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Sean “Diddy” Combs told a woman “I could kill you” at a beach photo shoot, according to her testimony at his New York sex-trafficking trial on June 3. The woman, Bryana Bongolan, took the stand shortly before noon and alleged that she suffered violence at Diddy’s hands, including an incident nine years ago where “I was held over a 17-story balcony.” The five-foot-one Bongolan, who met Diddy through her friendship with his then-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, claimed that Diddy “threw me onto the balcony furniture” after forcing her feet onto the balcony rail. “I had a bruise on the back of my leg and back and neck pain,” Bongolan, now 33, said of the aftermath. She described enduring “night terrors,” “paranoia,” and “screaming in my sleep” after the incident. Bongolan, who wore a tartan blazer, and black pants, spoke with a low voice throughout her testimony. As Bongolan entered court, Diddy watched her walk toward the witness stand. Her testimony echoes allegations in a civil suit she filed against Diddy in 2024.
Bongolan’s testimony bolstered Cassie’s allegations that Diddy used violence to exert control — including coercing her into unwanted sexual encounters with male escorts called “Freak Offs.” Bongolan, who works in creative marketing, described Cassie’s relationship with Diddy as “volatile,” with ups and downs. She described seeing physical evidence of abuse on several occasions, including a “black eye.” She often hung out with Cassie at her apartment, and they often did drugs together. When Bongolan and Cassie did try to get clean, they would spend time trying to cook, she recalled with a smile. Bongolan recalled that Diddy would show up “in the middle of the night” and “he would bang on the door.” Diddy, who wore a denim-blue sweater, could be seen speaking with his attorneys at various points of Bongolan’s testimony.
One night, Bongolan was woken by Diddy’s door-banging, she said. He got into the apartment and sounded upset. “I just remember seeing a knife get thrown in her direction,” Bongolan told jurors. “He threw the knife in Cassie’s direction.” Cassie threw back the knife. Diddy left. “I was scared,” Bongolan said. Diddy’s demonic threat allegedly came in early 2016. Bongolan, Cassie, and a photographer decided to do a photo shoot at a Malibu beach house. Diddy approached Bongolan, inched close to her face, and said “something along the lines of: ‘I’m the devil and I could kill you.’” Bongolan said “I was terrified,” her voice cracking slightly. Bongolan detailed the alleged balcony incident later in her testimony. In September 2016, Bongolan and her then-girlfriend were staying at Cassie’s apartment when they were woken by banging on the door. Bongolan swiftly escorted her into the bathroom. “I went like this as if ‘Shh,’” Bongolan told jurors, placing a finger over her lips.
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She closed the door and went onto the balcony to play it cool. “I either lit the blunt or was about to light it,” she said. Diddy got into the apartment and approached her from behind. “He lifted me up and had me on top of the rail,” Bongolan said. “I was thinking I was going to fall but for the most part he was yelling at me, so I was trying to answer him,” Bongolan said. “He kept repeating: ‘You know what the fuck you did!’” Bongolan said she told Diddy she didn’t. In court, she said she still has “no idea.” Diddy held her on the balcony for about ten or 15 seconds and then “he threw me on the balcony furniture.” This “definitely hurt,” but her adrenaline was pumping and she got up. She heard Cassie speaking with Diddy and told him “her girlfriend is in the house.” Diddy left. Bongolan went back to her apartment.
A few days later, Bongolan and Diddy spoke. She said she didn’t want any problems with him and they both decided to “be cool.” Bongolan, Cassie, and Diddy kept hanging out over the next few years. The last time Bongolan hung out with Diddy and Cassie was in 2018, at a Miami New Year’s party. They did ketamine for eight hours. Bogolan, who is now clean, recalled thinking, “I can’t do this anymore” and left.
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