Sean 'Diddy' Combs allegedly threatened to leak sex tapes of his ex

By Jack Queen and Luc Cohen

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Sean "Diddy" Combs routinely beat his ex-girlfriend and during fits of rage threatened to release sex tapes of her to the internet, a stylist testified on Wednesday at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial.

Deonte Nash, who worked as a stylist for Combs and Combs' former girlfriend Casandra Ventura from 2008 to 2018, alleged that Combs repeatedly beat Ventura and threatened to release the tapes while raging at her for not being obedient.

"He told her she fucked up and he was going to put her sex tapes on the internet," Nash said, recounting an alleged incident in 2013 or 2014.

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five counts including racketeering and sex trafficking. He faces up to life in prison if convicted on all counts.

Last week, Scott Mescudi - the rapper known as Kid Cudi - testified that his car was set on fire in 2012, shortly after Combs learned that Mescudi had a romantic relationship with Ventura.

Prosecutors say the alleged arson of Mescudi's car was one of several violent or illegal acts that Combs or his associates undertook to prevent women from leaving his orbit and keep his abuse quiet.

On Wednesday, a lawyer for Combs told the judge outside the jury's presence that prosecutors' questions to a Los Angeles arson investigator implied that Combs had a role in the destruction of fingerprint evidence, arguing the questions were grounds for a mistrial.

U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian swiftly denied the request, saying none of the testimony was unfair to Combs. He told jurors to disregard the questions and answers about the fingerprints.

Testimony in Combs' trial in Manhattan federal court is in its third week. Prosecutors say Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, coerced women, including Ventura, over two decades to take part in days-long, drug-fueled sexual performances with male sex workers known as "Freak Offs."

Combs' lawyers have acknowledged that he was at times abusive in domestic relationships, but said the women who participated in Freak Offs did so consensually.

Over four days of emotional testimony during the first week of trial, Ventura recounted years of alleged physical and emotional abuse by Combs.

Ventura, a rhythm and blues singer known as Cassie, said she hated the Freak Offs. She said she participated because she loved Combs and because she feared how he would react if she didn't.

(Reporting by Jack Queen and Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Howard Goller)