I Was Fine With the Freak Offs… Until Diddy Hit Cassie, Dancer Claims in Shocking Testimony

The federal racketeering and sex trafficking case against music tycoon Sean “Diddy” Combs reached a sickening courtroom drama Monday afternoon, as a male escort gave stomach-turning and graphically explicit testimony that accused Combs of a multi-year history of sexual abuse, coercion, and physical violence.

Daniel Phillip, 41, a part-time escort and former male revue manager, was called to the witness stand by lead prosecutor Maurene Comey. For over an hour, the courtroom was in shocked silence as Phillip, composed but visibly shaken, recounted his multiple sex with Combs and the singer’s then-girlfriend, singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, between 2012 and 2014. His account, graphic and unsettling simultaneously, paints a revolting portrait of decadence, manipulation, and celebrity excess.

A “Bachelorette Party” with No Guests

Phillip testified that he became involved with Combs and Ventura in 2012 under false pretenses. He was employed at a male revue show in Manhattan. One evening, his boss asked if he could fill a last-minute engagement at the Gramercy Park Hotel, which was a bachelorette party.

“I expected a room full of women,” Phillip recalled. “Instead, when I arrived, it was just one woman, Cassie Ventura.”

Ventura, dressed in lingerie, high heels, and sunglasses, welcomed him into the room and explained that it was her birthday and her “husband” had arranged a “special gift.” Phillip was then handed several thousand dollars in cash. Sitting silently in the corner of the room was a man in a white bathrobe with a bandana obscuring his face. It wasn’t until the man spoke that Phillip realized he was in the presence of Sean Combs.

“She told me, ‘He’s not gay, and he won’t touch you,'” Phillip told the jury, referring to Combs. The witness said Ventura instructed him to rub baby oil on her, initiating a sequence of events that would repeat in various forms over the next two years.

Recurring Encounters: A Disturbing Pattern of Exploitation

According to Phillip, the hotel incident was the beginning of a series of sex acts that took place in luxury hotels and private residences across Manhattan. In every setting, certain elements were consistent: candles, Astroglide, bottles of baby oil, and Combs watching from the shadows, masturbating.

Phillip said he was paid 700 to 6,000 dollars per encounter, depending on duration and Combs’ specific demands. Sessions reportedly lasted one hour to as many as ten hours.

Combs was allegedly more than a voyeur. Phillip testified that Combs would frequently direct the encounters, instructing where and when he should ejaculate, whether he should use protection, and how to engage with Ventura. Occasionally, Combs would switch roles with Phillip, engaging directly in sexual acts with Ventura.

“He always sat in the corner, masturbating,” Phillip said. “Sometimes, he would tell me to cum inside her. Other times, he would just watch and record.”

The witness added that Combs videotaped him and Ventura at least twice, once using a handheld camcorder and once on a cellphone. On one occasion, Phillip claimed he “pretended to ejaculate” because of the pressure.

“He kept asking, ‘Are you sure you finished?'” Phillip recalled, describing how Combs brought Ventura into a bedroom to confirm.

Escalating Violence and Intimidation

As the encounters grew more intense and frequent, Phillip said he began noticing indications of physical abuse and psychological manipulation.

He recounted a chilling incident where Combs had taken a photo of his driver’s license, claiming it was “just for insurance.”

“I understood that to be a threat,” Phillip testified solemnly. “That if I crossed him, there would be consequences.”

In one of the more horrifying accounts, Phillip described an event where Combs threw a glass bottle at Ventura, then grabbed her by the hair and dragged her into another room while screaming at her. He recalled Ventura yelling, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” and hearing slapping sounds behind the closed door.

“I was frozen. I didn’t know what to do,” Phillip said. “I believed if I tried to help her, I might lose my life.”

Drug Use and Psychological Toll

Phillip also detailed Combs’ use of controlled substances during these encounters. On at least one occasion, he said, Combs offered him MDMA, also known as molly.

“I felt euphoric and physically sick at the same time,” Phillip said. “After leaving, I wandered into Times Square and handed out all the money he gave me. Every dollar.”

Despite the payments, Phillip claimed he never solicited or requested compensation from Combs or Ventura, insisting that the allure of celebrity and his perceived friendship with Ventura kept him involved.

“There was this illusion that I was part of something exclusive,” he said. “But I was just being used.”

The psychological impact became apparent over time. Phillip testified that he began having difficulty maintaining an erection around Combs and was sometimes given Cialis to improve his performance. He said he was often denied payment if he could not perform.

A Turning Point: Emotional Collapse at Essex House

Phillip recounted a particularly emotional incident at the Jumeirah Essex House Hotel. He said Combs and Ventura had retreated to the bedroom, and Phillip heard screaming and what sounded like slapping. After a time, Combs left the hotel, leaving Phillip alone with Ventura.

“She jumped into my lap crying, kissing me,” he said. “That had never happened before.”

Phillip asked Ventura why she remained in the relationship. Her answer, he said, was short and haunting: “I’m fine.”

The two proceeded to have sex, during which they reportedly saw Combs sneak back into the room to watch them.

Other Encounters and Fear of Retaliation

Phillip testified that another male escort was once invited to participate in a threesome. That encounter allegedly ended in a confrontation when Combs accused the other man of “looking at him.”

Phillip stated under oath that he had never been paid for sex before meeting Combs and Ventura, and he has not engaged in sex work since. He said his continued involvement stemmed from a mix of fear, concern for Ventura, and the intoxicating power dynamic.

“I felt trapped. I cared for Cassie, and I didn’t want to upset him. I believed my life could be in danger,” Phillip told the jury.

Prosecution’s Strategy: Painting Combs as a Predator

The prosecution, led by Maurene Comey, is seeking to portray Sean Combs as a man who weaponized his fame, wealth, and power to facilitate a sprawling network of abuse. They allege he trafficked, assaulted, and psychologically manipulated individuals under the guise of consensual sex.

On Monday morning, before Phillip’s testimony, prosecutors also called a former security guard to the stand. That witness claimed to have seen Combs assault Ventura at the Intercontinental Hotel, an incident partially captured on surveillance footage obtained and published by CNN in May 2024. Variations of that video were played for the jury during the afternoon session.

Defense Pushback: “A Flawed Man, Not a Criminal”

Combs’ lead attorney, Xavier Donaldson, has argued that while the artist may have been involved in controversial and morally questionable sexual conduct, all activities described in the indictment were consensual.

“He is not perfect,” Donaldson told jurors during opening statements. “But being flawed does not make him a criminal.”

During Phillip’s testimony, Donaldson repeatedly objected, particularly when the witness made interpretive statements. Several objections were overruled, though the judge occasionally instructed Phillip to use factual descriptions.

Cassie Ventura to Take the Stand?

Tension is building as the second week of the trial approaches. Cassie Ventura, whose lawsuit against Combs in 2023 contributed to the federal probe, will appear as a witness later this week. Her evidence is expected to corroborate the prosecution case and verify much of Phillip’s testimony.

Sean Combs remains behind bars and professes his innocence to all of the federal counts of sex trafficking, racketeering, and obstruction of justice. If convicted, he will spend decades behind federal bars.