Cassie Ventura testifies that 'freak off' videos were used as 'blackmail' threats
As she did on the stand Tuesday, Cassie Ventura again flipped through a binder containing photographs of escorts that she testified then were hired for "freak offs."
In a matter-of-fact tone she recalled their names: Ash, Brian, Dave, Greg and someone she testified she knew as “Islander.”
Ventura testified that she had sex with all of them, some in multiple cities. She also told the court that it’s possible she and Combs had some of the escorts flown to different places for the purpose of having sex, testimony that federal prosecutors hope will prove one of the charges Combs faces: that of transportation for the purposes of prostitution.
Ventura told the court that she hired the escorts herself: “It was expected of me."
Ventura also testified that Combs turned the "freak offs" into “blackmail,” allegedly threatening to release video recordings of the sex sessions “when he was upset about something.”
Ventura testified that Combs threatened “to embarrass me and put my career in jeopardy,” and that she “absolutely” feared he would release the videos.
“I just feared for my career. I feared for my family. It’s just embarrassing and disgusting. Nobody should do that to anyone,” Ventura testified.
Ventura also said on the stand that Combs allegedly told her that the videos “could ruin everything“ that she had worked for and make her look “like a slut.”
The jury saw a text message from Ventura asking Combs to “please delete any video” from his phone. Combs responded that he had but Ventura testified that there were times when she had seen videos that she thought had been deleted.