NEWSSean 'Diddy' Combs Offered to Pay Security Guard to Keep Silent About 2016 Cassie Ventura Abuse Incident: 'He Had a Sack of Money'
A security guard who was once called to Sean 'Diddy' Combs and Cassie Ventura's hotel room claimed the rapper bribed him to keep quiet about the incident.
On Monday, May 12, the first day of Sean "Diddy" Combs' trafficking trial, former security guard Israel Florez revealed what he witnessed when he was called about "a woman in distress" at the now-closed InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Calif., in 2016.
The woman in question was the rapper's then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, and the events line up with the leaked hotel surveillance video that showed the mogul kicking the singer.
What the Security Guard Saw
At Sean 'Diddy' Combs' trial, a hotel security guard revealed Cassie Ventura was 'scared' when he confronted the two.
According to a news outlet, Florez — who's now a Los Angeles police officer — got off the elevator and saw Ventura, 38, in the hallway. "She was scared," he stated. "She was in the corner, hood on, covered up."
Combs, 55, was standing there shirtless wearing nothing but a white towel.
"I couldn’t see her face. She was pretty much in the corner," the police officer continued. "On the floor was a destroyed flower vase."
Florez then escorted the two back to their hotel room, and as he "started to leave," the father-of-seven "called out" to him.
"He had a sack of money, and he threw it at me and said, 'Don’t tell anyone,'" Florez spilled, claiming he declined to take the money.
Though Florez filed a report, he said he didn't contact the police "because there was no victim there, obviously nobody was pressing charges."
Footage From the 2016 Incident
Though Florez didn't witness Combs abuse Ventura, a leaked video from the hotel surfaced last year.
As OK! reported, last year, Combs denied ever abusing his ex, but a leaked video proved he was lying, as a clip showed Ventura laying on the ground as he kicked her.
The mom-of-two was reportedly trying to escape when Diddy caught her.
- Sean 'Diddy' Combs Trial: Security Guard Recalls Rapper's 'Devilish State' as He Testifies About Cassie Ventura's 2016 Assault
- Sean 'Diddy' Combs Trial: Rapper Forced Male Escort to Urinate Into Ex Cassie Ventura's Mouth at a 'Freak Off,' Claims Prosecutor
- Cassie Ventura Gave Abusive Ex Sean 'Diddy' Combs the 'Opportunity to Settle' Privately Before Filing Lawsuit, Claims Lawyer
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Diddy Apologizes for Being Violent Toward Cassie Ventura
The disgraced star filmed an apology video, admitting his 'behavior on that video is inexcusable.'
When the shocking video went viral, the "Coming Home" artist uploaded an apology video on Instagram, stating, "It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you got to do that. I was f----- up. I mean I hit rock bottom but I make no excuses."
“My behavior on that video is inexcusable,” he admitted. “I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I’m disgusted.”
Cassie Ventura Sued Ex Sean 'Diddy' Combs
Ventura and Combs settled her lawsuit privately out of court.
As OK! reported, the dancer and Combs dated from 2007 to 2018, and in 2023, she filed a sexual abuse lawsuit against him and claimed she was a victim of s-- trafficking.
Though the two wound up settling out of court, her filing prompted countless other individuals to follow suit and eventually led the FBI to raid Diddy's homes in March 2024. He was arrested that September on charges of racketeering, s-- trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.
He pleaded not guilty.
Ventura is expected to testify at the trial.
