
Laura Coates Live
CNN
Laura Coates sparks unique conversations and covers the most interesting stories of the day through a news, legal and pop culture lens.
Episodes
Cassie’s Friend Says She’s Seeking $10M In Lawsuit Against Diddy
6/5/2025
A forensic video expert and a woman who said Sean “Diddy” Combs dangled her over a balcony took the stand Wednesday in the Hip-hop mogul’s federal criminal trial. The testimony came as the prosecution has sought to prove Combs and some in his inner circle constituted a criminal enterprise that used threats, violence, kidnapping and other means to coerce women into “Freak Offs” with male escorts and to protect his image. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:48:42
Ex-Hotel Guard: Cassie Said She Wanted Assault Video To “Go Away”
6/4/2025
Eddy Garcia, a former security officer at the InterContinental Hotel, gave evidence about his involvement in a 2016 video of Combs that shows him physically assaulting his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura. Garcia said he accepted $100,000 from Combs in exchange for video footage. Derek Ferguson, the former chief financial officer for Combs’ record label, testified this afternoon about how he helped Combs manage his finances. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:46:55
Defense Accuses Alleged Victim “Mia” Of “MeToo Money Grab”
6/3/2025
A former employee of Sean “Diddy” Combs concluded her testimony Monday afternoon after three days on the stand at his federal criminal trial, during which she recounted multiple alleged instances of physical, emotional and sexual abuse by Combs. The employee, testifying under the pseudonym “Mia,” was the 21st witness in the case and gave one of the lengthier testimonies thus far, second only to key witness Cassie Ventura. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:46:50
New Accusations As Defense Challenges Abuse Claims
5/31/2025
“Mia,” a former assistant to Sean “Diddy” Combs and friend to Cassie Ventura who is testifying under a pseudonym, is expected to be back on the stand Monday for more cross-examination. She spoke today about the violence and abuse — verbal, physical and sexual — she experienced while employed by the music mogul. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:48:00
Ex-Aide Breaks Down On The Stand
5/30/2025
A former employee of Sean “Diddy” Combs took center stage in his federal criminal trial Thursday and testified that he physically and sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions during the time she worked for him. The employee, who is testifying under the pseudonym “Mia,” is expected to return to the stand on Friday to end the third week of testimony. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:46:36
Sex-tape Threats, Abuse, & Career Control: Stylist Testifies
5/29/2025
Police and fire investigators who looked into the rapper Kid Cudi’s allegations and a celebrity stylist who said he witnessed several assaults testified Wednesday in the third week of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal criminal trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:47:16
Ex-Employe Tells Jury Diddy “Kidnapped Me With A Gun”
5/28/2025
A former employee of Sean “Diddy” Combs testified Tuesday that Combs threatened to kill rapper Kid Cudi after learning that the fellow musician was dating Cassie Ventura. Capricorn Clark, who worked for Combs and his companies off and on from 2004-2018, offered the dramatic details to begin the third week of testimony in Combs’ federal racketeering and sex trafficking trial. Combs has pleaded not guilty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:49:05
Trump Threatens Wider Crackdowns On Universities
5/24/2025
International Harvard students say they are experiencing “pure panic” amid the Trump administration’s move to bar foreign enrollment, as students from around the world told CNN they are coming to grips with the possibility of revoked visas, suspended research and being blocked from reentry to the United States if they leave this summer. A federal judge temporarily halted the Trump administration’s ban on Friday, after the nation’s oldest and wealthiest college filed a suit in federal court. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:47:10
Hotel Records On Diddy: “Uses Excessive Amounts Of Oil”
5/23/2025
Rapper Kid Cudi — who had a brief relationship with Cassie Ventura — testified about his interactions with Combs. Ventura testified last week that she endured physical and sexual abuse from Combs and detailed how he orchestrated drug-fueled sex performances called “Freak Offs.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:47:19
Prosecutors Plan To Call Kid Cudi To Testify
5/21/2025
Prosecutors said they plan to call Scott Mescudi, the musician known as Kid Cudi, to the stand Wednesday or Thursday. The prosecution has argued Combs and some in his inner circle used threats, violence, drugs, bribery, arson, kidnapping and lies to coerce Ventura and another woman into participating in sex parties he called “Freak Offs” and to protect the music mogul’s reputation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:47:01
