Former escort defends Cassie after his identity is revealed during Diddy’s federal sex trafficking trial

Shawn Dearing opens up about his experience performing in “freak-offs” with Cassie for Sean “Diddy” Combs.

A former male escort once hired by Sean “Diddy” Combs to perform in his infamous sex parties, known as “freak-offs,” has broken his silence after his identity and alias were revealed during Diddy’s ongoing sex-trafficking trial. 

After Shawn Dearing was identified as one of 10 different escorts hired by Diddy in court by the trial’s lead witness, R&B singer Cassie Ventura, Dearing told People magazine he was speaking out not to seek notoriety but to provide “credence” to Ventura. 

While “tearing up,” he added, “I want what’s best for her, honestly, because … she’s a badass lady, man. She’s awesome. So I want her respect first and foremost.”

Beginning on Tuesday, May 13, Ventura spent four emotional days testifying about the abuse, sexual assault, and coercion she said she experienced at the hands of Diddy during their 11-year relationship. 

During the “Me & U” singer’s second day on the stand, Wednesday, May 14, she testified that she met Dearing, whom she called “Skylar,” through the website Cowboys4Angels. He was hired by Diddy, along with others from the site, to perform with her in what prosecutors allege were highly orchestrated drug-fueled sex performances dubbed “freak-offs” that he was forcing and coercing Ventura and others to participate in. 

While speaking to People, Dearing, who left Los Angeles in 2017 for his native Hawaii, said he met Combs and Ventura for the first time in either 2014 or early 2015. Initially, he wasn’t given their identities; all the Cobowys4Angels founder told him was that the clients were “A-list.” He was hired for “more than a dozen” sessions, which he said usually took place at either a bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel or a condo off Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, believed to have been Ventura’s.   

Throughout his experiences with the former couple, Dearing said he did not witness physical abuse. However, he said he saw “forms” of “psychological” abuse taking place. 

“We did everything under his direction,” he said of the “performances.”

“She was there under his control,” he added. “There was that knowing and understanding that if she didn’t do what he said — I don’t know what the consequences could have been, but I could tell there was that constant energy of knowing that we must perform for him or else.” 

Dearing recalled how Ventura’s demeanor would shift when the “freak-offs” would become “dark.” 

“You could see that it was kind of like the spirit was leaving the body,” he claimed.

In court, Ventura testified that she did not like participating in freak-offs and did so only to appease Diddy. She claims she often felt pressured and coerced into performing degrading and, at times, disgusting sex acts.

“It was really painful for a long time,” she said of the “freak-offs” and the physical and emotional toll they would take on her. “I can’t believe I actually dealt with that.” 

Diddy’s trial, which formally began on May 12, entered its fourth week at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. Courthouse in New York City on Monday. He is facing racketeering, transportation, and sex trafficking charges. If convicted, he is looking at life in prison.