NEW YORK, May 15, 2025 — The federal sex-trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs took another turn as defense attorneys introduced text messages from singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, aiming to suggest that some of their encounters were consensual.
One key moment came when Cassie was asked to read a 2009 message she had sent to Combs: “I’m always ready to freak off LOLOL.” The defense pointed to messages like this—sent a couple of years into their relationship—as proof that Cassie willingly took part in what they referred to as “freak offs,” a term used for private sexual gatherings.
In court, additional explicit texts were shown, including ones where Cassie described intimate acts in detail. Defense lawyers argued that these conversations show mutual participation, pushing back against the prosecution’s claim that Cassie was manipulated and controlled.
But prosecutors held firm. They argued that just because someone seems agreeable in a message doesn’t mean there was no fear or pressure involved. Cassie herself addressed that point, saying the things she texted—like claiming to “love freak offs”—were often just words she used to keep Combs happy and avoid conflict. She also testified that she lived in fear of what might happen if she pushed back, including threats that compromising videos could be made public.
As both sides continue to lay out their versions of what happened, the trial paints a deeply complicated picture of a relationship marked by power, fear, and conflicting truths. More testimony is expected in the coming days as the case unfolds.