Amid outrage over footage showing Diddy violently attacking his ex-girlfriend Cassie, the embattled rapper fears more damaging videos will emerge, an insider told DailyMail.com
The hatching of CNN Footage showing the rapper, real name Sean Combs, throwing his ex-partner to the ground and furiously kicking her sparked widespread reaction on Friday.
A source revealed Diddy was ‘stunned’ by the release of the video and is huddled with his lawyers for crisis talks as he fears more could follow.
“His team is bracing for the release of more videos and is now aware that some people paid to remove them may have kept copies,” they said.
Diddy faced outrage on Friday when footage was released showing him attacking his ex-girlfriend Cassie at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles in 2016
Diddy was seen throwing Cassie to the ground and kicking her in anger, and an insider told DailyMail.com that his team is ‘bracing’ for the release of more videos
A close confidant of Cassie claimed she was also surprised by the release of the viral clip, which was reportedly “triggering for her.”
The video came as the artist faces a number of allegations and lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault, rape and sex trafficking, including a lawsuit filed by Cassie that was settled out of court in November.
Diddy has denied the allegations against him and his representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment when contacted by DailyMail.com.
His alleged crisis talks with lawyers unfolded as his team feared more was to come.
“His people are also concerned about footage that may have been shot in recording studios,” the insider continued.
They added that CNN may already be in discussions with others with harmful videos, claiming that “there” there are others who have kept people in the vault.”
A close confidant of Cassie told us she was also surprised by the release of the viral clip, which was reportedly “triggering for her.”
“She is just happy to have escaped him and plans to write a book that will help other victims of domestic violence escape their vicious tormentors,” they said.
In the footage, taken from the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles in 2016, Diddy was seen shirtless with a towel wrapped around his waist as he chased Cassie down the hallway.
When she tried to get into an elevator, he grabbed her by the back of the head and knocked her to the ground.
The footage shows Diddy dragging Cassie back to their hotel room after picking up her bags
An insider told DailyMail.com that Cassie is “just glad she got away (Diddy)” and plans to write a book about her alleged ordeal in their relationship
He then kicked her as she lay motionless on the ground, before grabbing the two designer bags she had tried to escape with.
Diddy stood over her, kicked her again and then dragged her by the hoodie back to their room.
Cassie claimed in their now-settled lawsuit that Diddy paid the same hotel $50,000 for the footage after the attack.
In a statement to DailyMail.com, Cassie’s lawyer Douglas Wigdor said: ‘The heartbreaking video has only further cemented Mr. Combs’ disturbing and predatory behavior.
“Words cannot express the courage and determination Ms. Ventura has shown in coming forward to expose this.”
Despite the widespread outrage the hotel footage sparked, the Los Angeles district attorney’s office released a statement saying it does not have the ability to prosecute him.
The office cited the statute of limitations for assault and said that because the footage was filmed in March 201, the period for filing charges has expired.
“If the behavior depicted had occurred in 2016, we unfortunately would not be able to file charges because the behavior would have occurred outside the timeline in which a crime of assault could be prosecuted,” the LA DA’s office wrote in a statement.
California’s statute of limitations for simple assault is one year, while aggravated assault is three years. Based on the timeline, neither charge could be leveled against Diddy.
The office added that police have not filed any charges against Diddy, real name Sean Combs, in connection with the attack.
After Cassie’s lawsuit was settled in November, her lawyers released a statement saying the star “has decided to resolve this matter amicably, under terms over which I have some control.”
“I would like to thank my family, fans and advocates for their continued support.”
In his own statement after the settlement, Diddy’s lawyer said his settlement of the case was in no way an admission of guilt.
His attorney added that he denies all of Ventura’s allegations.