A shocking security video aired by CNN appears to depict hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs violently attacking his then-girlfriend, singer Cassie, in a hotel hallway in 2016. The footage, which CNN verified was recorded at an InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles, seems to corroborate allegations of physical and sexual abuse made by Cassie in a recent lawsuit against Combs.
The grainy video, dated March 5, 2016, shows a man resembling Combs wearing only a white towel punching, kicking, shoving and dragging a woman identified as Cassie, whose legal name is Cassandra Ventura. At one point, the man also appears to throw a vase in her direction as she tries to flee.
The disturbing visuals align with the description laid out in Cassie’s November 2023 lawsuit, which alleged years of violence and sexual abuse by Combs during their longtime relationship. The suit claimed Combs had paid the hotel $50,000 to obtain the security footage of the 2016 incident.
While Cassie’s lawsuit was swiftly settled after being filed, it sparked wider scrutiny of Combs, with several more lawsuits following that contained additional allegations of misconduct. Authorities also launched a federal criminal sex-trafficking investigation into Combs, leading to raids on his homes in Los Angeles and Miami.
“The gut-wrenching video has only further confirmed the disturbing and predatory behavior of Mr. Combs,” stated Douglas Wigdor, Cassie’s attorney who has filed other lawsuits against the music mogul. “Words cannot express the courage and fortitude that Ms. Ventura has shown in coming forward to bring this to light.”
Representatives for Combs have not yet commented on the newly released video. However, the 53-year-old has previously denied all allegations of wrongdoing, with his legal team vowing to fight to prove his innocence.
The emergence of the hotel security footage adds a visceral dimension to the mounting accusations facing Combs. While the statute of limitations may prevent criminal charges related to the 2016 incident, the video could potentially impact the civil lawsuits and investigations currently underway.