Combs has pleaded not guilty. Prior to Combs’ criminal case, Mescudi was included in a civil lawsuit filed in 2023 against Combs by his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. Mescudi and Ventura had a brief relationship in 2011, when she and Combs were in a “rough patch” in their relationship, according to her lawsuit.

The testimony emerged as prosecutors build their case against Combs, who faces serious federal charges that could result in decades of imprisonment. Cudi’s willingness to speak publicly about these incidents marks a significant development in understanding the alleged culture of fear and control that prosecutors claim Combs maintained within his inner circle.