Cassie Ventura, now known as Casandra Ventura Fine, delivered another jaw-dropping day of testimony from assault in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal sex crimes trial, and this time, it pulled a 2016 red carpet moment into the spotlight.
According to Cassie, just 48 hours before she hit the red carpet looking glamorous for the premiere of her movie The Perfect Match, she was allegedly assaulted by Combs in a brutal hotel incident.
The date was March 5, 2016, when Cassie says Diddy assaulted her at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles. The incident was already known from prior legal filings and videos, but on May 14, during her second day of testimony, Cassie took the stand and peeled back the curtain on just how much she had to hide during what should’ve been one of the biggest moments of her life.
In a text message from around that time, Cassie told Diddy she had “a premiere on Monday for the biggest thing of my life.” That premiere was for The Perfect Match, a romantic comedy she starred in alongside Terrence J and Donald Faison. The movie hit theaters in March 2016, and Cassie was set to be a main face on the red carpet, sharing space with industry icons.
But what the cameras didn’t catch, until now, was that Cassie was covering a black eye, shoulder bruises, and a shin injury from the alleged hotel assault just days prior. In court, prosecutors showed a photo of Cassie in Diddy’s bedroom taken on March 7, 2016, the night of the premiere. In it, she was already wearing the gold and black gown she wore on the red carpet and large sunglasses.
She told the jury, “I was wearing the sunglasses to cover up my eye,” and added that she had been “hit in the face.” Prosecutors followed up with another piece of evidence, a red carpet photo showing a bruise on Cassie’s shoulder. Then came the afterparty images, where Cassie had changed into a shorter green dress. In one of those, a visible bruise on her right shin was clearly spotted by investigators.
Yes, the same night she was photographed alongside Combs smiling for the cameras, Cassie was nursing fresh bruises and emotional trauma.
The contrast couldn’t have been more jarring. On the surface, it looked like a celebration, a glamorous premiere followed by a star-studded afterparty. Director Bille Woodruff and Queen Latifah, whose company Flavor Unit Entertainment produced the film, were also in attendance. But behind the scenes, Cassie was allegedly trying to hold herself together after one of the most violent episodes in their relationship.
In court, she described how she used heavy makeup and sunglasses to hide the injuries and even switched outfits to cover certain parts of her body. “I didn’t want to cancel, I didn’t want to draw attention,” she explained. “I just tried to push through.”
But her attempt to protect the public image clearly came at a cost.
This moment has now become a key part of the larger case against Sean Combs, which includes allegations of sex trafficking, coercion, physical assault, and years of manipulation. The trial has already brought up graphic details of Diddy’s so-called “freak offs”, sex parties allegedly organized by Combs involving escorts, drugs, and physical abuse. Cassie claims she was repeatedly forced to participate in them and suffered long-term physical and mental damage.
Photos and video evidence have become crucial in supporting her claims. On May 12, jurors watched security footage from the 2016 hotel assault where Cassie is seen being attacked and dragged through the hallway. Just one day later, she took the stand and started sharing the details of her years-long relationship with Combs, which ended in 2018. Her testimony has included everything from drug use to sexual coercion to threats made against other men she dated.
But the Perfect Match premiere might be one of the most haunting visuals in the whole story.
A smiling, stylish couple walks the carpet, cameras flashing, industry insiders clapping. But under those oversized shades and flawless styling was a woman who’d allegedly been assaulted 48 hours earlier by the very man posing next to her.
This revelation has shaken both fans and insiders, showing just how easily public image can mask private pain. It’s also raising questions about how much the music and film industry turned a blind eye to Combs’ behavior.
As this case continues, more painful truths are likely to surface. But the photos from March 7, 2016, are already doing a lot of talking.
If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual violence or abuse, help is available. You can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline for free, confidential, 24/7 support in English or Spanish at 800.656.HOPE (4673) or visit RAINN.org.
