Cassie is so heartbreakingly brave. Last year, she sued Sean Combs in federal court and laid out everything he did to her over the course of their decade-long relationship. In graphic terms, she described the physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, the trafficking and financial abuse. He made her get cosmetic surgeries, he trafficked her to other men, he filmed her during the “freak offs” he organized. Even after she broke free, he was still trying to abuse her and exert control over her. Suffice to say, Combs settled in a hurry, but Cassie opened the door for everything that’s happened to Combs over the past year. Other victims have come forward, federal investigations were launched, and then on Monday, Sean Combs was arrested. He was arraigned on Tuesday on trafficking and racketeering charges. So how does Cassie feel about all of this?
As Sean “Diddy” Combs faces the fallout of his arrest, singer Cassie is standing strong with the support of her family, according to a source, nearly one year after her lawsuit opened the floodgates of sexual assault allegations against her music mogul ex.
Combs, 54, was arrested on Monday, Sept. 16 and charged in a three-count indictment with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. The arrest came after Cassie (née Casandra Ventura) accused the star of rape, sex trafficking and domestic violence in a November 2023 lawsuit that was ultimately settled the next day.
Shortly after Ventura, 38, filed suit, other accusers followed, and Combs — who has denied all claims against him — is currently facing at least four other sexual assault lawsuits.
“The amount of courage it took Cassie to speak out, and be one of the first to speak out, can’t be underscored enough,” a Ventura source tells PEOPLE exclusively. “It was terrifying in a very real way. There have been so many people protecting Diddy for so long and it’s not an exaggeration to say her life was in danger through all this.”
When the “Me & You” singer settled her suit against Combs, she said at the time that the former couple had “decided to resolve this matter amicably” on terms that gave her “some level of control.” But in May, surveillance video that showed the hip-hop star grabbing, shoving and kicking Cassie during a 2016 argument were released by CNN. The footage matched allegations the singer had made in her lawsuit, and Combs later issued an apology, saying, “I take full responsibility for my actions in that video.”
According to the source, the past year has been a difficult stretch for Ventura, who has been leaning on husband Alex Fine for support. The pair were married in 2019, and share daughters Frankie, 4, and Sunny, 3.
“It’s been really, really hard for her, and for Alex as well, but he has been the biggest support,” the insider adds. “She was very hopeful that justice would come.”
“It’s not an exaggeration to say her life was in danger through all this.” I do not doubt that one bit. Soon after Combs settled with her out of court, someone on social media put together clips of Combs talking about Cassie after she finally managed to escape, and you could tell that he was still keeping close tabs on her. It would not surprise me at all if he was having her followed for years, nor would it surprise me if we learned that his goons regularly threatened her. To fight back in the way she did, by getting a lawyer and putting everything out there and talking about the abuse, all of that put her in enormous danger.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.
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- Cassie Ventura, Sean Combs at ‘Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop, A Bad Boy Story’ film screening, London, UK,Image: 513061013, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: James Shaw / Avalon
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- Hollywood, CA – Singer Cassie was all smiles after enjoying dinner with a gal pal at Mr. T Los Angeles in Hollywood. Pictured: Cassie BACKGRID USA 13 OCTOBER 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: 1 / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- West Hollywood, CA – Singer Cassie and husband Alex Fine are spotted arriving at Vas Morgan’s Halloween party in West Hollywood. Pictured: Cassie, Alex Fine BACKGRID USA 30 OCTOBER 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- North America Rights Only – New York, USA -20180127- Celebrities at the Clive Davis and Recording Academy Pre-GRAMMY Gala and GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Jay-Z. -PICTURED: Cassie Ventura and Sean Combs -PHOTO by: INSTARimages.com This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded Featuring: Cassie Ventura and Sean Combs Where: New York, New York, United States When: 27 Jan 2018 Credit: INSTARimages.com **North America Rights Only**
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- North America Rights Only – Los Angeles, USA -20180218- Celebrities at the 2018 NBA All-Star Game -PICTURED: Sean Diddy Combs, Cassie Ventura -PHOTO by: Lionel Hahn/AbacaUSA/Instarimages.com This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded Featuring: Sean Diddy Combs, Cassie Ventura Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 18 Feb 2018 Credit: Lionel Hahn/AbacaUSA/Instarimages.com **North America, Australia, New Zealand Rights Only**
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- USA Rights Only – New York, USA -20180507- Stars attending the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit Gala 2018 in New York, USA. -PICTURED: Cassie and Sean Combs -PHOTO by: Ian West/PA Images/INSTARimages.com -36373697.jpg This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded Featuring: Cassie and Sean Combs Where: New York, NYC, United States When: 07 May 2018 Credit: Ian West/PA Images/INSTARimages.com **USA Rights Only**
Brave indeed. The hell she got for suing was disgusting. I hope she’s getting the help she needs and will live a happy and healthy life.
