Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Admits to Assaulting Cassie in 2016 Video: ‘I Was F—ed Up’
Sean “Diddy” Combs has apologized for his behavior in a recently surfaced 2016 video, which shows the rapper violently attacking his then-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, in a hotel hallway.
“It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you gotta do that. I was fucked up. I mean, I hit rock bottom. But I make no excuses,” Combs said in a video posted on Instagram. “My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in this video. They’re disgusting. I was disgusted then when I did it, I’m disgusted now. I went and I sought professional help. I’ve been 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 being a better man each and every day. I’m not asking for forgiveness. I am truly sorry.”
More from Variety
The video, which was taken on March 5, 2016, shows Combs grabbing, shoving and kicking Cassie, whose real name is Cassandra Ventura. The footage matches allegations made in her lawsuit filed last November, which outlines an incident that occurred at the now-shuttered InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Los Angeles.
Combs had denied the allegations both in a statement from his attorney and a statement on social media posted last Dec. 6 — which has been deleted from his Instagram account, although as the time of this article’s publication, it remained pinned to the top of his X (formerly Twitter) account.
In a statement provided to Variety, 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.”
On Nov. 16, 2023, Ventura filed a suit in New York accusing Combs of raping and beating her throughout their relationship, among other allegations. Although the two parties reached a settlement the following day, Combs was soon after hit with multiple lawsuits alleging sexual assault.
Combs was hit with a second lawsuit in November, filed under the New York Adult Survivors Act by Joi Dickerson-Neal, who alleged that Combs “drugged, sexually assaulted and abused” her and that she was the victim of “revenge porn” created and distributed by the rapper.
In December, an additional lawsuit filed by a Jane Doe alleged that Combs and R&B singer Aaron Hall took turns raping her and her friends at Hall’s apartment sometime between 1990 and 1991. Combs posted his denial that month, and in February denied a separate set of charges from an unidentified woman, calling them “entirely fictional.”
Following those allegations, Combs temporarily stepped aside as chairman of Revolt, and his Hulu reality show had been scrapped.
Additional reporting by Jem Aswad.
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.