NEW YORK (AP) — Rapper Kid Cudi testified Thursday that Sean “Diddy” Combs broke into his Hollywood Hills home in 2011 after finding out he was dating Combs’ ex-girlfriend, the R&B singer Cassie, and that someone set fire to his car weeks later.
Speaking at Combs’ sex trafficking trial in Manhattan federal court, Cudi, whose legal name is Scott Mescudi, said that one day while he and Cassie briefly dated, he took her to a West Hollywood hotel to get her away from the seething Combs. While there, he said, he got a call from Combs’ assistant, Capricorn Clark, who told him Combs and an affiliate were in his house and that she had been forced to go with them.
Cudi said he left the hotel to drive home, and that he called Combs en route and asked him why he was in his house. He said Combs calmly replied, “I want to talk to you.”
But Combs wasn’t there when he arrived, Cudi said. Instead, he found that someone had opened Christmas presents he’d bought for his family and locked his dog in a bathroom. Cudi said he wasn’t sure what was going on, so he called the police.
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Cudi’s car is set on fire
A few weeks later, Cudi testified, his Porsche 911 convertible was destroyed by fire while parked in his driveway. Cudi said he was at a friend’s house when his dog-sitter called and told him his car was on fire. Jurors were shown photos of a hole that had been cut in the car’s fabric roof and a Molotov cocktail that had been found on the passenger seat.
Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, testified last week that Combs had threatened to blow up Cudi’s car and hurt him after he learned she was dating the Grammy Award-winning rapper, who is known for his alternative hip-hop style.
Cudi told jurors that Combs denied involvement in the car fire when they met to try to smooth things over the next day at a Los Angeles hotel. He said he sought the meeting because “after the fire, I said this is getting out of hand. I need to talk to him.”
Cudi said he didn’t have conflicts at the time with anyone other than Combs.
“I knew he had something to do with it,” Cudi said, leading Combs’ lawyers to object. Jurors were told to disregard the remark.
Combs denies involvement in the blaze
At the end of the meeting, as they stood and shook hands, Cudi said he asked Combs: “What are we going to do about my car?” Cudi said Combs gave him a “very cold stare” and responded, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Cudi said he was miffed by Combs’ answer but let it go.
Cudi said he told Combs that he was taking him at his word. Eventually, he said, he made peace with the situation, and there were no more incidents at his house.
A few years later, Combs apologized to Cudi “for everything” when they ran into each other again at a hotel, Cudi testified.
Combs seemed subdued as Cudi testified. Although he looked toward the witness stand, neither man seemed to react to the other. Cudi didn’t look at Combs when he left the stand.
Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to sex the trafficking and racketeering charges. He denies that he used threats or his music industry clout to abuse women and others, and that he forced Cassie or anyone else to take part in drug-fueled sexual performances called freak-offs.
Combs’ lawyer says Cassie was living ‘double life’
During the defense cross-examination of Cudi, Combs’ lawyer Brian Steel painted Cassie as the villain in her relationships with Combs and Cudi, suggesting she had played both of them and had been living a “double life.”
Cudi testified that when he started dating Cassie in late 2011, she had led him to believe that she and Combs had broken up.
In reality, Cassie testified earlier, she was still seeing Combs for freak-offs and using a burner phone to contact Cudi and keep their relationship secret from Combs.
“Ms. Ventura was living two different lives, is that true?” Steel asked.
“Yes,” Cudi replied.
Cudi said he was upset to find out that she had later decided to go back to Combs.
After the defense questioning ended, Cudi left the courthouse, walking quickly to a waiting SUV. He didn’t stop to speak to reporters.
The federal investigation of Combs began in November 2023, a day after Cassie sued him in Manhattan federal court alleging years of sexual and physical abuse. The lawsuit was settled by Combs for $20 million the next day.
Feature image by Richard Drew VIA AP
