Diddy trial: Defense attorney accuses Bryana Bongolan of allegedly lying to the jury during cross-examination
On June 5, 2025, Bryana Bongolan took the witness stand for the second consecutive day in Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex trafficking trial. Bongolan was a long-time friend of Cassie Ventura, the rapper's ex-girlfriend, who filed a lawsuit against him in November 2023.
During her testimony on June 4, Bryana recalled an incident from September 2016, when Diddy had dangled her over Ventura's apartment's 17-story balcony, leaving a bruise on the back of her leg. A picture of the bruise with its metadata, dated September 26, 2016, was shown to the court during the trial, as reported by CNN's live coverage.
Subsequently, on June 5, Bongolan faced a cross-examination by Diddy's attorney, Nicole Westmoreland. The defense attorney countered Bongolan's claims about the balcony incident by saying that Diddy was traveling to Newark, New Jersey, with Cassie to perform at the Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour on September 25, 2016. Westmoreland added that the ex-couple had attended an event in New York City the next day.
Westmoreland further showed the jurors a document from the Trump International Hotel in New York, which suggested that someone named "Frank Black" had stayed at the hotel for September 25 and 26, 2016. According to Reuters, previous witnesses have testified that Combs often preferred aliases for hotel registrations.
Combs' attorney accused Bongolan of lying, claiming:
"You came in here and you lied to the ladies and gentlemen of the jury."
Bongolan replied:
"I can’t agree with you."
Cassie Ventura's long-time friend further said that she was unsure of the exact date of the incident, but she was certain that it had occurred.
"I will never forget him holding me on that balcony," she added.
More about Bryana Bongolan's testimony in Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial
The defense then asks her to read texts between her and Cassie a week after the dangling incident that show that Bongolan was happy/okay with Diddy
She says she was "trying to be cool"
During her testimony on June 4, recalling the balcony incident, Bryana alleged that she was sleeping with her girlfriend on Ventura's apartment couch when Sean Combs barged in. After hiding her girlfriend in the bathroom, she walked to the balcony, when Combs shouted, "You know what the f*** you did," shortly before holding her over the edge, according to the BBC.
Bongolan further claimed that shortly after, Combs threw her to the balcony furniture, which left a bruise on her leg.
Further in the testimony, the defense questioned Bryana Bongolan about staying in contact with Cassie and Diddy after the rapper had dangled Bongolan over a 17-story balcony. Nicole Westmoreland alleged that Bryana had contacted Cassie weeks after the incident, as reported by CNN's live coverage.
"We were trying to be cool," Bongolan said.
According to a text message from October 9, 2016, Bongolan agreed to stay over at Cassie's house for a sleepover two weeks after the incident occurred.
"Isn’t it true that you continued to hang out with Mr. Combs and you continued to spend the night at Ms. Ventura’s house because Mr. Combs did not cause you those injuries?" the defense questioned.
Bongolan replied:
"Part of that statement is correct and part of that statement I can’t agree with."
Bongolan further told the court that she had kept her distance from Diddy after the balcony incident but admitted to visiting Combs’ concerts on October 4, 2016, adding:
"I don’t think I was around him most of the time."
When asked whether Cassie had witnessed the balcony incident, Bongolan responded, "I don't recall."
During her testimony on June 4, Bongolan stated that due to the balcony incident, she still suffers night terrors, paranoia, and sometimes screams in her sleep.
