Photo Credit:BBC
In a harrowing testimony during Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial, Bryana “Bana” Bongolan, a close friend of singer Cassie Ventura, recounted a terrifying 2016 incident where Combs allegedly lifted her over a 17 th -story balcony railing at Ventura’s Los Angeles apartment. “For a split second I was thinking about if I was going to fall, but for the most part he was yelling at me, so I was trying to answer him,” Bongolan, 33, told the jury.
Bongolan testified that Combs accused her of an unspecified wrongdoing before holding her over the edge for 10 to 15 seconds and then throwing her onto patio furniture, resulting in injuries that required her to wear a neck brace. Photographs of her bruises and medical equipment were presented to the jury.
Bongolan described the lasting psychological impact of the incident, stating she continues to suffer from nightmares and paranoia, often waking up screaming and cautiously checking rooms before entering. She also testified about another disturbing encounter where Combs allegedly told her, “I’m the devil and I could kill you,” during a Malibu photo shoot.
The defense team challenged Bongolan’s credibility by highlighting her past drug use and suggesting she might have been under the influence during the alleged assault, a claim she denied. Bongolan has also filed a $10 million lawsuit against Combs, alleging sexual battery and other abuses.
This testimony supports Cassie Ventura’s earlier allegations of a decade-long pattern of abuse by Combs, including coercion into drug-fueled sex acts referred to as “freak-offs.” Bongolan said Combs and Ventura often had a volatile relationship. Bongolan said she saw Ventura with a black eye or bruises on multiple occasions. Once, Bongolan said she saw Combs throw a knife in Ventura’s direction in Ventura’s apartment. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. If convicted, he faces the possibility of life imprisonment.
