An exotic dancer and sex worker known as The Punisher walked into the courtroom expecting to support the prosecution in the high-profile case against Diddy but was left confused about why he was even called to testify, telling Fox News Digital that his statements may have helped the defense.
The Punisher, whose real name is Sharay Hayes, was brought in as a witness to describe his involvement in private sex parties—referred to as “freak-offs”—allegedly organized by Diddy and his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura.
He testified that he was first contacted in 2012 to perform what he thought would be a typical striptease.
Instead, he was in an intimate setting at the Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York, greeted by Cassie in a bathrobe and wig.
“Honestly, going into the courtroom… I thought I was prepared for it, but it was extremely nerve-wracking,” The Punisher told Fox News Digital.
“You can’t really prepare yourself, and I had no idea it was going to be that many people, that many rows and tables. So I wanna say, for about half of the testimony, I couldn’t even locate where he was. It was a really intense atmosphere,” he said.
During his testimony, The Punisher revealed that his freak-off sessions with Diddy and Cassie involved mutual use of baby oil and sometimes included Diddy wearing a hijab to conceal his identity.
He estimated he participated in 8 to 12 encounters over about two and a half years. The Punisher said he never saw Diddy use drugs or appear intoxicated, a detail that contrasts with Cassie’s earlier claims that drugs were often involved.
Despite the graphic nature of his testimony, The Punisher said he never witnessed any discomfort from Cassie during the events.
That detail may have weakened the prosecution’s case rather than strengthened it.
“I really thought my testimony, because there was nothing negative, nothing whatever, I really thought it was something that the defense would benefit from,” The Punisher said.
While prosecutors used The Punisher’s testimony to support their claims of a pattern of control and exploitation, his own reflection suggests he may have unintentionally helped Diddy’s legal team.
“I’m not a legal analyst or anything, but sometimes I said, well, maybe the prosecution just wants to question me and have everything in case the defense calls me,” The Punisher added. “Because I really couldn’t understand how I was significant to their case. But there’s probably something there that I’m just unaware of.”
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