- Diddy. Britney Spears and the party with Diddy Combs before her failed performance at the 2007 MTV VMAs
- Diddy. Sean 'Diddy' Combs generates millions by renting out private jet amid legal troubles
Cassie Ventura, the R&B singer best known for her hit "Me & U," was reportedly rushed to a labor and delivery unit at a New York City hospital on Tuesday, just two weeks after taking the stand as the star witness in Sean "Diddy" Combs' ongoing federal sex trafficking trial.
Sources told TMZ that the 38-year-old artist, who is currently eight months pregnant with her third child, may be experiencing complications related to her pregnancy. The specific hospital where Ventura is receiving care has not been disclosed.
The sudden hospitalization comes on the heels of what Ventura described as one of the most emotionally taxing experiences of her life-her four-day testimony in a Manhattan federal courtroom against her former partner, hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs.
In a harrowing , Ventura detailed years of alleged abuse, including rape, forced participation in so-called "freak-offs," and repeated violent assaults during their on-again, off-again relationship from 2007 to 2018.
"Extremely challenging" testimony precedes hospitalization
Cassie Ventura is not only a mother and artist, but now a central figure in one of the most high-profile trials in the music industry's history. As the federal government pursues charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and fraud against Combs, Ventura has emerged as a courageous voice for survivors of abuse.
Her testimony painted a disturbing portrait of Combs, alleging he coerced her into degrading sexual acts, raped her following their breakup in 2018, and physically abused her over a period of more than a decade. "Freak-offs," as she explained in court, were twisted events orchestrated by Combs where women were allegedly trafficked for sex.
Her emotional included testimony about time spent in rehab and trauma therapy in the years after their relationship ended. Ventura's husband, fitness trainer Alex Fine, who is also the father of her children, was present in court as a source of throughout her powerful testimony.
After stepping down from the witness stand, Ventura released a public statement about the personal toll her testimony had taken, calling the experience "extremely challenging" but also "remarkably empowering and healing for me."
"I hope that my testimony has given strength and a voice to other survivors, and can help others who have suffered to speak up and also heal from the abuse and fear," Ventura said. "I'm glad to put this chapter of my life to rest. As I turn to focus on the conclusion of my pregnancy, I ask for privacy for me and my growing family."