VANITY FAIR
Since 2023, Sean Combs (who also goes by “Diddy,” has steadfastly maintained that the mounting claims of abuse, assault, and misconduct against him were falsehoods, manufactured by people seeking payouts or worse. But on Sunday, he reversed that position, admitting to a 2016 attack that he’d previously—and repeatedly—denied.
The pivot follows the release of a shocking video released Friday that mirrors an attack outlined last year by Cassie Ventura, a model and singer who was involved with Sean Combs from 2007-2018. In the video, which was first published by CNN, a woman who appears to be Ventura is attacked by a man we now know to be Combs, and is punched, kicked, and shoved as she attempted to leave a hotel room.
The incident depicted in the video is extremely similar to an attack Ventura described when, in November 2023, she filed a civil suit against Combs. Saying her relationship with him was marked by physical violence, abuse, and sex trafficking, Ventura—who met Combs when she was 19 and he was 37—said that following a 2016 incident in which Diddy allegedly forced her to have relations with a male sex worker while he watched, he fell asleep and she attempted to sneak out of their hotel room. He awoke, she said in her suit, followed her out, and attacked her. According to Ventura, Combs later paid $50,000 for the security footage of the incident.
After the suit was filed, Combs attorney Ben Brafman denied that and its numerous other claims. “Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations,” he said in a November 16, 2023 statement.
“For the past 6 months, Mr. Combs, has been subjected to Ms. Ventura’s persistent demand of $30 million, under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail. Despite withdrawing her initial threat, Ms. Ventura has now resorted to filing a lawsuit riddled with baseless and outrageous lies, aiming to tarnish Mr. Combs’ reputation and seeking a payday.”
The following day, Combs settled with Ventura for an undisclosed amount, but continued to deny the incident had occurred. “A decision to settle a lawsuit, especially in 2023, is in no way an admission of wrongdoing,” Brafman 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.”
Combs reiterated that denial again the following month, after three additional women filed suit against Combs claiming rape and sexual assault. This time, Combs responded himself, saying via statement “For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy. Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday.”
“Let me be absolutely clear,” he said in the December 2023 statement. “I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”
That position changed abruptly on Sunday, when the mogul posted a video admitting to the attack on Instagram. “I’m truly sorry,” it was simply captioned.
“It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you got to do that,” he said of the attack on Ventura.
“I was fucked up—I hit rock bottom—but I make no excuses. My behavior on that video is inexcusable,” he said. “I take full responsibility for my actions in that video,” Combs continued, seemingly speaking into his front-facing camera from a high-ceilinged, multi-windowed space.
“I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now. I went and I sought out professional help. I got into going to therapy, going to rehab. I had to ask God for his mercy and grace,” Combs said of the incident that, up until today, he had denied.
“I’m so sorry. But I’m committed to be a better man each and every day. I’m not asking for forgiveness. I’m truly sorry.”
Combs’ confession comes a day after the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office explained that due to California’s statute of limitations, it could not pursue criminal charges against Combs for the now-eight-year-old attack. “As of today, law enforcement has not presented a case related to the attack depicted in the video against Mr. Combs,” the DA’s office wrote on Saturday.
“We encourage anyone who has been a victim or witness to a crime to report it to law enforcement or reach out to our office for support from our Bureau of Victims Services.”
Of course, there’s still the matter of a Homeland Security-led human trafficking investigation into Combs, which resulted in a raid on Los Angeles and Miami homes in March. Following that raid, Combs’s attorney, Aaron Dyer, said that the raid was “nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits.”
“There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations. Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name,” Dyer said then. According to a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) spokesperson, that investigation is still ongoing.
Vanity Fair has reached out to representatives for Cassie Ventura and Sean Combs for comment, but has not received a response as of publication time.
