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NEW YORK â In a dramatic turn of events during Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal trial on Thursday, rapper Kid Cudi, whose legal name is Scott Mescudi, testified that his Porsche 911 convertible was destroyed by a Molotov cocktail in 2012, an incident prosecutors allege was orchestrated by Combs out of jealousy. The explosive testimony painted a picture of escalating tensions after Combs discovered Mescudi was dating his on-again, off-again girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie Ventura.
Mescudi recounted to the jury that in January 2012, he received a startling call from his dog-sitter: his black Porsche 911 Cabriolet was on fire in his Hollywood Hills driveway. Rushing home, Mescudi discovered the devastating scene. Photos presented in court showed a two-foot hole cut into the convertible's soft roof, and the charred remains of a Molotov cocktail were reportedly found on the passenger seat, with the interior of the car bearing significant smoke and melt damage. His immediate reaction, as he told the court, was, "What the fâ."
This alleged act of arson followed a prior incident roughly a month earlier, which Mescudi also detailed in his testimony. He stated that Combs had broken into his Hollywood Hills home in 2011 after learning of Mescudi's relationship with Ventura. Mescudi testified that he found Christmas presents he had bought for his family opened and tampered with, and his dog inexplicably locked in a bathroom. Instead of confronting Combs directly, Mescudi chose to report the break-in to the police, citing his uncertainty about Combs' intentions and those he might have brought with him.
Ventura herself had testified last week that Combs had explicitly threatened to blow up Mescudi's car and harm him after he found out about their relationship. She further claimed that Combs had boasted he would be out of the country when the act occurred, ensuring it wouldn't be by his own hands. Arson, specifically in relation to this incident, is among the racketeering predicates included in Combs' indictment, alongside charges of sex trafficking, kidnapping, bribery, and narcotics distribution, to which Combs has pleaded not guilty.
Mescudi told the court that he had arranged a meeting with Combs at the Soho House in Hollywood the day after the car fire to discuss the escalating situation. He described Combs' demeanor at the time as "very calm," which he found unsettling. When Mescudi asked Combs what they were going to do about his destroyed car, he claimed Combs responded with a "very cold stare" and stated, "I don't know what you're talking about." Despite this initial denial, Mescudi testified that Combs later approached him years after the incident, apologizing for "all that bullshit," an apology Mescudi said helped him find a degree of peace with the past events.
During cross-examination, Combs' lawyer, Brian Steele, questioned Mescudi about whether he was aware that DNA collected from the Porsche after the alleged Molotov cocktail attack belonged to a female. Mescudi stated he never received any follow-up from the police regarding forensic evidence. He also confirmed that he had no eyewitnesses placing Combs, or anyone affiliated with him, directly at his property during either the break-in or the car fire. Nevertheless, Mescudi asserted that he "knew he had something to do with it," a statement the judge instructed the jury to disregard. The testimony provided a stark glimpse into the alleged volatile and retaliatory actions surrounding the relationships and conflicts at the heart of the ongoing trial.
Source@BBC