This story discusses allegations of sexual assault and abuse. If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673.
(NewsNation) — Sean “Diddy” Combs admitted he beat his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a hotel hallway in 2016 after CNN released a video of the attack, saying he was “truly sorry” for his “inexcusable” actions.
“I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now,” the music mogul said in a video statement posted Sunday to Instagram and Facebook.
Diddy assault video
In the video, Combs is seen running in a towel after Ventura who is seen standing in front of an elevator bank. He aggressively grabs and drags her down and then kicks her before picking up her luggage. He is then seen dragging her on the floor back to a hotel room as she braces her head.
The footage matches the description of a physical altercation Ventura detailed in her now-settled lawsuit against Combs.
The security camera video, dated March 5, 2016, closely resembles the description of an incident at an InterContinental Hotel in the Century City area of Los Angeles described in a November lawsuit filed by Ventura, whose legal name is Cassandra Ventura, that alleged years of sexual abuse and other violence by Combs.
Lawsuit filed against Diddy
In November 2023, Ventura filed a lawsuit in the Federal District Court of Manhattan, alleging Combs had physically and sexually abused her for years during their relationship. She filed the lawsuit under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which allowed accusers to file lawsuits after the statute of limitations had passed.
The lawsuit alleged that Combs paid the hotel $50,000 for the security video. CNN did not say how it obtained the video but noted that it verified the location comparing it to publicly available images of the InterContinental Hotel.
The suit was settled the next day, but spurred intense scrutiny of Combs, with several more lawsuits filed in the following months, along with a federal criminal sex-trafficking investigation that led authorities to raid Combs’ mansions in Los Angeles and Miami.
Diddy breaks silence over video
Diddy denied the allegations in the lawsuits against him, but neither he nor his representatives had responded to the newly emerged video until Sunday.
“It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you got to do that,” Diddy says on the video. He adds, “I went and I sought out professional help. I got into going to therapy, going to rehab. I had to ask God for his mercy and grace. I’m so sorry. But I’m committed to be a better man each and every day. I’m not asking for forgiveness. I’m truly sorry.”
Meredith Firetog, who represents Ventura and other women who have sued Combs, said the apology was “more about himself than the many people he has hurt.”
In December, after Ventura and at least three other women had filed lawsuits against him, Combs posted a statement on Instagram broadly denying the truth of all of them.
“Let me be absolutely clear. I did not do any of the awful things being alleged,” that post said.
Could Diddy be charged?
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office responded to the release of hotel surveillance video, posting on social media saying they “are aware of the video that has been circulating online allegedly depicting Sean Combs assaulting a young woman in Los Angeles.”
“We find the images extremely disturbing and difficult to watch,” the DA’s office continued.
Despite finding the video “disturbing,” the DA’s office stressed that they would be unable to charge Diddy in the incident because it “occurred beyond the timeline where a crime of assault can be prosecuted.”
“If the conduct depicted occurred in 2016, unfortunately we would be unable to charge,” the DA’s office said.
Gascon’s office said “law enforcement has not presented a case related to the attack depicted in the video against Mr. Combs.” but also encouraged anyone who has been a victim or witness to a crime to report it to law enforcement or reach out to their office.
This comes as prominent victims’ rights attorney Gloria Allred said the leaked surveillance video could potentially lead to federal racketeering charges against him if it provides evidence of sex crimes like trafficking.
In an interview on “NewsNation Prime,” Allred who has represented other alleged victims of Combs, said she wasn’t surprised by the “disgusting” and “disturbing” footage based on accounts from her clients, though she didn’t disclose details.
While too much time has passed for local prosecutors to file charges over the 2016 hotel assault, Allred said the Justice Department could bring a RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) case against Combs if the video shows evidence of crimes like sex trafficking that have a 10-year statute of limitations.
“So we’ll have to wait and see if any charges are filed by the federal government,” Allred stated. Federal authorities previously raided Combs’ homes, likely seeking trafficking evidence.
‘No Diddy’ trends
Shortly after Diddy released the video of his apology, admitting he beat his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, the phrase “No Diddy” began to trend on the social media platform X, formally known as Twitter, with commenters weighing in with their views on the incident.