SHOCK SNAP
Pic of bikini-clad Rihanna under mirror ceiling resurfaces in Diddy trial after it was sent to him by ‘freak-off victim’
Diddy threatened to send sex vids of Cassie to her parents' workplaces, a friend testified in court meanwhile
A GOBSMACKING picture of Rihanna in a bikini sent to Sean "Diddy" Combs has resurfaced after it came up as evidence in the rapper's trial.
The superstar snap was sent to Diddy by his then-girlfriend Cassandra "Cassie" Ventura amid discussions about "freak-off" sex parties.
Follow our live blog for all the latest updates on the trial
7
7
7
The A-lister can be seen lying on a bed and taking the flash photograph in an overhead mirror, with two other women reclining by her side.
Rihanna is wearing a bikini and sunglasses in the snap, believed to have been taken sometime in 2012, and the woman on the right is in a similar get-up.
The figure on the left is believed to be Capricorn Clark, Diddy's former assistant, who told the court this week she was "fired" during a vacation with Rihanna, reports .
read more on the trial
Cassie sent the pic to Diddy in a long text exchange which also included photos of the pair smooching on the stairs of a private jet and Cassie gushing over her ballooning fame.
The rapper's defense lawyers have argued these texts show Cassie was enthusiastic about her relationship with Diddy and all of their activities.
This is the crux of the trial: whether Cassie was a consensual participant in the "freak-off" sex parties organised by Diddy or coerced into them.
The defense argues that Ventura was not only willing but actively encouraged - and sometimes even begged for - the regular freak-offs.
Most read in Celebrity
Earlier in the trial, Cassie testified that she was forced into the sometimes days-long sordid sex sessions in order to sustain her relationship and career, which she says was under Diddy's control.
Diddy has pleaded not guilty to all the charges and denies any wrongdoing.
Diddy beat crying Cassie as she cowered in fetal position, claims ex-assistant
One of the texts sent by Cassie to Diddy reads: "4,180 likes and azaliea banks hit me on twitter. Missing that!! Going to FO [freak-off] on Tuesday!! These are all things that I need Pop Pop [Diddy] to be with me at. Lol".
There is no mention of Rihanna in the messages, and there is no suggestion she was ever involved in the sex parties.
Days later, Ventura wrote: "I just want it to be uncontrollable," talking about their upcoming sexual encounter.
In another 2012 exchange, Diddy demanded: "FO one last time tonight."
Cassie responded with: "What?"
Diddy fired back: "You can't read?"
Ventura explained: "I don't want to freak off for the last time. I want it to be the first time for the rest of our lives."
Later the same day, she followed with: "I want to see you, but I'm emotional right now... I'd rather not do it at all."
Elsewhere, Cassie wrote: "Yea. We did a lot... a lot of d****. A lot of partying."
And: "I miss you... I miss our love sessions in the afternoon."
7
7
Cassie previously told the court in detail about the long sex sessions with male escorts she was allegedly forced into - and said she complied out of fear of violence.
She said: “You make the wrong face [...] then I was getting hit in the face.”
The R’n’B singer said she was a sexual novice when she fell in love with the rapper, having been won over by his wealth and charm.
Within a year, she said she agreed to marathon “freak-off” sex sessions with strangers to prove her love and keep him happy.
But Ventura told the New York court that a darker side to Diddy emerged — which she termed “his abusive side”.
She said: “[He was] Very controlling over my life, the things I wanted to do [...] but there’s still love there.
“Control was everything from the way I looked, what I was working on that day, who I was speaking to.
She said that sex became her job, and that she took part fearing Combs would release videos of the romps.
This claim - that Cassie feared compromising footage of herself would be leaked - came up in Wednesday's court session.
7
7
A stylist and friend of Cassie's testified that Diddy threatened to distribute videos of the freak-offs on the internet.
Deonte Nash told the courtroom that he remembered a phone conversation when Combs also threatened to send clips to Cassie's parents' workplaces to get them fired.
He also said Cassie had confided to him that she "didn't want to" have sex with the men during the parties.
Deonte testified that he saw bruises on Ventura's body “quite often".
The trial also descended into chaos when Diddy's his defense team demanded a mistrial be declared - claiming misconduct by the prosecution.
Read More on The Sun
Defense lawyers said the prosecution made an "outrageous" suggestion that Diddy could have played a part in the destruction of evidence relating to an arson investigation.
Fellow rapper Kid Cudi, who had a relationship with Cassie, testified that Combs broke into his 2012 home and that his Porsche was set ablaze in January 2012.
Topics