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Since 2023, Sean Combs<\/strong> (who also goes by \u201cDiddy\u201d) has steadfastly maintained that the mounting claims of abuse<\/a>, assault<\/a>, and misconduct against him were falsehoods<\/a>, manufactured by people seeking payouts or worse. But on Sunday, he reversed that position, admitting to a 2016 attack that he’d previously\u2014and repeatedly\u2014denied.<\/p>\n The pivot follows the release of a shocking video on Friday<\/a> that mirrors an attack outlined last year by Cassie Ventura<\/strong>, a model and singer who was involved with Sean Combs from 2007-2018. In the video, which was first published by CNN<\/a>, a woman who appears to be Ventura is attacked by a man we now know to be Combs, and is punched, kicked, and shoved as she attempted to leave a hotel room.<\/p>\n The incident depicted in the video is extremely similar to an attack Ventura described when, in November 2023, she filed a civil suit against Combs<\/a>. Saying her relationship with him was marked by physical violence, abuse, and sex trafficking, Ventura\u2014who met Combs when she was 19 and he was 37\u2014said that following a 2016 incident in which Diddy allegedly forced her to have relations with a male sex worker while he watched, he fell asleep and she attempted to sneak out of their hotel room. He awoke, she said in her suit, followed her out, and attacked her. According to Ventura, Combs later paid $50,000 for the security footage of the incident.<\/p>\n After the suit was filed, Combs attorney Ben Brafman<\/strong> repudiated that and its numerous other claims. “Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations,\u201d he said in a November 16, 2023 statement.<\/p>\n \u201cFor the past 6 months, Mr. Combs has been subjected to Ms. Ventura’s persistent demand of $30 million, under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail. Despite withdrawing her initial threat, Ms. Ventura has now resorted to filing a lawsuit riddled with baseless and outrageous lies, aiming to tarnish Mr. Combs’ reputation and seeking a payday.”<\/p>\n The following day, Combs settled with Ventura<\/a> for an undisclosed amount, but continued to deny the incident had occurred. \u201cA decision to settle a lawsuit, especially in 2023, is in no way an admission of wrongdoing,” Brafman said.<\/p>\n “Mr. Combs\u2018 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.”<\/p>\n