Three days after the opening arguments of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial began, there have been an array of celebrity names mentioned in various contexts.
Though being named doesn’t necessarily mean they’re also accused of wrongdoing, it only indicates their connection to the case through personal relationships or referenced in testimony.
So far, Diddy’s ex-partner, Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura, male escort Daniel Phillip, and former InterContinental security guard Isreal Florez have testified against the disgraced music mogul, who’s facing federal trial in Manhattan on charges including sex trafficking, racketeering, and transporting individuals for prostitution.
Cassie, who’s a central figure in the trial, alone has mentioned several celebrities in her detailed testimony. So, who are they and what are their connections to Diddy’s trial?
Kid Cudi
Kid Cudi, real name Scott Mescudi, was mentioned when Cassie took the stand as a star witness on Tuesday, May 13.
The singer-songwriter revealed Diddy lunged at her with a wine opener when he learned she was dating another man, who happened to be Kid, and even threatened to blow up the latter’s car.
Cassie and Kid dated for a short while in 2011 during a break in her on-and-off relationship with Diddy.
In her testimony, the “Me & U” hitmaker went on to say that Cassie called Kid on a burner phone to ask him to pick her up from a hotel where Diddy was holding one of his infamous “Freak Off” parties.
But as she tried to talk to Diddy, she alleged he threatened to release videos of the “Freak Offs,” which involved days-long, drug-fueled orgies and to hurt her and Kid.
As Diddy told Cassie he wanted Kid’s friends to see his car blown up on the driveway, the rapper’s Porsche was indeed set on fire by an “incendiary device” on January 9, 2012.
After Cassie, Diddy, and Kid met up, Cassie split up with Kid—telling the court about “too much uncertainty if we continued to see each other.”
Kim Porter
Before Cassie, Diddy had an on-and-off relationship with the late actress and model Kim Porter, with whom he shared three children.
But before their officially parted ways in 2007, Cassie admitted to the court that she and Diddy already had a physical relationship when he was still with Kim.
Cassie detailed that they first slept together on a trip to Miami, where he gave her ecstasy. From there, they started to spend more time together, though their relationship wasn’t made public “for many years.”
“He just didn't want it to look bad, but also knew it was because of his children and personal things like his family,” she continued.
Diddy and Kim dated on and off from 1994 to 2007. Kim died in 2018 due to pneumonia.
Drake and French Montana
Drake and French Montana were also mentioned by Cassie, though they weren’t accused of any wrongdoing.
When talking about Diddy’s abuse, the 38-year-old dancer alleged that the night before she was set to attend Drake’s OVO Fest in 2013, her former boyfriend forced to enter her apartment and attacked her.
He went straight into the master bedroom, where she was sleeping, and her “friends were jumping on his back trying to stop him.”
“I cut my eyebrow on the corner of the bed. Sean threw me onto the bed frame,” she added. “I had a significant gash. I didn't go to the ER; it was a Sunday. Sean had security take me to a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills.”
Cassie still went to the festival the next day, with her hair covering her eye to hide the injury.
Ike and Tina Turner
Though wasn’t mentioned, Ike Turner’s name showed up in Cassie’s text message to Combs from January 7, 2017, shown to the court.
It was a reference to Ike and Tina Turner’s relationship, where the rock icon suffered severe beating at the hands of her musician lover for years.
Cassie described to the court the various injuries Diddy inflicted on her, including a 2016 incident at the InterContinental Hotel, where video footage showed him attacking her and throwing her to the ground.
“He was abusive and controlling. He was physically abusive,” she said. “He put me down a lot as much as I would be built up, the sheer embarrassment, how he treated me in front of other people.”
Prince
Cassie also mentioned Prince while detailing another incident abuse that happened after she attended a party at the late music icon’s home without her ex knowing.
She considered going to Prince’s house as a “once in a lifetime experience” and feared Diddy would not allow her if she told him about it.
However, little did she know that Diddy was at the same event.
“I caught a glimpse of him, left the party and ran out as fast as I could,” she recalled. “I knew he was angry at me.”
After managing to return to her hotel room, she claimed Diddy arrived and beat her up.
“We went into the bedroom and he beat me up. He threw luggage at me, calling me all kinds of names,” she alleged.
Kanye West
When the jury selection began at a Southern District of New York courtroom in Manhattan on May 5, potential jurors were asked if they were familiar with the names of a number of celebrities—a total of 190—that included Kanye West.
Though it’s not clear how he’s related to the trial, Variety noted that some celebrities on the list may not have nothing to do with proceedings.
However, West has been known for being a huge supporter of Diddy. In fact, he even recently released a new track, titled “Lonely Roads Still Go to Sunshine,” featuring his daughter, North West, and the Bad Boy Records founder himself.
He also shared a prerecorded phone conversation, where Diddy warned him to “be careful” of people trying to “end him.” Diddy then thanked Kanye for looking after his seven children after his arrest in September 2024.
The jurors were warned that they might hear Kanye’s name during the trial.
Other Celebrities Mentioned During the Jury Selection
Mike Myers, Michael B. Jordan, and Michelle Williams were also mentioned during the jury selection, but their connection to Diddy was unknown.
However, Michael famously dated Cassie in 2015, during a break in her relationship with Diddy.
In her 2023 lawsuit against Diddy, Cassie mentioned that her “flirtatious relationship with an actor” angered the HipHop icon.
Though Michael’s name wasn’t mentioned, it was later confirmed to be the 38-year-old film producer. Allegedly, Diddy “called the actor and threatened him.”
Like Kanye, these three weren’t accused of any wrongdoing.
Barely a month into Diddy’s trial, it has already unveiled a complex web of celebrity connections. As the proceedings are expected to run for about eight weeks, there may be more revelations to come.