Singer Cassie has pleaded with the court not to grant leniency to her ex-boyfriend Sean “Diddy” Combs, saying she fears violent retaliation if the disgraced music mogul walks free. In a three-page victim impact statement obtained by Rolling Stone, Cassie, 39, admitted she is “so scared” of “swift retribution” should Combs, 55, receive a light sentence at his October 3 hearing.
The Bad Boy Records founder was convicted in July on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. His sentencing is expected to be closely watched, given his high-profile career and the disturbing allegations that have surrounded the case.
“For four days in May, while nine months pregnant with my son, I testified in front of a packed courtroom about the most traumatic and horrifying chapter in my life,” Cassie wrote. “I testified that from age nineteen, Sean Combs used violence, threats, substances, and control over my career to trap me in over a decade of abuse.”
She added that she continues to live with the aftermath. “I still get nightmares and flashbacks,” she admitted, referencing the abuse she says she suffered over ten years. Some of the violence, Cassie noted, became public when leaked hotel security footage showed Combs physically assaulting her at the InterContinental Hotel.
The Me & U singer stressed that she lives “as private and quietly as [she] possibly can” out of fear that Combs will retaliate against her and others who testified. “I am so scared that if he walks free, his first actions will be swift retribution towards me and others who spoke up about his abuse at trial,” she wrote.
Cassie’s testimony played a pivotal role in the prosecution’s case. She was also the first to file a sexual assault lawsuit against Combs in 2023, a move that encouraged multiple other alleged victims to come forward.
Despite the weight of her testimony, Combs’ attorneys have urged the court to hand down a sentence of only 14 months in prison followed by supervised release. They argue that the reduced time is sufficient punishment.
Cassie’s letter, however, is a direct appeal for the court to consider the long-lasting impact of Combs’ actions and the potential danger she believes still exists. Her words underline the stakes of next week’s sentencing, not only for her but also for the broader group of alleged victims who say they suffered under Combs’ influence.