Music executive Sean “Diddy” Combs has accused the U.S. government of leaking a controversial 2016 video that shows him assaulting his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, in a hotel hallway. In a recent court filing, Combs’ attorneys alleged that agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) engaged in a campaign against him for seven months leading up to his indictment on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering.
The footage, which was obtained by CNN in May, captures Combs attacking Ventura at the InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Los Angeles. The release of the video sparked public outrage against the music mogul. Combs' defense attorneys, Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos, argue that the government was the only entity capable of disclosing such sensitive material, asserting, “The videotape was leaked to CNN for one reason alone: to mortally wound the reputation and the prospect of Sean Combs successfully defending himself against these allegations.”
Last November, Ventura filed a lawsuit against Combs, but the pair settled just a day later. Combs is now facing accusations of using his record label as a “criminal enterprise” for over a decade, during which he allegedly abused women and coerced witnesses into silence regarding his alleged misconduct. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Although Combs is currently incarcerated, his legal team is actively seeking his release ahead of a high-profile trial. In their filing, Combs’ lawyers emphasized that they are attributing the alleged leaks to DHS, not the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office. They also claimed that federal authorities supplied news outlets with false and prejudicial statements and unlawfully shared grand jury information, including the 2016 video.
Additionally, the filing criticized DHS agents for conducting a “particularly brutal and public search” of Combs’ homes, which included handcuffing two of his sons in front of the media. The raids on Combs’ properties in Los Angeles and Miami in March garnered significant media attention and reportedly uncovered extensive evidence against him.
In light of these developments, Agnifilo and Geragos have requested an evidentiary hearing to address the alleged misconduct and to ensure that government attorneys and agents do not disclose further information to the press. They have also called for the possibility of suppressing evidence, including the controversial video, or even dismissing the case altogether, according to the legal documents.
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