Inside Diddy’s World: What His Assistant Saw
5/20/2025
As week two of the RICO and sex trafficking trial against Sean “Diddy” Combs continues, Laura Coates sits down with Suzi Siegel, one of Combs’ former assistants, to hear more about what went down in Diddy’s world behind the scenes. Plus, we learn from CNN’s Elizabeth Wagmeister about a key piece of testimony from Cassie Ventura’s mother. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:23:34
Diddy’s Ex-Assistant Says Cassie Told Him “I Can’t Get Out”
5/20/2025
Cassie Ventura is no longer on the stand, but she was the central character in testimony from three witnesses on Monday in the federal criminal case against Sean “Diddy” Combs. Pop singer Dawn Richard, Ventura’s former best friend and one of Combs’ former assistants each testified about their interactions with Ventura as the prosecution sought to bolster Ventura’s testimony last week that Combs physically abused her and controlled her life for over a decade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:46:37
Next Week: Cassie’s Mom And Former Best Friend To Testify
5/17/2025
The singer Cassie Ventura wrapped up her dramatic testimony Friday afternoon after answering questions for nearly 20 hours over four days at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ racketeering and sex-trafficking trial. Ventura, Combs’ former longtime girlfriend, is the star witness in the case and has alleged Combs physically and sexually abused her and used violence and blackmail to make her participate in drug-fueled sex parties known as “Freak Offs” over more than a decade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:47:10
Cassie's Testimony Rocked Week One of Diddy's Trial
5/16/2025
Laura Coates catches entertainment correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister just after court concludes for the week for a breakdown of the most important moments and the biggest shocks from the first week of the federal criminal trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs. They get into Cassie Ventura’s emotional testimony, the potential impact of the settlements she’s now disclosed, and the surprising testimony from another witness that puts the case in a new light. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:27:21
Cassie: Diddy Was Hospitalized For Drug Overdose In 2012
5/16/2025
Cassie Ventura, ex-girlfriend of Sean “Diddy” Combs and one of his accusers, took the stand for a third day today in Combs’ federal criminal trial. Cross-examination will continue tomorrow, and the judge is urging lawyers to wrap up Ventura’s testimony before the weekend, as she’s due to give birth soon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:46:36
Not Safe: Cassie Says She Couldn’t Leave After Diddy Beat Her
5/15/2025
Building on her testimony a day earlier, on Wednesday the pregnant 38-year-old pop singer Cassie described in disturbing detail what happened after her 2016 assault in a Los Angeles hotel, offered visual proof of other alleged assaults, acknowledged she settled a civil lawsuit for $20 million and explained to the jury why she decided to speak out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:46:29
Cassie’s Words Hit Hard. Will Diddy's Team Pivot?
5/14/2025
On day three of Diddy’s federal criminal trial, Cassie Ventura wrapped up her harrowing testimony — and the effects were immediate. Her words, and the disturbing details of Diddy’s alleged abuse and so-called “freak offs," will have a big impact on the defense's strategy when they cross examine her tomorrow. Laura Coates breaks down what it all means with criminal defense attorney and CNN legal analyst Mark O’Mara. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:20:13
Trial by Jury: Violence, Fear and “Freak-offs” Cassie Takes the Stand
5/14/2025
On the second day of Diddy’s federal trial, all eyes turned to star witness Cassie Ventura. The singer, once signed to Bad Boy records, had a complex relationship with Diddy marked by abuse. But will the jury see her only as a victim? We’ll ask one of Bill Cosby’s former attorneys, Monique Pressley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:13:25
Cassie Tells Court Diddy Beat And Humiliated Her During Freak-Offs
5/14/2025
Cassie Ventura, the former girlfriend of Sean “Diddy” Combs and one of his accusers, testified today in his federal criminal trial. She described Combs as controlling and said some of their arguments would get violent. She’ll be back on the stand for a second day of testimony tomorrow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:48:02
Trial by Jury: Bad Boy? Opening Arguments in the Diddy Trial
5/13/2025
The federal racketeering and prostitution trial against rap star and producer Sean “Diddy” Combs got underway in New York on Monday. In our new series Trial By Jury, we bring you an inside look into the explosive opening arguments and the shock waves the trial is sending through the music world. CNN’s Laura Coates sits down with music journalist and culture critic Touré to dig into how this trial is reshaping Diddy’s legacy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:20:22