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An “enraged” Sean “Diddy” Combs once repeatedly struck his longtime girlfriend Cassie Ventura “pretty hard” in front of her friends because she didn’t answer her phone, a celebrity stylist testified Wednesday.

Deonte Nash told jurors at Combs’ bombshell federal trial in Manhattan that he witnessed the disgraced music mogul fly into a violent rage in Ventura’s apartment as the stylist was helping her pack for a trip in 2013.

“B–h, didn’t I tell you to answer the phone?” Nash recounted Combs saying.


  Celebrity stylist Deonte Nash testifying at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal trial on May 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg Celebrity stylist Deonte Nash testifying at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal trial on May 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg

He “grabbed her by the hair, pulled her off the couch and started hitting her,” the stylist said.

The alleged ordeal, which unfolded as Ventura was prepping to leave for Drake’s OVO festival in Toronto, took place in front of the stylist and a handful of others, Nash testified.

Nash — who was Ventura’s long-time stylist and considered them close friends — also told jurors that Combs tried to control every aspect of his then-girlfriend’s life.

He once forced the R&B singer to come home from a 2013 night out at a Los Angeles gay club because he was angry she’d gone there with Nash, singer Rita Ora and Cheetah Girls singer Adrienne Bailon-Houghton.


  Deonte Nash testified that Sean “Diddy” Combs struck Cassie Ventura in front of her friends because she didn’t answer her phone. REUTERS Deonte Nash testified that Sean “Diddy” Combs struck Cassie Ventura in front of her friends because she didn’t answer her phone. REUTERS

The celebrity stylist told jurors they were at the club when Ventura took a call from Combs on speakerphone during which he allegedly told her that “she better bring her ass to his house.”

“She started to panic,” Nash told the jury.

“Then [Combs] called back and he talked to me and told me that we were wildin’ and that he thought he told us not to be going out since every time I go out that b–h wanna go.”

Nash testified that Ventura “just packed her stuff and went to his house.”


  Cassie Ventura with Rita Ora and Adrienne Bailon-Houghton in 2013. Instagram / Rita Ora Cassie Ventura with Rita Ora and Adrienne Bailon-Houghton in 2013. Instagram / Rita Ora

The stylist, who also worked for Combs from 2008 to 2018, said this was one of two times the disgraced Bad Boy Records founder had told him and Ventura that they needed permission from him before going out.

The “I’ll Be Missing You” rapper even got violent with Nash a “few” times, including once choking him for going out with Ventura, he testified.

Combs “threw me on the car and started choking me out,” Nash testified of the incident that allegedly took place in 2013 while Ventura was shooting a music video for her song “I Love It.”

Follow the latest on Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ federal sex-trafficking trial:

As Ventura’s stylist, Nash said he had to repeatedly seek approval from Combs for her outfits and appearance.

He alleged, too, that an irate Combs once put his hands on him before the 2014 Vanity Fair Oscars party after the rapper blew up because Ventura had opted to wear her hair down.

“She looked bomb…Her hair was long,” Nash said, alleging that a fuming Combs told him: “I thought I told you to keep her hair up.”


  Combs with Ventura and Rita Ora in Cannes in 2012. Photo by Michel Dufour/WireImage Combs with Ventura and Rita Ora in Cannes in 2012. Photo by Michel Dufour/WireImage

Combs then “grabbed me by my jacket and lifted me up,” he testified.

Once Nash had pinned Ventura’s hair up, he said Combs declared: “I was right, it looks better that way.”

Nash — who noted he spent almost every day with Ventura — alleged he also constantly overheard Combs berating and threatening his then-girlfriend.

Asked what threats he overheard, the stylist responded: “That he would beat her ass. That he wouldn’t put her music out. That he would get her parents fired from her jobs and that he would send her sex tapes to their jobs.”


  Celebrity stylist Deonte Nash is questioned by prosecutor Maurene Comey at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial in New York City, New York, U.S., May 28, 2025 in this courtroom sketch. REUTERS Celebrity stylist Deonte Nash is questioned by prosecutor Maurene Comey at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial in New York City, New York, U.S., May 28, 2025 in this courtroom sketch. REUTERS

“He told her she was nothing but a s–t anyway,” Nash added.

The stylist testified, too, that the alleged abuse drove Ventura “crazy.”

“She would be super emotional, would cry, sometimes she would just stay in the house for days and go into a cocoon,” he said.

It got to the point that Nash said he’d help Ventura “hide” at hotels to get away from Combs’ violent moods — “too many [times] to count,” he testified.

When the hip hop artist couldn’t find his on-and-off girlfriend, he “would blow everyone’s phones up and threaten everybody” to try to get her to come home, Nash testified.

“He would call incessantly,” saying “that we needed to get back to the house,” Nash recounted.


  Singer Cassie (Casandra Ventura) and Sean “Diddy” Combs at Justin’s Restaurant for The CORE DJs’ Retreat Bad Boy party in Atlanta, Georgia on April 25, 2009. Getty Images Singer Cassie (Casandra Ventura) and Sean “Diddy” Combs at Justin’s Restaurant for The CORE DJs’ Retreat Bad Boy party in Atlanta, Georgia on April 25, 2009. Getty Images

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to charges including racketeering conspiracy and sex-trafficking. He could face life in prison, if convicted.

During Ventura’s four-day stint on the witness stand at the first week of trial, she testified about the controlling, degrading and abusive 10-year relationship she had with Combs.  

Ventura — who testified while eight months pregnant — claimed Combs forced her to have sex with male prostitutes while she was high on party drugs for the sometimes days-long “freak-off” sex sessions, during which he filmed and pleasured himself.


  Sean “Diddy” Combs watches as his former girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura reacts during testimony at Combs’ sex trafficking trial in New York City, New York, U.S., May 13, 2025 in this courtroom sketch. REUTERS Sean “Diddy” Combs watches as his former girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura reacts during testimony at Combs’ sex trafficking trial in New York City, New York, U.S., May 13, 2025 in this courtroom sketch. REUTERS

Jurors were shown handfuls of photos of Ventura with bruises all over her body, a gash on her eyebrow and swollen lips — all of which she got from Combs’ repeated beatings.

Ventura, 38, gave birth to a baby boy in New York City just days after testifying while her husband Alex Fine looked on from the courtroom gallery. Ventura and Fine now share three children, including daughters Frankie and Sunny.

Nash will continue testifying Thursday morning.

An anonymous alleged victim of Combs, who is being referred to as “Mia” at trial — is expected to begin testifying after Nash wraps up.

Mia was Combs personal assistant for years and is slated to testify that he forced her to perform oral sex on him and raped her.

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