According to the NY Post, sources close to Diddy claim he is very frustrated with the release of the violent Cassie video.
“He’s incensed,” a member of his inner circle tells The Post. “Especially about the video. He insists it doesn’t tell the full story about what happened. Not that he’s excusing it, but he says that it’s a selected video.
“It’s his position that there was an agenda in releasing the video when it was released,” the insider continues. “But ultimately, he knows that his big concern is the raids on his house; the Cassie video is just a distraction.”
The video, which was first revealed by CNN earlier this month, showed the hip-hop mogul kicking, grabbing, dragging and appearing to throw a vase at Ventura as she tried to escape from a Los Angeles hotel.
For eight years, Combs had vehemently denied Ventura’s allegations of abuse, painting her as a delusional liar who was trying to shake him down.
However, he settled a lawsuit she submitted to federal court against him in November the day after it was filed last year.
When the video was released, Combs had no choice but to address it.
“It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you got to do that,” Diddy said in a video on Instagram in which he did not name Ventura or refer to her directly. “I was f—ed up. I hit rock bottom — but I make no excuses. My behavior on that video is inexcusable.”
The rapper added: “I take full responsibility for my actions in that video, I’m disgusted.”
Diddy had no idea Cassie had a copy of the violent assault video
According to PEOPLE Combs allegedly didn’t know Casandra “Cassie” Ventura had access to the surveillance footage of him physically attacking her in a 2016 hotel incident.
After the disturbing video was released by CNN on May 17, Combs’ former head of security, Roger Bonds, gave an interview to Piers Morgan Uncensored about his knowledge of the scenario and what he thinks of the music mogul’s apology.
“He knew those cameras was there, you know? But of course, as we heard, he came back to the hotel, and he paid to get the footage — but didn’t know, which Cassie said inside her complaint, that they gave her a copy of the footage also,” said Bonds.
According to Ventura’s bombshell civil lawsuit that was filed in November 2023 and quickly settled, the “Me & U” singer alleged Combs paid the InterContinental Hotel $50,000 for the newly surfaced hallway footage.
“When you go through life just paying your way out, I really feel like he wasn’t sorry about that. Yeah, he might be sorry now. He’s sorry that he got caught,” said Combs’ former bodyguard.
“If that was a one time incident, then I would say accept his apology. But I think, in that apology, he said what he thought people wanted to hear,” added Bonds.
The lawsuit says that in 2016, Combs “became extremely intoxicated and punched Ms. Ventura in the face, giving her a black eye” while in a hotel.
“After he fell asleep, Ms. Ventura tried to leave the hotel room, but as she exited, Mr. Combs awoke and began screaming at Ms. Ventura,” the lawsuit claims. “He followed her into the hallway of the hotel while yelling at her. 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.”
Cassie has since released a statement regarding domestic abuse, thanking people for all their love and support.
