Diddy Jurors Hear More Abusive Testimony

Wednesday  during the fourth week of Sean "Diddy" Combs’s high-profile federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial in Manhattan, a key witness, Bryana Bongolan, a 33-year-old friend of Cassie Ventura, took the stand to recount a terrifying incident that occurred in September 2016 at Ventura’s Los Angeles apartment. 

She described how Combs, then 46, approached her from behind on the 17th-floor balcony in the early morning hours after she had spent the night at Ventura’s residence. Without warning, Combs allegedly lifted Bongolan, who stood at 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighed between 100 and 115 pounds, and placed her precariously atop the balcony’s railing. As he held her there, Combs repeatedly shouted, “You know what the fuck you did,” leaving Bongolan in fear for her life.

“For a split second, I was thinking about if I was going to fall,” Bongolan testified, her voice steady as she addressed the jury. “But for the most part, he was yelling at me, so I was trying to answer him.” She told the court that she repeatedly denied knowing what Combs was referring to, and to this day, she remains unsure of what prompted his accusation. The ordeal lasted approximately 10 to 15 seconds before Combs threw her onto the balcony’s furniture, causing bruises that she later photographed and presented as evidence. Jurors viewed these images, which Bongolan said documented the physical toll of the incident. She also shared that the experience left her with lasting psychological scars, including night terrors and paranoia.

Bongolan’s testimony extended beyond the balcony incident, painting a broader picture of Combs’s volatile behavior. She described witnessing multiple instances of physical abuse against Ventura, including occasions when Ventura appeared with a black eye or bruises. In one particularly disturbing account, Bongolan recalled seeing Combs throw a knife in Ventura’s direction inside her apartment, narrowly missing her. 

Combs, now 55, faces five federal counts, including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, with the possibility of life in prison if convicted.