Featured Image Credit: Michael Caulfield/Getty
Topics: Diddy, Cassie Ventura, US News, Celebrity
Poppy Bilderbeck
Topics: Diddy, Cassie Ventura, US News, Celebrity
Warning: This article contains allegations of sex trafficking, abuse and domestic violence which some readers may find distressing.
Singer Dawn Richard has spoken out about being signed to Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Bad Boy Records and witnessing Combs allegedly 'attack' Cassie Ventura.
The sex trafficking trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs began in Manhattan federal court on May 12 - the rapper having been indicted by a grand jury and arrested in September last year.
The 55-year-old has been charged with racketeering conspiracy, two charges of sex trafficking and two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution - he has denied all charges.
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Multiple people have been called to the stand, including R&B singer and dancer Cassie - real name Casandra Ventura - a former partner of Combs alongside being signed to the music record label he co-founded, titled Bad Boy Records.
Combs and Ventura dated for around a decade - Ventura was 19 years old at the time they first met and Combs was 37.
Richard was also signed to Bad Boy Records and gave testimony at Combs' sex-trafficking trial.
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Yesterday (May 16), the singer took to the stand to recount an alleged 'attack' she saw take place in 2009 at Combs' Los Angeles home.
After identifying Combs in the courtroom, Richard explained she'd been part of a 'girl group called Danity Kane' at the time and 'frequently saw' Ventura around from 2005 onwards, given they were both signed to Combs.
When asked about an alleged 2009 incident, Richard told the court she 'observed Cassie being attacked by Sean Combs'.
She said she had been at Combs' home in LA when he allegedly 'came downstairs, screaming, belligerent, asking where his food was'.
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After allegedly screaming 'where the f**k his eggs' were, Richard claimed Combs then picked up the skillet with the eggs in it and 'tried to hit her in the head with it'.
Richard said Ventura fell to the ground and 'went into the fetal position' in a bid to 'hide her face and her head'.
Richard alleged Combs proceeded to 'kick' Ventura 'in the head and beat her in front of' her and others there.
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He then reportedly 'dragged her upstairs', with those left behind hearing 'glass breaking and yelling'.
"I was scared that if I intervened, I might get [it] worse," Richard said.
The following day, Richard and others she was with were reportedly called in to Combs' recording studio.
Richard alleged he locked the door and excused the 'attack' as a classic relationship argument.
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The singer alleged Combs said: "Where he comes from, people go missing if they say things like that."
When asked for her interpretation as to what this meant, Richard said: "That people could die, death."
The record label co-founder then reportedly gave them 'flowers'.
Richard is expected to return to the witness stand on May 20.
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UNILAD has contacted Sean Combs' representatives for comment.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, please know that you are not alone. You can talk in confidence 24 hours a day to the national domestic violence helpline on 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) 24/7. You can find a list of local resources here.