Cassie Ventura screamed for someone to intervene as she was being beaten by Sean “Diddy” Combs aboard his private jet, the rapper’s former assistant testified.
George Kaplan worked for Combs as an executive assistant from 2013 to 2015, during which time he told the court he saw his former boss’ ex-girlfriend lying on the floor “on her back,” just after screaming “Isn’t anybody seeing this?” during a violent incident aboard Combs’ private jet in 2015, per NBC News. Kaplan testified that no one, including security, intervened.
Combs is standing trial for sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution charges in Manhattan federal court, where prosecutors have been painting a picture of Combs’ alleged abuse and coercion tactics—particularly as it came to his ex of 11 years, Cassie Ventura. Ventura testified to the violence she endured from Combs for four days last week, telling jurors she suffered frequent beatings by Combs, similar to the 2016 altercation caught on hotel camera surveillance that was leaked last year.
She also testified extensively about the “freak-off” sex performances she felt she was forced to participate in, as Combs’ threatened to release recordings from the events and was prone to violent outbursts even if she “made the wrong face.”
Ventura and several witnesses testified that Combs would hit her in front of others and in public. Kaplan said he quit working for Combs because of “guilt” over not intervening. The plane incident “chilled” him the most, he said, per CNN. “There was a tremendous commotion and stumble, and then the glass crashed,” Kaplan told the court Thursday of the terrifying plane ride.
When he turned to see what that commotion was, the former assistant said he saw Cassie lying on her back in front of Combs with her legs extended, as if “trying to create space between the two of them.” He said he quickly looked away.
Moments later, he heard Cassie scream, “Isn’t anybody seeing this?” as the noises continued. He testified that Combs’ security, management, and more staff members were on the plane, but no one helped Ventura or even checked on her afterward. The revelation buoys Ventura’s testimony that many in Combs’ orbit saw the abuse she suffered, and remained silent.
Kaplan also testified to other times he’d seen Ventura bruised during his tenure with Combs, and being asked to buy makeup so she could cover her injuries. “The central reason that I left my job as Mr. Combs’ assistant was that I was not comfortable or aligned with the physical behavior that had been going on that I had seen pieces of over the course of a couple months,” he explained.
Kid Cudi (real name Scott Mescudi) also took the stand today in Combs’ trial. Mescudi and Ventura dated briefly before Combs allegedly made threats against them both and threatened to release “freak-off” videos of Ventura out of jealous retaliation. Mescudi and Ventura both allege that Combs had Mescudi’s car exploded in his driveway as a warning.
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