Exclusive: Sean 'Diddy' Combs seen physically assaulting Cassie Ventura in 2016 surveillance video obtained by CNN

 A 2016 surveillance video obtained exclusively by CNN shows Sean “Diddy” Combs grabbing, shoving, dragging, and kicking his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura during an altercation. This incident matches the allegations detailed 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 involved in an incident that, according to Ventura’s complaint, took place 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 the hall after her. 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 and kicks her, the video shows.

As Ventura lies on the ground, Combs retrieves a purse and suitcase from the floor near the elevators. He turns around and kicks Ventura again as she remains motionless on the floor. About four seconds pass between the two kicks. 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, stated: “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.”

CNN has reached out to representatives for Combs for comment. Combs has previously denied Ventura’s allegations.

When contacted by CNN, a representative for InterContinental Hotels said on Friday, “This hotel is no longer under IHG management, and we do not have any access to prior incident records or footage.”

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 to 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 stated.

“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 that Combs paid the InterContinental Century City $50,000 for the hallway security footage, one of several allegations made in the November lawsuit where Ventura claimed she was raped in 2018 and subjected to years of repeated physical and other abuses by Combs.

Ventura, who was formerly signed to Combs’ label, claimed in her suit that he "exerted his power and influence" over her throughout their professional and romantic relationship. According to the complaint, she was 19 when they met and Combs was 37. Their business relationship lasted until 2019. The complaint detailed claims that Combs was physically violent toward Ventura and forced her to engage in various sex acts with other men during that time.

Ben Brafman, an attorney for Combs, said in a statement to CNN on the day the lawsuit was filed, “Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations.”

The suit was resolved the following day.

“A decision to settle a lawsuit, especially in 2023, is in no way an admission of wrongdoing,” Brafman told CNN in a statement at the time. “Mr. Combs’ decision to settle the lawsuit does not in any way undermine his flat-out denial of the claims. He is happy they reached a mutual settlement and wishes Ms. Ventura the best.”

Details of the settlement were not disclosed.

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