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On the fifth day of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial, jurors were shown intimate text messages exchanged between Combs and singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, shedding light on their complex 11-year on-again, off-again relationship. The defense introduced these messages to illustrate the emotionally charged dynamic between the two, especially around the time Ventura says she was trying to leave him.
A notable 2018 text—when the couple was finalizing their breakup—had Combs pleading, “Can I not get a chance to make things right? I haven’t taken care of you?” Cassie replied, “You took care of me materialistically, not where I needed it. I needed you to love me and put me first.” These texts came amid Ventura’s 2023 civil lawsuit accusing Combs of rape in 2018, which was settled for \$20 million without an admission of guilt.
Other revealed texts complicated the picture: Ventura admitted to consensual sex with Combs after the alleged rape and while dating her current husband, Alex Fine. She expressed mixed feelings, telling Combs she was “lost without him” and credited their relationship for her current happiness. Flirtatious exchanges from earlier years, including talk of having a “freak off,” highlighted the intensity and ambiguity of their bond.
Despite the painful allegations, affectionate messages persisted post-breakup. Cassie texted, “I don’t hate you. I never have,” while Combs called her his “ride or die always” and praised her as one of the “greatest women in the world.”
Cassie’s cross-examination wrapped up after a week of emotional testimony, leaving the jury to grapple with the blurred lines between love, manipulation, and abuse in their troubled relationship. The trial continues as Combs faces serious charges including sex trafficking and racketeering.