Sean “Diddy” Combs has issued an apology for assaulting his ex-girlfriend Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura, following the release of CCTV footage from 2016 showing him kicking and pushing her in a hotel hallway.
In a video posted on his Instagram page, the rapper expressed remorse for his “inexcusable” actions depicted in the footage, which CNN aired earlier this week.
“I was disgusted when I did it. I’m disgusted now,” Combs said in his statement. “I sought professional help, went to therapy, and entered rehab. I had to ask God for his mercy and grace. I’m so sorry.”
He emphasized his commitment to becoming a better person every day.
However, Cassie’s lawyers criticized Combs’ statement as being self-centered. Meredith Firetog, Cassie’s attorney, told CBS News, “When Cassie and multiple other women came forward, he denied everything and suggested that his victims were looking for a payday. His apology now, after being proven false, shows his desperation and disingenuousness.”
The footage released by CNN appears to be a compilation of surveillance footage dated March 5, 2016, shows a man identified as Combs pushing Cassie to the floor, kicking her while she is down, attempting to drag her by her shirt, and throwing an object at her. CNN reported that the incident took place at the now-closed InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Los Angeles.
Combs had previously remained silent about the video. In a prior statement, Cassie’s lawyers stated, “The gut-wrenching video has only further confirmed the disturbing and predatory behavior of Mr. Combs.”
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office indicated on Friday that the alleged assault captured in the video might be too old to prosecute.
Combs and Cassie began their relationship when she was 19 and he was 37. Last November, Cassie settled a lawsuit against Combs in which she accused him of rape and sexual trafficking over a decade for an undisclosed sum. Combs’ lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, stated at the time that the settlement was “in no way an admission of wrongdoing.”
Since then, several other women have filed lawsuits accusing the rapper of sexual and physical abuse. Last month, federal authorities raided his homes in Los Angeles and Miami, Florida, as part of a human trafficking investigation.
