Over seven weeks, jurors heard from 34 witnesses, including former girlfriends, ex-employees, artists, and personal assistants, many of whom painted a harrowing portrait of life within Combs’ orbit.
Central to the prosecution’s case were the testimonies of Cassie Ventura—an R&B singer who dated Combs for over a decade—and “Jane,” a social media influencer who testified under a pseudonym to protect her identity.
Ventura described years of physical abuse, coercion, and forced participation in drug-fueled sex sessions called “freak offs,” which were orchestrated by Combs and allegedly filmed for leverage.
She recounted a 2016 incident, caught on surveillance video, in which Combs beat and kicked her in a hotel hallway as she tried to leave a violent encounter, a moment that became a visual centerpiece of the trial.
Jane testified for six days, detailing what she called “hotel nights,” in which she felt compelled to perform sex acts with male escorts while Combs watched, pressured by emotional, financial, and physical threats.
Both women described a climate of fear and manipulation, in which resistance risked blackmail, professional ruin, or violence, yet both also acknowledged complex, at times loving, relationships with Combs.
Defense attorneys countered with messages, texts, and social media posts suggesting willing participation and affection, arguing that the encounters were consensual and the relationships “complicated” but not criminal.
Other witnesses included rapper Kid Cudi, who accused Combs of orchestrating a firebombing after learning of Cudi’s relationship with Ventura, as well as a revolving cast of personal staff who described a culture of secrecy and obedience.
The government presented evidence of drug use, bribery attempts, and the systematic silencing of victims through payoffs and threats, aiming to establish a pattern of organized criminal conduct.
Throughout the proceedings, the defense chose not to call any witnesses, relying instead on cross-examination to poke holes in the prosecution’s narrative and to cast doubt on the most serious allegations.
The parade of testimony—by turns graphic, emotional, and contentious—exposed the murky and often contradictory realities behind the glitz and glamour of celebrity life.
Ultimately, the jury found enough evidence to convict on the narrower Mann Act violations, but not enough to sustain the sweeping claims of criminal enterprise and sex trafficking that defined much of the case.