Podcaster Amanda de Cadenet stands in solidarity with Cassie after she was allegedly abused by Sean “Diddy” Combs for years — but she takes issue with how graphic the testimony has been amid his sex trafficking trial.
“Love and compassion for Cassie and is a #TriggerWarning too much to ask for? #cassie #abuse,” de Cadenet captioned an Instagram video on Friday, May 16.
The celebrity interviewer then weighed in on Cassie’s days-long testimony against Diddy, 55, as his federal trial in New York City continues to make headlines. (Diddy was indicted in 2024 on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution, all of which he’s denied.)
“Over the last few days, every single time I’ve gone online to look at anything, I have been inundated in my news feed with extremely graphic details of the horrendous abuse that Cassie suffered at the hands of Sean Combs,” de Cadenet began her video, referring to Cassie, 38, taking the stand against her ex-boyfriend to recount the alleged violence she experienced during their on-off relationship from 2007 to 2018.
De Cadenet, who hosts “The Conversation” podcast, pointed out that Cassie (full name Casandra Ventura) is eight months pregnant while having to relive these alleged atrocities in the public eye. (Cassie is expecting her third baby with husband Alex Fine.)
“She is testifying on the stand the most graphic, violent, horrendous details of the abuse that was afflicted upon her,” de Cadenet told her followers, noting that Cassie must be “retraumatized” and “reexperiencing all of these horrendous things” every minute she’s in the courthouse.
The Girlgaze founder then revealed why Cassie’s testimony has been even harder to stomach, noting she had a similar experience in a past relationship. “I really wish that the media would issue a trigger warning before sharing such graphic details because I know I’m disturbed by reading everything,” de Cadenet explained.
She said her “heart just goes out” to Cassie for “what she dealt with for so many years,” applauding the singer for the “courage” it takes to speak her truth so publicly.
De Cadenet then shifted to the haters, revealing that she’d seen “reports of people asking, like, why didn’t she leave?” after Diddy allegedly mistreated her for years. She called that way of thinking an “old trope” that isn’t as simple to execute if you’re in an abusive relationship.
“As someone who was in a relationship with someone for many years who was violent, not sexually violent, but violent nonetheless, we all know how difficult it is to leave,” de Cadenet shared. She added that many times the victim’s “self-esteem” is in a place where they think “that’s all you deserve” and can’t get out because of it.
De Cadenet noted that’s a “bigger issue” in itself, adding that when she heard that Cassie “felt she had to do that in order to have the attention of this man” she “completely understood why she felt like that.”
The podcast host identified Cassie and Diddy’s situation as an “abuse of power” and skewed “power dynamic.” De Cadenet concluded, “It’s breaking my heart to see and to hear what this gorgeous, talented young woman put herself through for so many years.”
Cassie met Diddy in 2005 when she was 19 and signed a record deal with his label, Bad Boy Records. Two years later, their relationship turned romantic after Diddy allegedly kissed her on her 21st birthday.
Cassie claimed during the first day of her testimony earlier this week that shortly after her birthday she traveled to Miami with Diddy. While there, the pair partied on a boat and Diddy allegedly gave her a “blue dolphin” ecstasy pill and they had sex for the first time.
Diddy and Cassie dated on and off from 2007 to 2018. Once she was out of the relationship, Cassie filed a lawsuit in November 2023 against Diddy, claiming he abused her and raped her during their relationship. Diddy denied the allegations and his attorney told Us Weekly in a statement, “Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations.”
Diddy and Cassie settled the lawsuit out of court one day after she filed. She revealed during her testimony on Wednesday, May 14, that the settlement was for $20 million.
The following year, Cassie and Diddy’s violent relationship made headlines when CNN published a hotel surveillance video in May 2024 showing Diddy kicking and grabbing Cassie in 2016. Diddy later issued a public apology.
In September 2024, Diddy was arrested and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and denied all the allegations against him.
“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” Diddy’s attorney Marc Agnifilo said in a statement at the time. “He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal. To his credit Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
Cassie has been a star witness for the prosecution during the first week of testimony in the case. She has detailed the alleged “freak offs” she engaged in, which she said became a “job” for her. Cassie recalled Diddy allegedly physically assaulting her in front of the escorts she hired to perform with her at Diddy’s request.
She testified on Wednesday that after she went to dinner with Diddy in 2018, when she was already dating Fine, 32, Diddy brought her home and allegedly “raped me in my living room.” Cassie told the jury, “I just remember crying and saying no, but it was very fast.”
Following her final day of testimony, Cassie’s attorney Douglas Wigdor read a statement on her behalf outside of the courthouse.
“This week has been extremely challenging but also remarkably empowering and healing for me,” the statement read on Friday. “I hope that my testimony has given strength and a voice to other survivors and can help others who have suffered to speak up and also heal from abuse and fear.”
Cassie’s statement concluded: “For me, the more I heal, the more I can remember. And the more I can remember, the more I will never forget.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support. If you or someone you know is a human trafficking victim, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
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