There had better be serious prison time.
I could not finish reading thru the details, so sickening.
This went on for years. Make an example, maximum prison sentence, no deals, no early release, no bail.
And his enablers.
The fact that bail has been denied twice makes me think the time he is facing is major.
I’m blown away by her courage and am happy that she FINALLY got away from Combs. But I believe that true freedom will come for her when he is rotting in prison.
100% agree with this. I hope he rots for what he did to Cassie and others.
Last night on one of the popular urban blogs some commentators were insisting that she never got paid,that Diddy refused to cough up the money so no NDA and that’s why she can be subpoenaed at his trial.
Criminal subpoena overrules an NDA anyway.
She got paid through his insurance.
I saw a legal commenter talking about how actually genius her lawyer was for suing him in his capacity as an executive of the company. It put the pay out and decision to settle with the insurance company instead of Diddy. Whereas he had the money and time and evil to drag out everything if sued personally, the insurance people don’t want to do that. So she had the right lawyer for this, whoever they are.
@Lucy. I had never heard that and it makes me so happy. Like you I’m glad that she had the right lawyer for the job and I hope the insurance company was panicked enough to pay her millions. May he rot in jail for what he did to her and to others because of his power over their lives. She was and remains courageous.
Dear God, what she endured.
All of these women and men are so strong for pushing back and standing up for themselves! Abusers choose submissive, people pleasing, kind, sometimes younger, victims purposely. I don’t have a problem with group sex, or voyeurism per se by consenting adults. That’s not what this was. I hope he gets the book thrown at him and is forever a pariah.
That woman moved mountains to escape and heal herself. All the credit in the world to her. I am glad she has a good partner. Imagine what it takes, to brave getting into a new relationship, bring vulnerable. Having a disagreement with a new partner and being far enough along in recovery from abuse to be able to stand up for herself, be vulnerable, to trust. to not be afraid all the time.
Could not be more impressed with her.
He is a monster, and i hope everyone who protected him for DECADES gets brought into the light.
She was very brave to come forward and her doing so has given others the strength to do the same.
I truly believe that her courage has saved lives. If none of these girls and women have ended up dead already, that’s almost certainly where his depravity was heading.
She’s a hero. Because she was THIS brave, countless people will never have to endure what she did. This was a widespread ongoing criminal enterprise, involving numerous people, who are now all shaking in their boots. Thanks to Cassie.
Justice for every single victim.
And still, some people can’t or won’t admit that there are threads and webs that run through girls being discouraged from pursuing math and science, girls and women being treated as less-than in sports, women being denied autonomy over their own bodies, the insidiousness of slut-shaming, lack of community and legal supports for those affected by IPV and sexual abuse, and, oh yeah, jokes about women being impotent to do anything when a celebrity dirtbag grabs them by the genitals.
If a child is a witness to violence or abuse that is ignored, then that becomes what they know. If a child learns that there are no safe havens, no adults who will believe them, no place that they are safe from having their bodies ravaged, then that’s what they learn is normal. If a child is raised to believe that all that they have to offer the world is their looks, that no one will love them for their soul, then they prioritize being praised for being beautiful, and being beautiful becomes their commodity.
It’s so complex, yet so simple. We have to raise children who have dignity, who know that they are loved and loveable just the way that they are, and who believe that they have an intrinsic value that can’t be bought or sold.
Imagine the courage that it took for Cassie Ventura to say “This stops now”, with everything that had happened to her, and knowing how powerful this vile human was. All praise to her, for the immeasurable good that will come of this. She may save lives; she will definitely save souls. She is the HEROINE of this story.
I won’t read the details.
Cassie’s courage saved lives.
She, and all the other survivors of his heinous deeds, deserve respect, protection and our unwavering show of support.
Knowing what we know now, it feels so weird for me to look at pictures of her during the years in which Diddy basically kept her hostage (which, let’s say it, that’s what their 10 year relationship was). While I never knew a lot about her before this, I always found her to be a beautiful young woman with an absolutely stunning smile. All while she was going through Hell. I wish her nothing but the best.
I want him never to see the light again. I also want to know who protected him, enabled, partook or profited. Like Epstein I suspect he may be removed.
I continue to question the circumstances under which Kim Porter died, because “the flu” just ain’t cutting it.
100% I commend her on her bravery and for getting her due – I hope she spends some of it on recovery.
Diddy is going to jail. And I bet the price of baby oil at the commissary just went up.
There are other men who do this in the music industry. They all need to go down. Especially rappers. They bring in women from the Caribbean to the US under the veil of being in a music video. Then traffic them. Diddy is just the biggest name.
We love you Cassie!