Sean “Diddy” Combs is pictured at the CBS Radford Studio Center in 2018 in Los Angeles. On Sunday, Combs apologized for his actions in a video that appeared to show him beating his girlfriend and former singing protégé Cassie Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel in 2016.
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Willy Sanjuan/Vision/AP
Sean “Diddy” Combs is pictured at the CBS Radford Studio Center in 2018 in Los Angeles. On Sunday, Combs apologized for his actions in a video that appeared to show him beating his girlfriend and former singing protégé Cassie Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel in 2016.
Willy Sanjuan/Vision/AP
Hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs issued an apology on Sunday, two days after the incident. released a video appeared to show him hitting his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura.
“It’s hard to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you have to do it,” Combs said in a video posted to Instagram. “I was —– up – I mean, I hit rock bottom – but I don’t have any excuses.”
That video was Collected and published by CNN on Friday, allegedly shows Combs grabbing, throwing, kicking and dragging Ventura down a hotel hallway and throwing an object at her.
CNN reported that the video was recorded at the now-closed InterContinental hotel in Century City on March 5, 2016. Elements of it appear to match the physical and sexual assault allegations made by Ventura in the civil lawsuit she filed against Combs last year.
While NPR has not been able to verify the authenticity of the video, in his apology, Combs appeared to have done so.
“I take full responsibility for my actions in that video,” Combs said. “At the time I was so disgusted to do it. Now I’m disgusted. I went and sought professional help. I started going to therapy, going to rehab. I had to ask God for mercy.” mercy and grace. I’m so sorry. But I pledge to become a better man every day.
Ventura reach an agreement with Combs for an undisclosed figure in November, the day after the lawsuit was filed.
After the settlement, one of Combs’ attorneys, Ben Brafman, released a statement declaring Combs’ innocence. “We’re clear that the decision to settle the lawsuit, especially in 2023, is in no way an admission of wrongdoing,” he told NPR. “Combs’ decision to settle the lawsuit in no way weakens the case.” his household- denies the claims. He is pleased that they have reached a mutual agreement and wishes Ms. Ventura the best.”
NPR’s request for comment from Combs’ lawyer on Sunday was not immediately returned.
In a written statement provided to NPR on Friday afternoon, Ventura’s attorney, Douglas Wigdor, said: “This heartbreaking video further confirms Mr. Combs’ disturbing and exploitative behavior.” . Words cannot describe Mrs. Ventura’s courage and bravery.” demonstrated in moving forward to bring this to light.”
Wigdor did not immediately respond Sunday to a request for comment on Combs’ Instagram post.
Comb facing many lawsuits from named and anonymous plaintiffs alleging assault, rape and other misconduct. March, Federal agents raided the house linked to Combs in Los Angeles and Miami in what authorities at the time called “an ongoing investigation.”
On Saturday, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said they were aware of the video and while the agency found the images “extremely disturbing and difficult to view,” if the incident had occurred in 2016, “unfortunately we would not have been able to press charges because such conduct would occurred outside the time limit within which the crime of assault can be prosecuted.”
The statement said that law enforcement has not filed a case against Combs for the attack depicted in the video, “but we encourage anyone who has been a victim or witness of a crime to report Report to law enforcement or contact our office for assistance.” from our Office of Victim Services.”
NPR’s Anastasia Tsioulcas contributed to this report.
