The federal trial against Sean “Diddy” Combs is taking an increasingly disturbing turn.
On Monday, May 12, jurors were shown shocking footage of Diddy violently assaulting his then-girlfriend, Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura, in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016. The video, previously obtained by CNN, captures a harrowing scene in which Cassie attempts to walk away before Diddy chases after her, strikes her, throws her to the floor, kicks her, and appears to drag her back to their room.
The footage was presented in five versions—two from a cell phone and three from hotel security cameras. During the presentation, Diddy reportedly sat shaking his head slowly. The videos are part of a broader federal case against Combs, who faces charges including sex trafficking and racketeering.
Israel Florez, a former hotel security officer who now works in law enforcement, testified that Diddy offered him a bribe to stay silent after responding to a call about a woman in distress. “I don’t want your money. Just go back to your room,” Florez recalled telling Combs. He also revealed that he recorded the incident with his phone to show his wife, who he feared wouldn’t believe him without proof. Prosecutors claim Florez was later offered $100,000 to suppress the video.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson told the jury. “For 20 years, the defendant, with the help of his trusted inner circle, committed crime after crime. That’s why we are here today.”
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Johnson emphasized that efforts to conceal evidence were a recurring theme in Diddy’s operations. “This isn’t the only time the defendant’s circle tried to clamp down and cover up the damage,” she said.
In a further development, TMZ reported that one of Diddy’s alleged ‘freak-off’ videos, featuring both him and Cassie, may also be shown to jurors. Attorneys for both parties tried to block the video’s inclusion due to concerns over it leaking to the public. The court has ruled that the footage will be played privately to jurors through headphones—ensuring that spectators, including media, will neither see nor hear its contents.
This case continues to unfold, with more disturbing revelations expected as the trial progresses.
