The Diddy trial: The alleged $100,000 hotel video
Post Reports
The Washington Post
4.4 • 5.1K Ratings
🗓️ 6 June 2025
⏱️ 29 minutes
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Summary
As the government has built its case against Sean “Diddy” Combs over the past few weeks, they have called witnesses to build out the story around an incident that many are familiar with – the violent 2016 encounter at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles. A video of it was first released by CNN last year, and depicts Combs dragging and kicking his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a hotel hallway. Witnesses, including former hotel security employees, have alleged that Combs and his employees attempted to cover up the incident through a $100,000 payoff.
This week, another one of Combs’s alleged victims, “Jane,” took the stand and began delivering harrowing testimony about encounters she had with him and male escorts – similar to what Ventura alleged she experienced. She’s testifying under a pseudonym. Style reporter Anne Branigin explains how this anonymous testimony works and how the 2016 hotel incident ties into many of the government’s charges.
Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Carla Spartos.
Follow our coverage of the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs on Spotify here.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Even if you're not paying close attention to the allegations against Sean Diddy Combs, |
| 0:07.9 | there may be one thing that you've seen about him in the past year. |
| 0:12.3 | And that's this video that aired on CNN. |
| 0:17.0 | New surveillance footage obtained exclusively by CNN appears to corroborate some of the allegations |
| 0:22.8 | of abuse against music mogul Sean Diddy Combs. The video, captured on multiple cameras, shows |
| 0:29.4 | Combs assaulting his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a hallway at a Los Angeles hotel in March 2016. |
| 0:36.9 | The publication of this video last May by CNN felt |
| 0:40.7 | like one of those turning points for Combs. Before that, civil lawsuits alleging violence and |
| 0:47.0 | sexual assault had already been filed against him, including by the woman in that video, |
| 0:52.9 | his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. |
| 0:55.4 | He denied all of those claims. |
| 0:57.8 | But the video showed Combs being violent, and it was shocking to see. |
| 1:03.6 | Months later, he was arrested for racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. |
| 1:12.0 | Combs is on trial now, and he's pleaded not guilty. |
| 1:15.5 | This video is a key piece of evidence in his federal trial in New York. |
| 1:20.3 | Prosecutors are claiming the video illustrates why Combs is guilty. |
| 1:27.5 | From the newsroom of the Washington Post, this is Post reports. |
| 1:31.8 | I'm Ella He Izadi. |
| 1:33.8 | It's Friday, June 6. |
| 1:35.9 | We're continuing our coverage of the trial of music mogul Sean Combs, |
| 1:40.5 | also known as Diddy, Puff, Puff Daddy. |
| 1:43.8 | We'll be bringing you these episodes most Fridays, |
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