In the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial, an ex-girlfriend testifies about abuse
and control
[June 06, 2025]
By MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRY NEUMEISTER
NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs ' recent ex-girlfriend described
enduring drug-fueled sex marathons until the hip-hop titan's arrest in
September as the key witness began testimony Thursday soon after the
judge threatened to expel Combs from the courtroom for “nodding
vigorously” at jurors during a sharp cross-examination of another
witness.
The woman, using the pseudonym “Jane,” is among several witnesses at
Combs sex trafficking trial who accuse him of violence, including his
former girlfriend, R&B singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura.
Cassie testified in the trial's first week that Combs assaulted her
repeatedly and forced her into “hundreds” of encounters with male sex
workers called “ freak-offs ” while Combs watched, directed and
sometimes filmed.
Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to running his business empire as a
racketeering enterprise that enabled and concealed the abuse of women
over two decades. If convicted, he faces 15 years to life.
Jane said she repeatedly told Combs, in person and in writing, that she
didn't want to have sex with other men. But Combs, who paid her rent and
controlled other parts of her life, kept pressuring her and she felt
“obligated,” she said.
Jane spoke barely above a whisper to an attentive jury. Several jurors
leaned forward as she testified, while Combs mostly stared at her, but
she never appeared to look back.
Jane's relationship with Diddy turns sour
A single mother, Jane said she got to know Combs during a “girls’ trip”
to Miami in 2020 with a friend who was dating him. Jane said she dated
him from 2021 to 2024, in what began as a loving and passionate
relationship. Jane said she went by the nickname “Bert” while the Bad
Boy Records founder was “Ernie.”
However, she grew emotional — lowering her head and wiping tears — as
she explained how the relationship changed in May 2021, when Combs began
sharing his sexual fantasies involving her with other men and
role-playing. She agreed to go along, thinking it was a one-time event
sometime in the future that would make him happy.
Within hours, she said, she was in a Miami hotel room watching Combs’
assistants set up for a group sex encounter.
“That night really opened a Pandora’s box for our relationship,” Jane
said. “It set the tone for our relationship going forward. … It was a
door that I was unable to shut.”
Jane said she was exhilarated after leaving that first hotel room
encounter, but came to regret it.
From then on, she said, 90% of the time she had sex during her
relationship with Combs, it was with other men while he watched. Asked
if she wanted to have sex with other men, Jane softly said, “No… just
Sean.”
Jane's description of “hotel nights” closely paralleled Cassie's earlier
testimony. Both described trying to rush through the encounters just to
get them over with. Jane said the encounters sometimes lasted over 24
hours.
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 The judge has taken steps to protect
Jane’s anonymity, including warning observers not to describe or
sketch her in a way that would reveal her identity. The Associated
Press does not identify people who say they’re victims of sexual
abuse unless they choose to make their names public, as Cassie has
done.
Judge threatens to kick Diddy out of court
Before Jane testified, while jurors were at lunch, Judge Arun
Subramanian said he saw Combs energetically nodding at the jury
twice while his lawyers cross-examined a prior witness. The judge
warned that any further attempts to engage with jurors could get
Combs ejected from the courtroom.
“There should be no efforts whatsoever to have an interaction with
this jury,” Subramanian told Combs' lawyers.
Combs seemed relaxed and smiled broadly afterward, possibly reacting
to his attorney's withering cross-examination. He has been active in
his defense throughout the trial, regularly writing notes and
consulting with his legal team.
Cassie's friend is grilled about being dangled off a balcony
The judge said Combs was nodding during the cross-examination of
Bryana “Bana” Bongolan, a friend of Cassie and a graphic designer
who is suing Combs.
Bongolan testified Wednesday that in 2016, Combs held her over the
edge of a balcony at a Los Angeles high-rise for 10 to 15 seconds,
an episode she said traumatized her and left her with lasting night
terrors.
On Thursday, defense attorney Nicole Westmoreland challenged
Bongolan's credibility, suggesting she lied or exaggerated. The
lawyer noted Combs was on tour for much of September 2016, including
East Coast shows around the time cellphone metadata shows Bongolan
photographed her injuries.
“You agree that one person can’t be in two places at the same time,”
Westmoreland asked.
“In like theory, yeah. It’s hard to answer that one,” Bongolan
replied. Later, Bongolan said she did not recall the exact date, but
she had no doubt the balcony episode occurred.
She also acknowledged smoking marijuana with Combs not long after,
and attending one of his concerts and a private party roughly a week
later.
“You weren’t too fearful enough to not go to Mr. Combs’ event, were
you?” Westmoreland asked.
“I always had a feeling inside, but yes, I went,” Bongolan said.
___
Associated Press writer Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut,
contributed to this report.
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