An exotic dancer referred to as The Punisher revealed in a New York court how he discovered the identity of hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs. Sharay Hayes testified during Diddy's ongoing sex-trafficking trial that he was contracted to perform "sexy, erotic scenes" with Combs' then-girlfriend, Casandra "Cassie" Ventura, while Diddy observed from a corner, wearing a veil over his face.
The identity reveal occurred when Hayes entered a hotel suite and spotted the words "Welcome Sean Combs" on the television screen. Mr. Combs, 55, has entered a plea of not guilty to multiple charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking.
During the proceedings, Hayes recounted his first encounter with the couple in a Trump Tower hotel room where he was instructed not to acknowledge Mr. Combs. The suite was described as luxurious yet strangely covered in sheets and adorned with small bowls containing baby oil. Hayes’ testimony followed an earlier account from witness Daniel Phillip, who claimed he was paid for sexual encounters with Ventura while Diddy watched.
The court also heard from Regina Ventura, Cassie's mother, who submitted crucial evidence, including an email dated December 23, 2011, in which Cassie detailed threats made against her by Mr. Combs. She alleged he had threatened to release explicit sex tapes and remarked about having someone hurt Cassie, all while asserting he would be out of the country during the attack.
Regina Ventura also showed images of her daughter, reportedly bruised by Mr. Combs. During her testimony, she asserted that Diddy had demanded $20,000, claiming it was a payback for money he spent on Cassie. Fearing for her daughter’s safety, Ms. Ventura testified that she took out a loan to comply with the demand, only for the funds to mysteriously return to their account shortly after.
As the trial unfolds, Diddy's defense actively cross-examined a former personal assistant, pointing out inconsistencies in testimonies provided to the government. The legal proceedings are expected to span several weeks, with Diddy facing a potential life sentence if he is found guilty of the charges against him.
