.png)
1 month ago
10
Diddy's former longtime partner Cassie Ventura has remained silent after he was indicted over multiple shocking charges.
The 38-year-old R&B singer (stage name Cassie) was with the Bad Boy mogul - born Sean Combs - for over a decade from 2007 to 2018.
Now Diddy has been charged with sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution, according to a federal indictment unsealed in New York on Tuesday.
Combs had been arrested late on Monday in Manhattan, roughly six months after federal authorities conducting a sex trafficking investigation raided his homes in Los Angeles and Miami.
Douglas Wigdor, a lawyer for Cassie, said in a statement on to DailyMail.com Tuesday that 'neither Ms Ventura nor I have any comment'.
Diddy's former longtime partner Cassie Ventura has remained silent after he was indicted over multiple shocking charges; the former couple are seen in New York back in May 2015
Over the past year, Combs has been sued by people who say he subjected them to physical or sexual abuse.
He has denied many of those allegations, and his lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, said outside the court that Combs would plead not guilty and that he would 'fight like hell' to try to get his client released from custody.
Of Combs, Agnifilo said, 'His spirits are good. He’s confident.'
Combs, 54, was recognized as one of the most influential figures in hip hop before a flood of allegations that emerged over the past year turned him into an industry pariah.
In November, Ventura filed a lawsuit saying he had beaten and raped her for years.
She accused Combs of coercing her and others into unwanted sex in drug-fueled settings.
The suit was settled in one day but months later, CNN aired hotel security footage showing Combs punching and kicking Cassie and throwing her on the floor.
The video in question shows the rapper shirtless with a towel wrapped around his waist, chasing Cassie down the hall at the InterContinental Hotel in Century City before grabbing and kicking her.
The 38-year-old R&B singer (stage name Cassie) was with the Bad Boy mogul - born Sean Combs - for over a decade from 2007 to 2018; the former couple are seen in March 2016
The video, obtained by CNN , shows the rapper shirtless with a towel wrapped around his waist, chasing Cassie down the hall at the InterContinental Hotel in Century City before grabbing and kicking her
Diddy is seen dragging Cassie back to their hotel room after collecting her bags
This is the former InterContinental hotel in Century City, Los Angeles, where Diddy allegedly attacked then girlfriend Cassie Ventura
Though Cassie refused to comment on Tuesday, back in May she broke her silence regarding the shocking clip.
The singer urged people to 'open your heart to believe victims the first time' after she was accused by Sean and others of lying about the abuse.
Cassie wrote in her statement: 'Thank you for all of the love and support from my family, friends, strangers and those I have yet to meet. The outpouring of love has created a place for my younger self to settle and feel safe now, but this is only the beginning.
'Domestic Violence is THE issue. It broke me down to someone I never thought I would become. With a lot of hard work, I am better today, but I will always be recovering from my past.
'Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to take this matter seriously. My only ask is that EVERYONE open your heart to believing victims the first time. It takes a lot of heart to tell the truth out of a situation that you were powerless in.
'I offer my hand to those that are still living in fear. Reach out to your people, don't cut them off. No one should carry this weight alone.
'This healing journey is never ending, but this support means everything to me. Thank you. Love Always.'
After the video aired, Combs apologized, saying, 'I was disgusted when I did it.'
Though Cassie refused to comment on Tuesday, back in May she broke her silence regarding the shocking clip as the singer urged people to 'open your heart to believe victims the first time' after she was accused by Sean and others of lying about the abuse
Over the past year, Combs has been sued by people who say he subjected them to physical or sexual abuse. He has denied many of those allegations, and his lawyer, Marc Agnifilo (pictured), said outside the court that Combs would plead not guilty and that he would 'fight like hell' to try to get his client released from custody
Diddy was seen in Central Park on the day of the day before his arrest
However, Combs and his attorneys denied similar allegations made by others in a string of lawsuits.
'We appreciate your understanding and if that changes, we will certainly let you know,' he added.
Adria English, who sued Diddy for $50 billion and filed a criminal complaint accusing him of sex trafficking, hailed his arrest on Tuesday.
'We are happy to see one step towards justice being taken by the federal government in their arrest and indictment of defendant Combs today,' her lawyer said.
'We look forward to seeing the outcome of this case and having our own day in Court against defendant Combs.'
A woman said Combs raped her two decades ago when she was 17. A music producer sued, saying Combs forced him to have sex with prostitutes. Another woman, April Lampros, said Combs subjected her to 'terrifying sexual encounters,' starting when she was a college student in 1994.
Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, has gotten out of legal trouble before.
In 2001, he was acquitted of charges related to a Manhattan nightclub shooting two years earlier that injured three people. His then-protege, Shyne, was convicted of assault and other charges and served around eight years in prison.
English (US)