A mere missed FaceTime call in a Manhattan courtroom has set ablaze an emotional and legal firestorm in the federal sex trafficking trial of hip-hop star Sean “Diddy” Combs. In court on May 16, 2025, court records showed that Combs’ former partner Casandra “Cassie” Ventura’s husband, Alex Fine, tried to contact her on FaceTime when she was said to be having sex with Combs in September 2018. The tidbit, being brandished by Combs’ lawyers, is an attempt to tarnish the story of abuse and coercion that Ventura has exposed, laying bare the raw emotional cost of a case that is capturing the world’s attention.
A post from X.
Cassie Ventura, now 38, was a rising R&B star when she signed with Combs’ Bad Boy Records in 2006 at age 19. Their relationship, spanning 2007 to 2018, was marked by glamour but shadowed by allegations of violence and control. In November 2023, Ventura filed a civil lawsuit accusing Combs of rape, physical abuse, and forcing her into drug-fueled sex parties known as “freak offs.” Settled within a day for $20 million, the lawsuit set the stage for the current federal trial, where Combs faces charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and prostitution-related offenses. If convicted, he could face life in prison. Ventura, now married to personal trainer Alex Fine and pregnant with their third child, has emerged as the prosecution’s star witness, her testimony a wrenching account of a decade under Combs’ influence.
The FaceTime revelation, introduced during Ventura’s cross-examination, stems from a moment in September 2018, after her breakup with Combs but while she was still entangled with him. Ventura testified that she was “together” with Combs when Fine, whom she had begun dating, called. She didn’t answer, later revealing the encounter to Fine, who reportedly punched a wall in distress. Combs’ defense attorney, Anna Estevao, seized on this to suggest Ventura’s agency in her interactions with Combs, pointing to affectionate texts and her continued contact post-breakup. The strategy aims to cast doubt on Ventura’s claims of coercion, particularly her allegation that Combs raped her in August 2018 after a “closure” dinner.
Ventura’s testimony paints a starkly different picture. She described “freak offs” as grueling, drug-laced ordeals orchestrated by Combs, where she was coerced into sex with male escorts while he watched, often filming without consent. She recounted physical assaults, including a 2016 hotel attack captured on surveillance footage released in 2024, showing Combs striking and dragging her. Ventura stayed, she said, because of fear, manipulation, and Combs’ control over her career and life. “I didn’t know what ‘no’ could turn into,” she testified, her voice breaking as she recalled feeling “humiliated” and “worthless.”
Critics have had a field day with the defense’s inclusion of the FaceTime call. Activists for abuse victims, such as those for the National Domestic Violence Hotline, contend that it’s old-school victim-blaming, taking advantage of Ventura’s complicated feelings for the purpose of discrediting her.
“Survivors are kept in contact with their abusers by trauma bonds or intimidation,”
says a spokesperson, stressing that this does not negate abuse. That Ventura chose to testify in her own name, in spite of all the adverse press, speaks volumes of her determination for justice, a choice praised by activists.
Alex Fine, 32, has been a pillar for Ventura, attending court daily until excused during testimony about the 2018 rape allegation. In May 2024, after the hotel footage surfaced, Fine issued a powerful statement condemning violence against women and urging men to “believe victims the first time.” His presence in the courtroom, often staring intently at Combs, symbolizes a broader push against the silence that often shrouds celebrity abuse cases.
Social media platforms like X buzz with reactions to the FaceTime detail, from outrage at the defense’s tactics to speculation about Ventura’s motives. Some users question her credibility, citing the settlement or her texts, while others rally behind her, drawing parallels to cases like those of R. Kelly or Harvey Weinstein. The polarized discourse reflects the trial’s cultural weight, spotlighting power dynamics in the entertainment industry.
Thanks for covering the real truth. No one is catching on the the fact he TRIED to FT her but she didn’t pick up. It’s become a twisted version of her husband supposedly watching her get assaulted.