CNN
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A 2016 surveillance video obtained solely by CNN reveals Sean “Diddy” Combs seize, shove, drag and kick his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura throughout an altercation that matches allegations in a now-settled federal lawsuit filed by Ventura in November.
The footage, compiled from a number of digital camera angles dated March 5, 2016, seems to indicate the rapper, producer and enterprise mogul throughout an incident that, in response to Ventura’s criticism, occurred on the now-closed InterContinental Resort in Century Metropolis, Los Angeles. CNN verified the situation primarily based on publicly obtainable images of the previous lodge’s inside.
Within the video, Ventura exits a lodge room and walks to a financial institution of elevators. Combs, holding a towel round his waist, runs down a corridor after Ventura. He grabs her by the again of the neck and throws her to the ground. Nonetheless holding his towel closed with one hand, he then turns to kick her, the video reveals.
As Ventura is on the bottom, Combs retrieves a handbag and suitcase from the ground close to the elevators. He turns round and kicks Ventura once more as she lies immobile on the ground. About 4 seconds transpire between the 2 kicks, in response to the video. He then briefly drags Ventura by her sweatshirt towards a room earlier than strolling away.
Ventura is then seen slowly standing up. She gathers objects from the ground and strikes to select up a telephone on the hallway wall close to the elevators. Combs, nonetheless in a towel and socks, returns. A mirror instantly throughout from the safety digital camera reveals Combs showing to shove Ventura.
Seconds later, he sits down on a chair, grabs an object off a desk and forcefully throws it towards Ventura. Combs is seen strolling away, then turns towards Ventura as soon as once more when an elevator door opens and somebody seems to exit.
Ventura, who reached an undisclosed settlement with Combs, declined to touch upon the video obtained by CNN.
Ventura’s legal professional, Douglas H. Wigdor, mentioned: “The gut-wrenching video has solely additional confirmed the disturbing and predatory conduct of Mr. Combs. Phrases can’t categorical the braveness and fortitude that Ms. Ventura has proven in coming ahead to deliver this to gentle.”
CNN has reached out to representatives for Combs for remark. Combs has beforehand denied Ventura’s allegations.
When contacted by CNN, a consultant for InterContinental Accommodations mentioned on Friday, “This lodge is now not beneath IHG administration, and we shouldn’t have any entry to prior incident data or footage.”
Combs and Ventura, a mannequin and singer recognized for songs like “Me & U,” had been in an off-and-on relationship from 2007 – 2018. The 2 had been photographed collectively on the Los Angeles premiere of the movie “A Good Match” on March 7, 2016.
Based on Ventura’s criticism, which cited the altercation as occurring “round March 2016,” Combs turned “extraordinarily intoxicated and punched Ms. Ventura within the face, giving her a black eye.”
After Combs fell asleep, Ventura tried to depart the lodge room, however he wakened and “adopted her into the hallway of the lodge whereas yelling at her,” the criticism mentioned.
“He grabbed at her, after which took glass vases within the hallway and threw them at her, inflicting glass to crash round them as she ran to the elevator to flee,” the criticism alleged.
After Ventura bought within the elevator, her criticism states that she took a cab to her residence.
“Upon realizing that her operating away would trigger Mr. Combs to be even angrier along with her, and fully caught in his vicious cycle of abuse, Ms. Ventura returned to the lodge with the intention of apologizing for operating away from her abuser,” the criticism claims. “When she returned, lodge safety employees urged her to get again right into a cab and go to her residence, suggesting that that they had seen the safety footage displaying Mr. Combs beating Ms. Ventura and throwing glass at her within the lodge hallway.”
The criticism alleges Combs paid the InterContinental Century Metropolis $50,000 for the hallway safety footage, one in every of numerous allegations made within the November lawsuit by which Ventura claimed she was raped in 2018 and subjected to years of repeated bodily and different abuses by Combs.
Ventura, who was formally signed to Combs’ label, claimed in her swimsuit that he “exerted his energy and affect” over her all through the course of their skilled and romantic relationship. Based on the criticism, she was 19 once they met and Combs was 37, and their enterprise relationship lasted till 2019. It detailed claims that Combs was bodily violent towards Ventura and compelled her to have interaction in numerous intercourse acts with different males throughout that point.
Ben Brafman, an legal professional for Combs, mentioned in a press release to CNN on the day it was filed, “Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations.”
The swimsuit was resolved the next day.
“A call to settle a lawsuit, particularly in 2023, is on no account an admission of wrongdoing,” Brafman advised CNN in a press release on the time. “Mr. Combs‘ resolution to settle the lawsuit doesn’t in any method undermine his flat-out denial of the claims. He’s joyful they bought to a mutual settlement and needs Ms. Ventura one of the best.”
Particulars of the settlement weren’t disclosed.
Since November, Combs has confronted 5 different civil lawsuits accusing him of a variety of sexual misconduct and different criminal activity. He has denied the allegations, and the instances stay lively.
Authorities searched Combs’ houses in California and Florida in March as a part of a federal investigation carried out by a Division of Homeland Safety crew that handles human trafficking crimes, in response to a senior federal regulation enforcement official briefed on the investigation. The investigation stems from lots of the identical sexual assault allegations put forth within the civil lawsuits, in response to a second regulation enforcement supply aware of the searches.
Aaron Dyer, an legal professional for Combs, issued a press release on the time, calling the searches a “gross overuse of military-level drive.”
“This unprecedented ambush – paired with a sophisticated, coordinated media presence – results in a untimely rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing greater than a witch hunt primarily based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits,” he mentioned. “There was no discovering of legal or civil legal responsibility with any of those allegations. Mr. Combs is harmless and can proceed to battle each single day to clear his title.”
Editor’s Observe: When you or somebody you understand is fighting intimate associate violence, there are sources obtainable, together with the Nationwide Home Violence Hotline.
A earlier model of this story misstated when the searches of Combs’ houses passed off. They occurred in March.