A 2016 surveillance video obtained exclusively by CNN shows Sean “Diddy” Combs grab, shove, drag and kick his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura during an altercation that matches allegations in a now-settled federal lawsuit filed by Ventura in November.
The footage, compiled from multiple camera angles dated March 5, 2016, appears to show the rapper, producer and business mogul during an incident that, according to Ventura’s complaint, occurred at the now-closed InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Los Angeles.
CNN verified the location based on publicly available photos of the former hotel’s interior.
In the video, Ventura exits a hotel room and walks to a bank of elevators. Combs, holding a towel around his waist, runs down a hall after Ventura.
He grabs her by the back of the neck and throws her to the floor.
Still holding his towel closed with one hand, he then turns to kick her, the video shows.
As 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 floor.
About four seconds transpire between the two kicks, according to the video.
He then briefly drags Ventura by her sweatshirt toward a room before walking away.
Ventura is then seen slowly standing up.
She gathers items from the floor and moves to pick up a phone on the hallway wall near the elevators.
Combs, still in a towel and socks, returns. A mirror directly across from the security camera shows Combs appearing to shove Ventura.
Seconds later, he sits down on a chair, grabs an object off a table and forcefully throws it toward Ventura.
Combs is seen walking away, then turns toward Ventura once again when an elevator door opens and someone appears to exit.
Ventura, who reached an undisclosed settlement with Combs, declined to comment on the video obtained by CNN.
Ventura’s attorney, Douglas H. Wigdor, said: “The gut-wrenching video has only further confirmed the disturbing and predatory behavior of Mr. Combs. Words cannot express the courage and fortitude that Ms. Ventura has shown in coming forward to bring this to light.”
Combs has previously denied Ventura’s allegations.
Ventura’s lawsuit
Combs and Ventura, a model and singer known for songs like “Me & U,” were in an off-and-on relationship from 2007 – 2018. The two were photographed together at the Los Angeles premiere of the film “A Perfect Match” on March 7, 2016.
According to Ventura’s complaint, which cited the altercation as occurring “around March 2016,” Combs became “extremely intoxicated and punched Ms. Ventura in the face, giving her a black eye.”
After Combs fell asleep, Ventura attempted to leave the hotel room, but he woke up and “followed her into the hallway of the hotel while yelling at her,” the complaint said.
“He grabbed at her, and then took glass vases in the hallway and threw them at her, causing glass to crash around them as she ran to the elevator to escape,” the complaint alleged.
After Ventura got in the elevator, her complaint states that she took a cab to her apartment.
“Upon realizing that her running away would cause Mr. Combs to be even angrier with her, and completely stuck in his vicious cycle of abuse, Ms. Ventura returned to the hotel with the intention of apologizing for running away from her abuser,” the complaint claims. “When she returned, hotel security staff urged her to get back into a cab and go to her apartment, suggesting that they had seen the security footage showing Mr. Combs beating Ms. Ventura and throwing glass at her in the hotel hallway.”
The complaint alleges Combs paid the InterContinental Century City $50,000 for the hallway security footage from that. The incident was part of a number of allegations made in the November lawsuit in which Ventura claimed she was raped in 2018 and subjected to years of repeated physical and other abuses by Combs.
**Trigger Warning*** scroll with caution:
Diddy, Puffy, Puff Daddy, or Sean Combs…whatever you want to call him he’s TRASH!
His goose is cooked and he’s going all the way DOWN!
This video is as disturbing as it is disgusting. Poor Cassie.
Now I understand why Cassie’s husband absolutely despises him. pic.twitter.com/RUtdF1ha88
— ✨ Ed ????????♂️ ✨ (@eddluxe) May 17, 2024
and
Brother Love, P. Diddy, Puff Daddy, Sean Combs, U R DONE IN THESE STREETS. How can you treat the women in your life like this and instead of apologizing and admitting guilt, you try to silence them with money. We once looked up to you. pic.twitter.com/QlmBoNRfIW
— Relly Tha Prophet???? (@RELLYTHAPROPHET) May 17, 2024
and
omg. Sean Combs P Diddy Diddy whatever the fuck you wanna call him is DONE!! Poor Cassie! pic.twitter.com/5CDlj5V4yQ
— Ms.Jamie™️ (@BabeGrl) May 17, 2024
and
That man was accused of atrocious things, called Cassie a money-hungry liar, and tried to spin the spiritual rebrand, just for CNN to release video of him doing one of the things he *swore* he did not do. Again, Sean Combs can go to hell. Expeditiously.
— star•gyal (@beequammie) May 17, 2024
If you or anyone you know is a victim of abuse please refer to the Domestic Abuse Hotline.
The Hotline can be accessed via the nationwide number 1−800−799−SAFE(7233) or TTY 1−800−787−3224 or (206) 518-9361 (Video Phone Only for Deaf Callers). The Hotline provides service referrals to agencies in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Persons can also contact the Hotline through an email request from the Hotline website .
