Week 2 Testimony, May 20 Continued Sean “Diddy” Combs Federal Trial 

By T.L. Reigns

The Scoop Digital Newspaper: June 2025

One of the more unusual witnesses to take the stand during the first week of testimony in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial was Sharay Hayes—an exotic dancer and sex worker known by his nickname, “The Punisher.” Hayes testified that he was hired in 2012 to perform in a highly choreographed and extended sexual scenario for Combs and singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura. At the time of the booking, Hayes said he had no idea who his clients were.

Hayes told the court that the nickname “The Punisher” came from his basketball days playing on West 4th Street in New York. When he arrived at the Trump Tower hotel for the engagement, he found Cassie in the bathroom, wearing nothing but a wig. She explained that she and her husband wanted to create an intimate scene involving baby oil, then handed Hayes $800.

He recounted that Cassie told him, “We’re not going to acknowledge or look at him,” referring to Diddy. When Combs entered the room, he was dressed in a hajib—a head covering typically worn by Muslim women—with only his eyes visible. Hayes also noticed he was holding a bottle of Astroglide lubricant, which Hayes recognized from personal use.

He testified that he saw the couple eight to twelve more times over the next four years, ending around 2016. It wasn’t until later that he realized the man he had seen was Sean Combs, after coming across photos of Combs and Cassie together on Instagram.

Hayes stated that while he sometimes observed Cassie sigh or wince during Combs’ sexual directions, it did not appear that she was being forced to participate. 

He made it clear he never saw any cameras, violence, or drug use. Hayes said he was offered alcohol and marijuana, but never witnessed Combs or Cassie using drugs, nor did he use any himself in their presence.

He did, however, describe feeling pressure to perform during the encounters, admitting he eventually began taking medication to assist. In 2016, after failing to perform, he was never contacted again.

Cross-Examination by Xavier Donaldson

During cross-examination, defense attorney Xavier Donaldson questioned Hayes about his current business and past involvement with Combs and Cassie. Hayes confirmed he is now a co-owner of a male dance agency and that all dancers under him work as independent contractors. 

With nearly 30 years in the exotic dancing industry, Hayes maintained professionalism in his responses.

Donaldson raised a note from government investigators suggesting Hayes had developed feelings for Cassie. Hayes firmly denied the claim, stating that any such implication was taken out of context. “We were cordial,” he said.

Hayes also testified that he wrote a self-help book titled In Search of Freezer Meat, which addressed his struggles with erectile dysfunction. In the book, he referred to Combs and Ventura only as “the wealthy couple,” choosing not to name them directly. He reiterated that he never saw Cassie intoxicated or using drugs.

Hayes’ testimony offered a unique perspective into the sexual dynamics surrounding Combs and Ventura and will likely play a role in how the jury interprets the broader pattern of behavior alleged by federal prosecutors.

^{Testimony read from Official Court Transcripts on Down the Rabbit Hole News on YouTube.}

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