‘Diddy’ Apology Video: Sean Combs Speaks Out After Surveillance Tape Shows Him Assaulting Cassie Ventura

CNN
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Nearly 48 hours after he was shown physically assaulting his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016 in surveillance video obtained exclusively by CNN, Sean “Diddy” Combs has apologized.

On Friday, shortly before 1 p.m. ET, CNN released the video in which Combs is seen grabbing, shoving, dragging and kicking Ventura during an altercation that matches allegations of a Now-settled federal lawsuit filed by Ventura in November. At the time of publication, representatives for Combs, an influential figure in the music industry who founded the Bad Boy music label in 1993, had not responded to requests for comment.

Combs, a rapper, producer and business mogul, remained silent for nearly two days as backlash mounted — including in the comments section of his old social media posts — and a media storm swirled.

Just after 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, Combs posted a video to Instagram, in which he apologized for an incident he had previously denied taking place.

“It’s so hard to reflect on the darkest moments of your life, but sometimes you have to,” Combs said in a video statement posted to Instagram. “I was screwed – I hit rock bottom – but I can’t make any excuses. My behavior in this video is inexcusable.

He continued: “I take full responsibility for my actions in this video. I am disgusted. So I was disgusted when I did it. I’m disgusted now.

Combs did not mention Ventura by name.

Ventura’s attorney, Meredith Firetog, said in a statement Sunday following the release of Combs’ apology: “Combs’ most recent statement is more about himself than the many people he has hurt. When Cassie and several other women came forward, he denied everything and suggested his victims were looking for a paycheck. The fact that he was only forced to apologize when his repeated denials were proven false shows his pathetic desperation, and no one will be swayed by his fallacious words.”

Combs previously broadly denied the allegations in Ventura’s November lawsuit, in which Ventura claimed she was raped in 2018 and subjected to years of repeated physical and other abuse at the hands of Combs.

He also denied, through his spokesperson, the allegations in the five other civil lawsuits filed against him following Ventura’s, and his lawyer called the allegations “lies” and suggested that the plaintiffs were motivated by financial gain and public notoriety.

His vehement denials were amplified given how much of an entertainment figure Combs, who went by various stage names including Puff Daddy, was once considered to be. Credited with work considered instrumental in the growth of the hip-hop genre, Combs has won three Grammys during his career and is a notable entrepreneur under the Combs Global banner.

Combs added in his statement that he “went there and sought professional help.”

“I started going to therapy, going to rehab. I had to ask God for mercy and grace. I am truly sorry,” he said. “But I am committed to becoming a better man every day. I am not asking for forgiveness. I am sincerely sorry.”

In November, Ventura accused Combs of rape and abuse in a 35-page complaint.

In that document, in which there were multiple allegations that Combs was physically violent toward Ventura and forced her to engage in various sexual acts with other men during their time together, there were details of a altercation that occurred “around March 2016” at the present time. -closure of the InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Los Angeles.

During that incident, according to the complaint, Combs became “extremely intoxicated and punched Ms. Ventura in the face, giving her a black eye.”

After Combs fell asleep, Ventura tried to leave the hotel room, but he woke up and “followed her down the hotel hallway while yelling at her,” the complaint states.

“He grabbed her, then took glass vases from the hallway and threw them at her, causing the glass around them to crash as she ran toward the elevator to escape,” the woman alleges. complaint.

After Ventura got in the elevator, her complaint says she took a taxi to her apartment.

“Realizing that her running away would make Mr. Combs even more angry with her and that he was completely stuck in her vicious cycle of abuse, Ms. Ventura returned to the hotel with the intention of apologizing for running away. her attacker,” the statement said. complaint claims. “When she returned, hotel security personnel urged her to get back in a taxi and go to her apartment, suggesting that they had seen the security footage showing Mr. Combs beating Ms. Ventura and him throwing glass in the hotel hallway.”

The complaint alleges that Combs paid $50,000 to the InterContinental Century City for the hallway security footage.

Contacted by CNN, a representative for InterContinental Hotels said Friday: “This hotel is no longer under the management of IHG and we have no access to recordings or footage of previous incidents. »

Ventura, a singer officially signed to Combs’ label, claimed in his complaint that he “exercised his power and influence” over her throughout their professional and romantic relationship. According to the complaint, she was 19 when they met and Combs was 37, and their business relationship lasted until 2019. Their on-and-off relationship lasted from 2007 to 2018.

Ben Brafman, an attorney for Combs, said in a statement to CNN the day after Ventura filed the suit that Combs “vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations.”

The lawsuit was resolved the next day. At the time, Brafman told CNN in a statement that the “decision to settle a lawsuit” was “in no way an admission of wrongdoing.”

Brafman’s statement added: “Mr. Combs’ decision to settle the lawsuit does not negate his adamant denial of the allegations. He is happy that they reached a mutual settlement and wishes Ms. Ventura the best.

Details of the settlement were not disclosed.

Since November, Combs has faced five other civil lawsuits accusing him of various sexual misconduct and other illegal activities. He has denied the allegations and the cases remain active.

Combs continued this denial. On December 6, 2023, he posted a note on Instagram saying, “Enough is enough.”

“Over the past few weeks, I have sat in silence and watched as people attempted to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy,” he wrote. “Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick paycheck. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the horrible things alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.

Since this article was published, comments on Combs’ December Instagram post have been disabled.

On Friday, CNN released surveillance video compiled from multiple camera angles, dated March 5, 2016, that appeared to show the Combs during the 2016 incident at the InterContinental Hotel in Century City mentioned in Ventura’s complaint.

CNN verified the location based on publicly available photos of the former hotel’s interior.

In the video, Ventura walks out of a hotel room and toward a bank of elevators. Combs, holding a towel around his waist, runs down a hallway after Ventura. He grabs her by the back of her neck and throws her to the ground. Still holding his towel closed with one hand, he then turns around to kick it, the video shows.

While Ventura is on the ground, Combs retrieves a purse and suitcase from the floor near the elevators. He turns around and kicks Ventura again as she lies motionless on the ground. About four seconds pass between the two kicks, according to the video. He then briefly drags Ventura by his sweatshirt towards a room before walking away.

Ventura is then seen slowly getting up. She gathers things from the floor and looks for a phone on the wall in the hallway, near the elevators. Combs, still in towel and socks, returns. A mirror directly in front of the security camera shows Combs appearing to push Ventura.

Seconds later, he sits in a chair, grabs an object from a table and throws it forcefully towards Ventura. Combs is seen walking away, then turns towards Ventura…