Cassie’s Lawyer Says She ‘Paved the Way’ for Diddy’s Conviction

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A lawyer for Casandra “Cassie” Ventura released a statement following a New York City jury’s decision to find her ex Sean “Diddy” Combs guilty of two criminal counts of transportation for prostitution but acquitting him of the more serious charges of sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. “This entire criminal process started when our client, Cassie Ventura, had the courage to file her civil complaint in November 2023,” lawyer Douglas H. Wigdor said in a statement. “Although the jury did not find Combs guilty of sex trafficking Cassie beyond a reasonable doubt, she paved the way for a jury to find him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution. By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice.”

The mixed verdict concludes a nine-week trial in which prosecutors called 34 witnesses to the stand, including Ventura, who testified two weeks before giving birth to her third child. She told jurors Combs had coerced her into drug-fueled sexual encounters with male escorts for about a decade. “I felt pretty horrible about myself,” she said. “I felt disgusted.” Her testimony expanded on allegations against Combs, including rape, that she had previously leveled in a 2023 civil lawsuit. (That suit was settled after one day; Ventura explained in a statement at the time that she wanted “to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control.”) During the trial, jurors were played the full surveillance footage of Combs physically assaulting Ventura in a hotel hallway in 2016.

“We must repeat — with no reservation — that we believe and support our client who showed exemplary courage throughout this trial,” Wigdor said in his statement. “She displayed unquestionable strength and brought attention to the realities of powerful men in our orbit and the misconduct that has persisted for decades without repercussion. This case proved that change is long overdue, and we will continue to fight on behalf of survivors.”