Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs likely settled Cassie lawsuit ‘quickly’ to prevent hotel tape from coming out: ex-FBI agent
Tracy Walder, a former CIA and FBI agent, said it's 'upsetting' the Los Angeles DA can't file charges over the 2016 video
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sean "Diddy" Combs likely settled the lawsuit against him by ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura one day after she filed to prevent the hotel surveillance footage of him allegedly beating her in a hallway in 2016 from becoming public, author Tracy Walder, who previously worked for the FBI and CIA, said.
The video — obtained exclusively by CNN on Friday that allegedly showed the 54-year-old rapper brutally beating Ventura in a hotel hallway in Los Angeles — is likely the reason Combs "settled so quickly with his ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura in November 2023," she told People magazine.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Walder added, "I do think [Combs] was worried about the tape getting out," adding that he allegedly paid $50,000 to the hotel for it not to be leaked, according to Ventura's lawsuit, "which isn’t all that much," Walder said. "Ms. Ventura knew the video was out there, and it was provided to her attorney as part of the case. I believe he settled it the next day for fear of it getting out."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ventura sued Combs in November, accusing him of physical and sexual abuse, but she dropped the case after the parties reached an out-of-court settlement a day later.
Ventura sued Combs in November, accusing him of physical and sexual abuse. But she dropped the case after the parties reached an out-of-court settlement a day later. (Frazer Harrison/FilmMagic)
The shocking video appears to corroborate a line in Ventura's lawsuit accusing Combs of punching her in the face in a hotel.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Mr. Combs became extremely intoxicated and punched Ms. Ventura in the face, giving her a black eye," her lawyers alleged.
He was drunk, according to the lawsuit, and when he passed out she tried to sneak out. But he allegedly woke up and resumed screaming at her, followed her into the hallway, threw her on the ground and smashed a vase on the floor.
Walder said it’s "enraging" that the alleged actions in the video exceeded the statute of limitations in Los Angeles.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS HOTEL VIDEO LIKELY TO SPEED UP FEDERAL CASE, INVESTIGATOR SAYS
"Unfortunately, there is a statute of limitations even on felony assault. Obviously, it is enraging to watch that video and to know that there is no chargeable crime as a result of the domestic violence/felony assault," Walder told Fox News Digital. "I think having a statute of limitations on a crime like this is tough as many victims stand to lose everything (their lives) if they come forward right away."
The LA District Attorney's office issued a statement confirming the rap artist is "unable" to be prosecuted due to the statute of limitations.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We are aware of the video that has been circulating online allegedly depicting Sean Combs assaulting a young woman in Los Angeles," the statement, released on Instagram, began. "We find the images extremely disturbing and difficult to watch."
A still image from Los Angeles surveillance video that appears to show Sean "Diddy" Combs attacking then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016. (Obtained Exclusively by CNN)
"If the conduct depicted occurred in 2016, unfortunately we would be unable to charge as the conduct would have occurred beyond the timeline where a crime of assault can be prosecuted," the statement continues. "As of today, law enforcement has not presented a case related to the attack depicted in the video against Mr. Combs, but 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."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Walder told People that the video "really throws water on Diddy and his legal team's argument that the government used too much force in his search warrants."
She said she suspected he "knew of this video, knew of other things he had been accused of, though he was acquitted of his charges, knew he had an armed security team, and thus this was entirely an appropriate use of force."
She added that the timing of the tape's release was "interesting."
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Sean "Diddy" Combs and Cassie Ventura attend Cassie's RockAByeBaby release party at SL Lounge in New York City in 2013. (Shareif Ziyadat/FilmMagic)
She suspected "either [Ventura's] attorney or the hotel gave CNN the footage since the hotel only got paid $50,000 to keep it quiet," Ventura's lawsuit claimed.
"I’m wondering if Cassie or her attorney are frustrated there haven’t been criminal charges yet federally and that’s why they did this. I would imagine Sean Combs won’t be fighting any civil cases now," she told People.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Walder also called the video "enraging."
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"I hope everyone calling her a gold digger feels awful."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I don’t think Diddy thought this video would get out," Walder told Fox News Digital. "I suspect people have been covering for him for a while, and I believe he thought he was infallible."
Representatives for Combs did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News' Christina Dugan Ramirez and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.