here’s a recap of each testimony:

Yasin Binda

Dawn Richard

Judge Arun Subramanian has heeded concerns from the prosecution about disclosing the order of their witnesses too far in advance, saying he will not compel the attorneys to release their full lineup for next week.

Prosecutor Maurene Comey had told Subramanian the prosecution is concerned about potential witness tampering or obstruction.

The defense had argued they could better prepare exhibits for cross-examination if they knew the witness order ahead of time, but Subramanian ultimately sided with the prosecution’s concerns.

The judge is now off the bench and court has concluded for the week. The jury will return Monday at 9 a.m. ET.

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal criminal trial will show where society stands when it comes to attitudes toward accountability for sexual abuse, according to former prosecutor Loni Coombs.

Coombs went on to say that “we’re kind of swinging back as a society” when it comes to what it means to hold alleged sexual violence perpetrators accountable.

“The question here is: Can people look at this [case] and understand that in abusive relationships there are good and bad moments, right?”

Prosecutor Maurene Comey said Kerry Morgan, Cassie Ventura’s former best friend, will be the next witness after Dawn Richard finishes giving testimony.

Ventura’s mom is also among the witnesses expected to to testify early next week, she said.

Prosecutors and Sean “Diddy” Combs’ defense attorneys are now having a discussion about former Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard’s testimony.

Earlier, Judge Arun Subramanian indicated they would sidebar over a defense objection to Richard’s description of threats Combs made.

Just before the judge dismissed the jury for the day, Richard, who worked for Combs in the mid-2000s, testified that after she and another woman saw Combs attack Cassie Ventura, he encouraged them not to say anything about the assault.

The next day, Combs asked Richard and the other woman, Kalenna Harper, to come to his home. He brought them into a recording studio, locked the door, and told them that what they witnessed was “passion” and what lovers do, Richard testified.

Combs told them “it was in our best interest if we didn’t say anything” and that “where he comes from people go missing if they talk,” Richard testified. He then gave them flowers, she said.

Judge Arun Subramanian dismissed the jury for the day, telling them the parties would stay behind to work after calling a sidebar over a defense objection to former Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard’s description of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ threats.

Former Danity Kane member Dawn Richard testified that after she witnessed the altercation in the kitchen, Sean “Diddy” Combs dragged Cassie Ventura upstairs by her hair his arm around her neck.

She said she heard “glass breaking and yelling” from upstairs.

Richard said she didn’t say anything to intervene or call the police because she was afraid.

She said she was “scared to do anything in fear of what that might mean for me, too.”

Dawn Richard said she worked for Sean “Diddy” Combs from 2004 to 2011.

Richard, the former Danity Kane singer, said she knew Combs by the nickname “Puff” and pointed to him to identify him in the courtroom when asked.

Richard said she saw Cassie Ventura “being attacked by Sean Combs” in 2009.

Leading up to the alleged assault in 2009, Richard was in the kitchen with Ventura, who was cooking eggs, she said. Combs came downstairs and demanded to know where his eggs were, Richard testified.

“He proceeded to come over to her and took the skillet with the eggs in it and tried to hit her over the head with it, and she fell to the ground,” she said.

“It didn’t seem that it hit her fully,” Richard added, saying it seemed like Ventura dropped to the ground because she anticipated the hit.

“She went into the fetal position,” she said.

Editor’s Note: If you or someone you know is struggling with intimate partner violence, there are resources available, including the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Prosecutors call Dawn Richard, a former member of Danity Kane, a musical group formed by Sean “Diddy” Combs as part of the MTV reality series “Making the Band,” to the stand.

Yasin Binda, the special agent testifying in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial, testified that it appeared a woman was staying with Combs in his Manhattan hotel room before he was arrested in 2024.

Binda confirmed that detail when asked by defense attorney Teny Geragos during cross-examination.

Binda is now off the stand.

Prosecutor Madison Smyser has finished up her direct questioning of special agent Yasin Binda.

Defense attorney Teny Geragos is up to cross-examine Binda, who just testified about the search of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ hotel room following his 2024 arrest.

Special agent Yasin Binda testified that $9,000 in cash was found in a black fanny pack hanging off the bed in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ hotel room.

The jury saw a photo of the fanny pack.

At prosecutor Madison Smyser’s request, Binda took the cash out of the fanny pack that was in an evidence bag, fanning it out for the jury to see.

The jury also passed around an evidence bag holding the two bags of ketamine and MDMA pink powder that were found in the hotel room.

The jury is seeing images from the search of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ New York hotel room after his 2024 arrest.

The images were taken by Yasin Binda, the special agent currently testifying in Combs’ federal criminal trial.

The jury saw photos of the expansive Park Hyatt hotel room and ziploc bags filled with Johnson’s baby oil and lubricant, which were recovered from bags in an entryway closet. More bottles of baby oil and lubricant were found in the bathroom and elsewhere in the room, Binda said. The jury saw a photo of the collected oils.

The jury also saw a photo of a lighting device that was found in the living room. Binda said she would describe it as “potentially mood lighting.”

A bottle of medication with the name “Frank Black” was found in a Louis Vutton bag on a nightstand in the bedroom, Binda testified. The label on the bottle said the medication was clonazepam.

Two little bags with pink powder were found inside another bottle of medication in a nightstand in the bedroom, Binda said. The pink powder in one of bags tested positive for ketamine, and the other tested positive for MDMA and ketamine, according to a stipulation read in court.

Prosecutor Madison Smyser is questioning Yasin Binda, a Homeland Security Investigations special agent who works in the human trafficking division at the department.

Binda confirmed that she handled the logistics for Sean “Diddy” Combs’ arrest on September 16, 2024. She said she searched the room at the Park Hyatt where Combs was staying.

The jury is back in the courtroom.

Special Agent Yasin Binda has been called to the stand.

Cassie Ventura, key witness and Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ex-girlfriend, wrapped up testimony today after four days on the stand. But her account is only one piece of the puzzle for prosecutors to prove that Combs is guilty in his federal criminal trial, according to Paul Martin, a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor.

Prosecutors over the next few weeks will still need to prove Combs engaged in racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution — all charges the rap mogul has pleaded not guilty to.

“This is a case about a RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) and whether there’s a pattern or behavior of activities that was that violence to force sex out of this young lady,” Martin said.

Cassie Ventura finished her time on the stand today, answering questions from both sides in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal criminal trial. Her testimony wrapped up after nearly 20 hours over four days on the witness stand.

On Friday, she testified more about physical abuse at the hands of Combs and the drug-fueled “Freak Offs” that happened over the course of their more than a decade long relationship.

When Combs’ defense attorney finished her main cross-examination of Ventura, Combs stood and hugged his lawyer when she returned to the defense table.

Physical abuse:

Rape allegation:

“Freak Offs”:

Text messages:

Civil suit settlement:

Shortly following the conclusion of Cassie Ventura’s time testifying during Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal criminal trial, her lawyer, Doug Wigdor, read aloud a statement from Ventura outside of the New York courthouse.

“I want to thank my family and my advocates for their unwavering support, and am grateful for all the kindness and encouragement that I have received. I am glad to put this chapter of my life to rest as I turn to focus on the conclusion of my pregnancy, I ask for privacy for me and for my growing family,” Wigdor added.

Doug Wigdor, Cassie Ventura’s attorney, read a statement on behalf of her husband Alex Fine after Ventura finished testifying in the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Here’s what Fine said in his statement: