Cassie Ventura says she resides outside US in court filing

Singer Cassie Ventura has declared she now lives outside the United States and does not intend to return, according to a sworn court declaration filed on May 1. The filing was submitted in connection with an ongoing civil lawsuit in California brought by former male escort Clayton Howard, who has made allegations against both Ventura and music executive Sean "Diddy" Combs.

In the declaration, Ventura stated, "I reside outside of the United States. I do not intend to move back to the United States." She confirmed she remains a U.S. citizen but is no longer a resident of California. The filing noted it would be more convenient for her to attend legal proceedings in New York, where her attorneys are based, rather than in California, where the case is being heard. Her current country of residence was not disclosed.

Howard's lawsuit alleges he was hired by Ventura and Combs for sexual encounters, which he claims resulted in physical and psychological harm, including exposure to a sexually transmitted infection. He also alleges a pregnancy that ended in an abortion. Ventura has disputed these claims through her legal team, which is seeking to have the case dismissed. Her attorney,...