Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs physically assaults girlfriend in disturbing hotel video

“Gut-wrenching” CCTV has shown rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs physically assaulting his then-girlfriend inside a hotel. Warning: Disturbing footage.

Warning: Disturbing footage

Disturbing surveillance video has emerged of rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs physically assaulting his then-girlfriend Casandra Ventura, corroborating allegations she made in a now-settled lawsuit late last year.

Combs is the target of several civil lawsuits that characterise him as a violent sexual predator who used alcohol and drugs to subdue his victims, with his homes being raided this year by federal agents.

The footage, dated March 5, 2016 and obtained and published by CNN, shows the rap mogul hitting, dragging and kicking the singer known as Cassie.

In a recent lawsuit, she alleged Combs subjected her to more than a decade of coercion by physical force and drugs, plus a 2018 rape.

In the video, Ms Ventura leaves a hotel room with two bags, with Combs seen running down a hallway after her, appearing to wear only a towel.

As she waits by the elevators, the video shows the rapper coming up behind her and throwing her to the ground before kicking her.

He then picked up her bags before kicking her again and then dragging her along the ground.

After standing up, Ms Ventura moves to pick up a phone on the hallway wall near the elevators. It is at this point that Combs returns.

The footage appears to show the rapper assaulting his then-girlfriend Casandra Ventura. Picture: CNN

Ms Ventura’s lawyer described the footage as ‘gut-wrenching’. Picture: CNN

A mirror across from the security camera appears to show the rapper shove Ms Ventura. He then appears to take an object off a nearby table and throw it towards her.

“The gut-wrenching video has only further confirmed the disturbing and predatory behaviour of Mr Combs,” Ms Ventura’s lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, said in a statement.

“Words cannot express the courage and fortitude that Ms Ventura has shown in coming forward to bring this to light.”

Ms Ventura sued Combs in federal court last fall, a bombshell suit that was settled out of court, but was succeeded by a string of similarly lurid sexual assault claims against the hip-hop star.

Diddy and Cassie on a red carpet on March 7 2016, two days after the alleged attack took place. Picture: AFP

Diddy and Cassie on March 7, 2016. Picture: AFP

According to the complaint, referenced by CNN, the alleged incident occurred “around March 2016”.

Ms Ventura claimed the rapper became “extremely intoxicated” and she was left with a black eye after he allegedly punched her in the face.

She claims she attempted to leave the hotel room after Combs fell asleep but he woke up and proceeded to allegedly follow her into the hallway while yelling at her.

“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.

Horrific CCTV shows rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs physically assaulting his then-girlfriend inside a hotel.

Diddy ran down the hotel hallway in the frightening footage.

Combs pictured with Cassie Ventura in 2018. Picture: Jewel Samad/AFP

The complaint states that after the incident, Ms Ventura took a taxi to her apartment, but returned to the hotel shortly after, claiming she believed that running away would cause Combs to be “even angrier with her”.

She allegedly returned with the intention of apologising to the rapper.

“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 alleged.

The November lawsuit included a number of claims from Ms Ventura, including allegations that she was sexually assaulted in 2018 and endured years of physical assault and other abuses.

Combs has vehemently denied all accusations against him.

After the settlement, Combs’ lawyer, Ben Brafman, said in a statement to CNN that the decision to settle the lawsuit was “is in no way an admission of wrongdoing”.

“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,” the lawyer said.

Ms Ventura met Combs when she was 19 and he was 37, after which he signed her to his label and they began a romantic relationship.

In March, armed agents entered Combs’ sprawling luxury properties in Miami and Los Angeles, a heavily publicised bicoastal operation that suggested an investigation into the rapper is under way.