Diddy trial: Defense says Cassie lied about r*pe after husband allegedly discovered her relationship with rapper

Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial is on the verge of completion with the defense wrapping up the closing remarks on Friday, June 27, 2025. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo, in his closing arguments, sought to invalidate the prosecution's charges against the rapper. He tried to prove that no racketeering enterprise was involved and also denied the s*x trafficking claims.

The defense spoke at length about Diddy and his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, claiming that they were in love and that Cassie willingly participated in the "freak-offs." The defense also alleged that Ventura lied about the r*pe allegations in her 2023 civil lawsuit against Sean Combs and in her statements to federal investigators.

The defense attorney said that Ventura lied that she was r*ped by the rapper in 2018, after her now-husband found out she was with Combs. Notably, Ventura was dating her now-husband at that time. Agnifilo said that her current husband FaceTimed her in the middle of the night when she was with Diddy, and she was ignoring the calls. This prompted her to lie that she was r*aped.

Agnifilo pointed out that in her lawsuit and statements to investigators, she said she was r*aped in September 2018, whereas she testified in this trial that it took place in August 2018. As per CNN, while pointing out this discrepancy, the defense attorney said that she "changed" the timeline, as one of her messages to Combs from September 2018 suggested otherwise.

“I had a lot of fun with you. Thanks for the night. I told myself I didn’t want anything to happen and I’m not tripping on it I know you aren’t either,” the text read.

The defense lawyer alleged that Ventura changed her timeline to August based on one of the texts from Combs, which read:

“I know I look bad to you. I could tell I didn’t turn you on yesterday. I fell off, but I’m about to get my sh*t together.”

CNN reported that the government also made this the basis of r*ape claims. Agnifilo added that one of her texts suggested that she had a consensual sexual encounter with Combs later in October that year.

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"There is a nice quality to these evenings" — Diddy's defense tried to paint "freak-offs" as consensual sexual encounters

As per NBC, while countering s*x trafficking claims against Diddy, the defense lawyer claimed that Ventura and the rapper's former girlfriend, who testified under the pseudonym Jane, enjoyed the "freak-offs."

"Looking at the videos, you heard from ‘Jane,’ there is a rapport... Everyone is smiling, it is a s*x party, they are eating food, Cassie is eating watermelon, they are listening to music. The two escorts called to testify said there was a lot of talking and hanging out. There is a nice quality to these evenings." Agnifilo added.

Earlier in the testimony, Jane and Ventura claimed that Combs had threatened to release their explicit videos. The jury also saw the videos recorded by Combs, capturing these "freak-offs." Agnifilo said that, even though Diddy shot these videos, he never intended to use them for blackmail or to release them.

"He’s not the only man in America making homemade porn," Agnifilo said.

The defense lawyer also alleged that Diddy might not have known that using escort services was not legal. Agnifilo said that since there are companies functioning in this domain, his client would have thought there was nothing wrong with it. While challenging s*x trafficking charges, the defense attorney called the recorded "freak-off" videos "homemade porn."

“In every porn movie, I’m assuming, the actors get paid to have s*x. How is that not prostitution? I don’t know. And you don’t either,” Agnifilo said.

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In his four-hour-long closing argument, the defense attorney challenged the prosecution's racketeering and s*x trafficking claims and urged the jury to acquit Diddy. Now the jury will be charged to make deliberations on Monday, June 30, 2025.