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Casandra “Cassie” Ventura testified that her ex-boyfriend Sean Combs discussed blowing up Kid Cudi’s car after learning that she and the rapper were seeing each other.
Per media reports, Ventura discussed her brief relationship with Cudi, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, during her second day of testimony at Combs’ sex trafficking trial. Much of what she said on the stand echoed what she previously alleged in her civil suit against Combs, which was settled, but provided the basis for the criminal case against the hip-hop mogul.
That included ostensible references to an arson incident that occurred Jan. 9, 2012, when a Porsche owned by Mescudi was set on fire by an “incendiary device” (as a contemporaneous fire report put it). While on the stand Wednesday, Ventura claimed Combs spoke about blowing up Mescudi’s car, and also alleged that Combs said he wanted Mescudi’s friends to see the explosion.
She went on to say that, after ending her relationship with Mescudi, the next time she saw Mescudi was at a Soho House when she was with Combs. Ventura testified that Mescudi asked Combs, “What about my vehicle?” To which Combs allegedly replied, “What vehicle?”
Ventura said “that was the end of the meeting.”
Ventura and Mescudi began seeing each other in 2011, though at the time, she was still involved with Combs. Ventura testified that Combs learned about her relationship with Mescudi while going through her phone during a “freak-off.” She claimed Combs grew angry and lunged at her with a corkscrew, causing her to flee.
Ventura went on to read an email she sent to her mom and one of Combs’ employees in December 2011. In it, she said that Combs had threatened to release videos of her at the freak-offs over her relationship with Mescudi. She also alleged to her mom that Combs threatened to “hurt” her and Mescudi, though Combs said he would be out of the country when it happened.
In explaining her decision to break up with Mescudi near then end of 2011, Ventura said there was “too much danger, too much uncertainty of what could happen if we continued to see each other.”
Prosecutors are set to end their questioning of Ventura later on Wednesday, with the defense beginning cross-examination shortly after.
