Music stars Usher and Ne-Yo, along with prominent music executive Jimmy Iovine, were present at a West Hollywood restaurant in 2010 when Sean “Diddy” Combs allegedly punched then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in the stomach, a witness testified in Manhattan federal court on Monday.
The allegation came from singer Dawn Richard, a former member of the girl group Danity Kane, as she took the stand in Combs’ federal sex-trafficking and racketeering trial.
Richard was questioned under cross-examination by defense attorney Nicole Westmoreland, who challenged the credibility and details of her testimony.
Westmoreland grilled Richard on why she failed to name the celebrities present at the restaurant during earlier government questioning.
“Any reason you left those individuals out when the government asked you the question?” Westmoreland asked.
“She just asked me who was there,” Richard responded.
“Why didn’t you say their names?” the attorney pressed. “I’m not sure,” Richard said.
It remains unclear whether the celebrities actually witnessed the alleged assault.
Richard’s testimony marked the beginning of the trial’s second week and followed several days of emotional testimony from Ventura herself.
She has also filed a separate lawsuit against Combs, accusing him of sexual abuse and alleging she witnessed him physically assault Ventura.
Richard rose to fame on the MTV reality series “Making the Band,” where Combs formed Danity Kane in 2004. She is now a key prosecution witness in the case.
During Monday’s proceedings, Richard identified Combs in the courtroom, prompting the hip-hop mogul to raise both hands in a theatrical gesture. She also testified that Combs issued a veiled death threat a day after she witnessed him beat Ventura in his Los Angeles home in 2009.
Defense attorney Westmoreland seized on that claim, pointing to inconsistencies in Richard’s timeline and behavior.
“Mr. Combs had threatened you,” Westmoreland said. “You perceived the threats as death threats. [You] feared for your life.”
“I was scared,” Richard replied. Westmoreland noted that despite claiming fear, Richard later asked to work with Combs again in 2011.
“Mm-hmm,” Richard responded when asked to confirm the request.
Richard’s appearance added to a growing list of celebrities tied to the high-profile trial.
Usher, for instance, once lived at Combs’ New York mansion as part of the so-called “Puffy Flavor Camp” when he was 14. In a 2016 interview with Howard Stern, Usher said he witnessed unsettling scenes during that time.
“It was pretty wild. It was crazy. There were very curious things taking place and I didn’t necessarily understand it,” he said.
Asked if he’d send his own children to the camp, he responded emphatically: “Hell no!”
Ne-Yo, who also maintains ties to Combs, faced public backlash recently after his ex-girlfriend referred to him as “Diddy Jr.” in a resurfaced video.
“Diddy Jr., tell them about the freak-offs. Tell them the truth,” Sade Bagnerise shouted. She has since retracted her comments.
Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. If convicted, he faces a potential sentence of up to life in prison.
