What did Dawn Richard say in her testimony? Perez Hilton reacts to singer claiming Diddy gave her death threat for advising Cassie "to leave him"

On May 20, 2025, American blogger and columnist Perez Hilton shared insights on former Danity Kane member Dawn Richard's testimony in the ongoing Sean "Diddy" Combs, sex trafficking, and racketeering conspiracy trial.

Hilton, in his video, reviewed Dawn Richard's testimony from May 19, where she recalled several instances where Combs would attack Cassie, including a 2009 incident where she witnessed Sean Combs allegedly hit Cassie "on the head and beat her on the ground," after taking a swing at her with a skillet. After testifying on Friday afternoon, Dawn Richard returned to the witness stand in the Manhattan federal court on May 19.

Perez reviewed Diddy's comments to Dawn after she and another woman witnessed him beat Cassie.

"Dawn was in Danity Kane and another Diddy project called Dirty Money. She testified that after she witnessed him beating Cassie, she urged his girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, to leave him. Word got back to Diddy, and he confronted Don Richard, telling her, 'y'all don't get into my relationship, just make money and shut the f up. I end artists, I shove careers, you could go missing'," Hilton read from Dawn's testimony.

"The prosecutor asked Dawn to clarify what exactly that meant. She responded that we could die," Hilton read further.

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More about Dawn Richard's testimony

As reported by People Magazine on May 19, 2025, during her testimony, Dawn Richard recalled an incident from 2010, in which she, along with other celebrities, including rapper Usher, was present at a restaurant when Sean Combs allegedly "punched Cassie in the stomach," and "No one intervened."

"They were having a private conversation, and he punched her in the stomach. She immediately leaned over and left," Dawn said.

Dawn alleged that other musicians, including Ne-Yo, Jimmy Lovine, and Big Diddy Kane, were also present at the restaurant, as reported by E! News on May 20, 2025.

She further testified that they were in a car together afterward when Ventura told Combs that what he had done had "embarrassed" her. In response, "Combs grabbed her, slapped her, popped her in the mouth and told her to shut the f**k up." "Everyone was quiet the rest of the ride," Richard testified.

She alleged that Combs would beat Cassie "if she had an opinion about something," and said that people around them, including Combs' security guards, "wouldn’t react, they wouldn’t do anything." Dawn also alleged that Combs would frequently "punch her, choke her, drag her, slap her in the mouth. I saw him kick her, punch her in the stomach."

As reported by The Guardian on September 11, 2024, Dawn Richards filed a lawsuit against Sean Combs for "subjecting her to years of inhumane working conditions which included groping, assault, and false imprisonment".

Richards was a member of Danity Kane and Dirty Money, the girl music groups founded by Sean Combs. In the same lawsuit, Richards alleged that Combs would sexually and physically abuse Cassie.

In a statement to the BBC (published in November 2024), Richards' attorney Lisa Bloom stated:

"And when she spoke out, she says she was threatened with more physical violence. She said Sean Combs had a vicious temper and she was absolutely terrified of him."

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As reported by Reuters on May 20, 2025, Sean "Diddy" Combs has been charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. If proven guilty, he would face 15 years to life in prison.