Cassie Ventura Opens Up About Years of Trauma in Emotional Letter
Cassie Ventura’s heartfelt letter to the court sheds light on the pain, fear, and lasting trauma she endured during her relationship with Sean “Diddy” Combs, as the music mogul faces sentencing.
Cassie Ventura has written a deeply emotional letter to Judge Arun Subramanian, asking him to consider not just her own suffering but that of other victims as Sean “Diddy” Combs awaits sentencing. The letter, filed Tuesday, provides a raw look into what she calls the “most traumatic and horrifying chapter” of her life.
The singer and model detailed years of alleged abuse, manipulation, and fear during her on-and-off decade-long relationship with Combs. She described how what began as a loving relationship turned dark as he allegedly became controlling and violent, forcing her into “drug-fueled sex parties” that left her physically and emotionally shattered.
“For four days in May, while nine months pregnant with my son, I testified in front of a packed courtroom about the most traumatic and horrifying chapter in my life,” Ventura wrote. She recounted how these “freak-off” parties left her drained, sick, and fearful, describing them as “degrading and disgusting.”
Ventura’s letter referenced a 2016 incident caught on video at an Intercontinental Hotel, which showed Combs kicking and beating her. “People watched this footage dozens of times, seeing my body thrown to the ground, my hands over my head, curled into a fetal position,” she wrote, recalling the harrowing moment.
She revealed that living under Combs’ control left her in “a constant state of hypervigilance,” adding that her substance use became a means to cope with the trauma. “I used those drugs to push through the horrifying sex acts he demanded and to numb myself to the physical pain and emotional turmoil I was constantly in,” she confessed.
Since their final breakup in 2019, Ventura says she has worked to rebuild her life. However, the healing process remains ongoing. “I still have nightmares and flashbacks on a regular basis,” she wrote. “My worries that Sean Combs or his associates will come after me and my family is my reality.” She revealed she has since moved her family out of New York and keeps a low profile out of fear of retaliation.
Despite the jury’s decision to acquit Combs of the most serious charges—racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking—Ventura believes his sentence should reflect “the reality of the evidence and my lived experience as a victim.”
“I hope that your sentencing decision reflects the strength it took for victims of Sean Combs to come forward,” she concluded. “I hope it considers the many lives he has upended with his abuse and control.”
Prosecutors have recommended an 11-year prison term, citing Combs’ “unrepentant” behavior and the ongoing fear he instills in his victims. His defense team, however, has called this recommendation “draconian,” arguing that the proposed sentence is excessive given that he was acquitted of several charges.
Cassie’s original 2023 civil lawsuit against Combs, which accused him of sexual assault and trafficking, was settled quickly but paved the way for the federal criminal investigation that ultimately led to his conviction on lesser charges.
ABC News reached out to representatives for Combs, but they did not comment on the matter.