Diddy trial: Jury shown old texts in which Cassie opens up about getting beaten, abused & treated like a "hooker"
Diddy's former assistant, Brendan Paul, testified in the rapper's federal racketeering and sex trafficking trial on Friday, June 20. Paul, who invoked the Fifth Amendment, testified under immunity. During his time on the witness stand, Combs' former assistant testified about the duties he performed for the rapper.
After Paul left the witness stand, the prosecution presented 2017 text exchanges between Diddy and his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, as evidence. According to CNN, in a March 2017 text, Ventura wrote to Combs,
"You treat me like a hooker, to be honest. You call a hooker and you have one. This hooker has been here for 10 years."
In the text thread where Cassie was seemingly disappointed and fighting with the rapper, she reportedly texted:
“You’re at a point in your life where you want to party and have good time,” and “I have to focus or I’ll never become anything.”
The jury was also presented with the texts exchanged between the two, in which Cassie talked about being dragged by her hair.
“You get f**ked up you drag me down the hall by my hair. I’m 30 years old this isn play play anymore.” Ventura texted Combs.
Further in the text thread, Ventura texted Diddy that she is "scared of" the rapper's anger. In the reply, Combs reportedly said that Ventura didn't appreciate the night he planned for her and called her "wack" while questioning her behavior. Diddy further messaged Ventura to ask about her behavior from others.
Later, Ventura texted Diddy's chief of staff, Kristina Khorram, and said:
“I’m sure you don’t want to get involved, but he said I was an a**hole which I owned up to but no one deserves being dragged by their hair. I locked the door for my safety.”
What unfolded on Day 27 of the Diddy trial?
The court proceedings began with the testimony of Diddy's former assistant, Brendan Paul, who started working for Combs in October 2022. As per CNN, Paul was arrested for possessing drugs at Miami airport in 2024. However, charges against him were dropped in December 2024 as part of a plea deal he signed.
Paul also recalled on the stand that he would buy drugs ranging from marijuana to cocaine and from ketamine to ecstasy for the rapper. He went on to claim that at times he prepared for Diddy's "hotel nights," during which he had to make sure that the hotel room had all the items needed for the rapper.
As per NBC, the packing list included items like baby oil bottles, candles, alcohol, condoms, Astroglide, and a Gucci pouch, which allegedly was used to store drugs. Paul further claimed that he would also ensure that the room was cleaned after Diddy left the room.
In his testimony on Friday, Paul stated that during his arrest, he didn't reveal to the authorities that the cocaine didn't belong to him due to his "loyalty" to Combs. During the cross-examination, the former assistant told the court that he possessed the drug by mistake while he was leaving for vacation.
“I was sweeping his room and put it in my bag and forgot it while I was packing,” Paul said.
Earlier in his testimony, Brendan also recounted the nature of his job. He said his sole responsibility was to keep Combs happy. He testified that he used to work for up to 100 hours a week.
Before the court was adjourned, a special agent from Homeland Security Investigations, Joseph Cerciello, took the court stand. Per USA Today, the special agent took the court through more summary charts, revealing more details with text messages and other records relevant to the case.
