A close friend of Cassie Ventura has backed the singer's claims that she was subjected to a barrage of abuse from her long-term partner Sean Diddy Combs in a scathing letter published by Rolling Stone.
In one revelation, Tiffany Red, a singer/songwriter herself, claims she saw Diddy force Cassie to leave her own birthday party to have sex with male prostitutes in August 2015 for something the Bad Boy founder called a “Go Away.”
Red, 36, known for her work with Jason Derulo, Zendaya and a Grammy-winning contribution to Jennifer Hudson's 2009 self-titled album, said she was “helpless” and “scared” when Combs shouted at Cassie at the birthday party.
“I was terrified for Cassie and completely traumatized… Your abuse of power has continually harmed countless individuals, including myself, my friends, and my co-workers… It has to stop,” Red wrote.
In response to the letter, a representative for Combs reiterated his previous denial statement. “I did not do any of the horrible things alleged,” it reads.
In a shocking new letter, a friend of Cassie's said she witnessed Diddy's abusive behavior towards her firsthand.
Tiffany Red, a singer-songwriter herself, supported her friend's allegations against Diddy in a shocking open letter
Ventura rose to fame with the Ryan Leslie-produced hit single Me & U, which rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart in 2006; it was her only studio album
A lawsuit from Cassie alleging assault and other abuse was settled on November 17, the day after it was filed. Before the settlement, Combs denied the allegations through his attorney.
A week later, two more lawsuits were filed against Combs.
“I am breaking my silence, freeing myself from haunting memories, standing in solidarity with Cassie and standing up for myself,” Red wrote in her letter.
“I fear for my safety because her suit refers to me, even if not by name. I hope that revealing my identity to the public will provide me with some measure of protection.”
Cassie and Red bonded in 2015 while working on a music project that never came to fruition.
Red claims that she was accosted by Combs at Cassie's birthday party.
'You approached me and introduced yourself and said, “So you're the one writing all these songs about me?” I said yes, and you stared back and said, “That means she's talking to you, right?” awkward because it seemed like you were talking about the more turbulent parts of your relationship,” she wrote.
One song that Red and Cassie created together included the lyrics, “I don't know what's real, I just know how I feel, and you keep pretending you don't know what you did wrong, trying to get me to Chill. Since we've been apart, I've been busy with whatever.'
Diddy and Cassie were pictured at a GQ party at Chateau Marmont in LA in 2012
Ventura said in a statement when the lawsuit was resolved: “I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some degree of control.”
Recalling the infamous birthday party, Red said that while they were at a karaoke club, Combs arrived with a bodyguard and escorted her out of the party and into a hallway.
Red said she saw Diddy cursing at Cassie while waving his hand in her face as his bodyguards surrounded them.
'She and I had eye contact for a moment. I felt helpless. She looked scared and kept looking at the ground. I didn't know what to do. I was scared,” Red wrote.
Red also wrote that Cassie confided in her about the accusation that Combs physically abused her and that he forced her to participate in what he called a “freak off.”
The 'freak off' involved her being forced to have sex with other men while he recorded and masturbated, Red claims.
“In the time I've known Cassie, I've seen many troubling examples. There were times when I heard you yelling and making threats at her, observed her so high that I feared she was going to overdose at a party you threw for her in Malibu, and I watched you both get IVs after another evening partying.'
“Additionally, when I was part of her management team in 2019 – a year after she was able to leave you – I saw how you tried to silence her by trying to attach a non-disparagement clause to the termination agreement of her recording contract, which felt unfair . ', Red continued.
Red's letter echoes statements made by Combs' former head of security, Roger Bonds, who said he saved Cassie from attacks.
Bonds, who worked for the singer more than a decade ago, was named in Cassie's lawsuit.
Bonds shared in a social media post that Cassie's claims are just part of a long history of abuse by the rapper. And he added that there were many more cases of abuse that he witnessed firsthand.
A statement issued in November after Cassie's lawsuit was settled said they had reached a deal “to mutual satisfaction” on Friday evening, but no terms of the agreement were disclosed and no further statements would be issued.
In her statement, Ventura said: “I have decided to resolve this matter amicably, under terms over which I have some control. I would like to thank my family, fans and advocates for their continued support.”
Combs said, “We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all the best. Love.'