In November, when Cassie Ventura sued her ex-boyfriend and manager Sean “Diddy” Combs, she said she’d “endured over a decade of his violent behavior,” which included rape and his punching, beating, kicking and stomping her. Though Combs, an influential music mogul, settled with Ventura for an undisclosed amount the next day, he maintained his innocence and essentially accused his ex of lying.
On Friday, CNN released damning security video from a hotel hallway in 2016 that captures Sean Combs viciously assaulting Cassie Ventura with his hands and feet.
The announcement of the settlement was coupled with a statement from Combs’ attorney, Ben Brafman, who said, “Mr. Combs’ decision to settle the lawsuit does not in any way undermine his flat-out denial of the claims. He is happy they got to a mutual settlement and wishes Ms. Ventura the best.”
On Friday, CNN released damning security video from a hotel hallway in 2016 that captures Combs viciously assaulting Ventura, who was still his girlfriend, with his hands and feet.
It’s unclear how CNN obtained the video or why it took eight years for it to be released, but we now know Combs is an abuser and a liar. What Ventura said he did to her in that incident is no longer merely alleged. Nor should it be categorized as a ploy to tarnish her ex’s image. He harmed Ventura at least once, and given what we know about the escalating nature of domestic violence and the fact that the video corroborates a specific incident Ventura highlights in her suit, her allegations are even more credible.
Now Combs has gone into full damage-control mode, issuing a weak-willed apology on Instagram in which he highlights his own “rehabilitation” rather than the trauma he has inflicted.
“It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you got to do that,” Combs said. “I was f—ed up. I hit rock bottom. But I make no excuses. My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video.”
Before he apologized to the general public, rather than to Ventura herself, Combs said he has been in therapy, gone to rehab and sought the assistance of a higher power to right his wrongs. “I’m so sorry,” he continued. “But I’m committed to be a better man each and every day.”
That he was only compelled to ‘apologize’ once his repeated denials were proven false shows his pathetic desperation, and no one will be swayed by his disingenuous words.
MEREDITH FIRETOG, AN ATTORNEY FOR CASSIE
Meredith Firetog, an attorney for Cassie, said in a statement Sunday that Combs’ video was “more about himself than the many people he has hurt.”
“When Cassie and multiple other women came forward, he denied everything and suggested that his victims were looking for a payday,” Firetog said. “That he was only compelled to ‘apologize’ once his repeated denials were proven false shows his pathetic desperation, and no one will be swayed by his disingenuous words.”
Instead of using that post to apologize to the woman he abused and to his children, four of whom are young girls, for behaving so badly, Combs appeared to be concerned with salvaging his career. Once again, he’s falling at the altar of success, seemingly concerned more about his public image than his private demons.
&nbs